Hazel Blears, the communities secretary, has called for a public inquiry into a 43-storey tower on the South Bank in London, after objections from English Heritage.

The building, designed by architect Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands for Coin Street Community Builders, was given planning permission by Lambeth council in August, after it was reduced in height from 173m to 144m.

A spokesperson for English Heritage said: “We’re very concerned that the tower would have a seriously adverse impact on views from Somerset House and St James’s Park and upon the setting of neighbouring listed buildings, particularly the grade II-listed National Theatre and the grade I-listed Royal Festival Hall."

Further along the river, London mayor Ken Livingstone has threatened to impose his first compulsory purchase order on council-owned land.

The mayor has told Southwark council, the owner of Potters Fields, next to Tower Bridge, to finalised a deal with Berkeley Homes within the next month.

Livingstone made his comments at the Labour party conference last week to applause from Gordon Brown, the prime minister, and Tessa Jowell, the Olympics minister.