City of London cleared to build skyscrapers near Tower of London

The UK government has cleared the way for high-rise developments in the City of London near the Tower of London World Heritage Site. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook withdrew a previous ministerial direction that had halted the City Plan 2040 in June following heritage concerns raised by Historic England.

The decision follows a conclusion by the Planning Inspectorate that the City’s proposed building contours would protect the setting of the Tower while allowing for economic growth. Historic England had argued for a larger gap of clear sky to preserve the site’s appearance, but inspectors found the City’s plan would maintain visual separation without materially reducing development capacity.

The City of London aims to diversify its economy by adding 1.2 million square meters of office, leisure, retail, and cultural space by 2040. The plan includes increasing height limits for buildings in the eastern cluster of high-rise offices. The City Corporation intends to proceed with the adoption of the strategy before the end of the year.