CO-RE’s City block retrofit approved

CO-RE’s plans to partially demolish and refurbish a nine-storey office block near Bank station have been approved by the City of London.

Proposals drawn up by architect Woods Bagot will see two storeys added to the roof of 21 Lombard Street, a corner of the building demolished and a four-storey infill block constructed.

The block’s facades will also be stripped back and replaced, extensive planting added and a new entrance built on Lombard Street.

At least 70% of the building will be retained under the plans, which are set to provide around 135,000 sq ft of office space over 11 floors along with several roof terraces.

CO-RE associate director Alex Thorpe said the scheme “embodies high-quality architecture, high standards of environmental and carbon credentials, and places high importance on the health and wellbeing of its occupiers.”

The building was designed in a formal postmodern style by John Seifert, the son of modernist architect Richard Seifert, and built in 2000.

Located within the Bank Conservation Area, it is described in planning documents as “at odds” with the many older heritage buildings on Lombard Street and with “no inherent architectural interest” of its own.

Its facade is also said to be “heavy and ill-proportioned” with an unwelcoming street-level frontage including a “dominating” oriel window, which would be removed under CO-RE’s plans.

The application was submitted in February this year on behalf of site owners Ivanhoé Cambridge, an international developer and investor of real estate, and approved using delegated powers last month.

The firm’s brief for the scheme called for a maximum amount of planting across the building, open roof terraces, full MEP replacement and refurbishment to reduce operational energy usage and upgrades to amenities including showers and bike spaces.

The project team includes planning firm Gerald Eve, structures consultant Heyne Tillett Steel along with consultants Arcadis and Gleeds.