Mayor approves 22 Bishopsgate scheme

The Mayor of London has given the green light to developer Lipton Rogers’ replacement scheme for the Pinnacle site, 22 Bishopsgate.

Boris Johnson today waived through what will become the tallest building in the Square Mile , a month after the City of London Corpoation approved the plans.

The 62-storey tower is was designed by Karen Cook of PLP, the architect who designed the Pinnacle for her previous practice, KPF. Contractor Brookfield Multiplex is being lined up to build the scheme after winning a pre-construction services contract.

The original Pinnacle scheme, designed by KPF, was one of the more high-profile victims of the financial crash. Demolition of the nine-storey “stump” of its partly built core was approved this summer.

Johnson said: “After lying abandoned for four years, 22 Bishopsgate will now get off the ground, providing much-needed office space for thousands of city workers and a positive addition to the world-class architecture of the capital’s skyline.

“There will be more than 800,000 new jobs created in London over the next 20 years and there is no doubt that tall buildings that are sensitively managed, well designed and in the right place will continue to create the new office space the city needs to retain its place as one of the business capitals of the world.”

Stuart Lipton said the mayor had recognised it as a “major contribution” to the City’s vitality and a “distinguished and interesting building that includes a number of new innovations designed to put the health and wellness of people first”

He hoped it would be the first building in London to adopt the new Delos WELL building standard.

Anne Kavanagh, head of asset management at AXA Investment Managers, said the approval meant they were “on track” to start construction in the first quarter of next year.