Inspectors clear City Plan 2040 over Tower of London skyscraper fears

City Plan 2040, the City of London Corporation’s blueprint for development in the Square Mile, has been cleared to go forward after planning inspectors concluded that its tall building rules give the Tower of London enough protection. They set out their conclusions in a letter to the Corporation dated 23 September.

The government had halted the plan after UNESCO warned the Tower could be added to its list of World Heritage in Danger. Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook then issued a direction delaying its adoption and asked inspectors Alastair Phillips and Jameson Bridgwater to examine alternative contours drawn up by Historic England. Those contours set out where new towers could be allowed and would leave more room between the Tower and the City Cluster of tall buildings. An extra hearing was held on 2 September.

What the inspectors and the minister said

The inspectors wrote that they were not persuaded Historic England’s proposal “would result in a materially different heritage outcome from that achieved by the City Plan contours”. They also said they were satisfied that switching to those contours would reduce the capacity for development.

Mr Pennycook backed the findings, telling the Corporation he was reassured that the plan protects the Tower without placing undue limits on economic growth. Deputy Chris Hayward, the Corporation’s Policy Chair, called the outcome “an outstanding result for the City, for London and for the wider UK economy”.

UNESCO report on the Tower of London due by February 2027

Last year’s City Plan hearings were dominated by the clash between the Corporation’s ambitions for more offices and the need to protect heritage. Historic England repeatedly questioned the Square Mile’s tower proposals, as did Historic Royal Palaces, the body that runs the Tower. At the September hearing, Ben Du Feu, the barrister for Historic England, argued that the Tower was at risk of a danger listing.

The Corporation disputed that, with backing from Tower Hamlets Council, which said the Corporation’s contours were enough once the plan’s other safeguards were taken into account. UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has asked the UK government for a report by February 2027 and has warned the Tower could still be placed on the danger list.