Another week, another skyscraper is given planning permission in the City of London.
At 33 storeys, it'll be far from the tallest structure in the City cluster was completed. But 70 Gracechurch Street isn't all new — its lower floors will make use of a building which already exists; this'll be retrofitted before a new tower is added on top. Initial plans submitted in 2021 included a new basement, but advances in structural engineering mean this is no longer necessary, making the project more sustainable by reusing existing materials and structures.
As is par for the course these days, 70 Gracechurch Street — located on the corner of Gracechurch Street and Fenchurch Street — will have a public "roof-level viewing experience" on level 32. Initial renderings depict this as a curvy-bench-fitted terrace draped in greenery, and surrounded with glass panels offering views over London.
There will also be a new walkway at ground-level from Fenchurch Street through to Ship Tavern Passage, and north to Leadenhall Market.
Other new skyscrapers confirmed in recent months include the 54-storey 99 Bishopsgate and 1 Undershaft, set to become the tallest building in the City of London.
