RSHP’s new tower at 99 Bishopsgate approved with plans to start construction next year

RSHP’s plans for a 54-storey tower at 99 Bishopsgate in the City of London have been given the green light.

A recommendation from planning officers to approve the application was backed by councillors this morning, with 17 voting in favour, no votes against and two abstentions.

Construction on the 100,000 sq m building could start as soon as next year, according to its developer Brookfield, which is lining up its subsidiary Multiplex as main contractor.

Shravan Joshi, chair of the City’s planning and transportation committee, said: “A much-needed office development has been approved in the City of London and it speaks to the confidence that global investors have in the local real estate market, as well as the UK economy, more widely.

“The 99 Bishopsgate scheme will also give the Square Mile one of the largest public realm upgrades from a single planning application, in recent history, increasing the ‘walkability’ of the City, so that it becomes a safer and more pleasant place to travel through.”

The building will see the demolition to ground level of the site’s existing 28-storey building, which is the current UK base of Multiplex.

The replacement scheme will include a substantial new public realm area at ground level with a food and retail market, new pedestrian routes and a standalone six-storey cultural building.

City planners said ahead of the committee meeting that the proposals “exude architectural excellence” and would provide an “exceptional new addition” to the edge of the Square Mile’s main tower cluster.

But it had been criticised by Historic England and St Paul’s Cathedral, which both lodged objections, after raising concerns about the scheme’s potential impact on protected views.

The project team for 99 Bishopsgate includes T&T Alinea on costs, AKT II on structural engineering, Ramboll on MEP services, Atelier Ten on sustainability, Momentum on transport, GIA on sunlight and wind, Trium Environmental Consulting on environment and Andy Sturgeon as landscape architect.

Planning consultant DP9, communications consultant Kanda Consulting and heritage and townscape consultant The Townscape Consultancy are also on the team.