Plans to redevelop London’s Liverpool Street station have been hit by another delay, after Network Rail submitted additional details to its planning application.
The £1.5bn scheme — which includes partial demolition of Britain’s busiest station and the construction of a 19-storey office tower suspended above the neighbouring Grade II* listed Andaz Hotel — was expected to be reviewed by the City of London Corporation before the end of the year. That decision has now been postponed.
Network Rail said it “remained committed” to the project, confirming that the new material would soon be available on the City of London’s planning register.
Thousands of objections
The project has faced fierce opposition since its original submission in May 2023, attracting more than 2,000 objections from members of the public, Westminster Council and Historic England. Conservation groups, including the Victorian Society, have called the scheme “a huge and unnecessary waste of resources,” warning it would be “environmentally backward” and “likely to be redundant on completion.”
A revised design was lodged in April 2024, reducing the size of the tower, realigning it to preserve the Andaz Hotel, and redesigning the station’s entrances. Landscaping improvements were also proposed, including new benches near the Kindertransport memorial.
Despite the changes, opposition remains strong: more than 2,100 objections have now been registered, alongside over 1,000 statements of support.
Divided opinions
Historic England, initially a leading critic of the project, has softened its stance, describing the latest plans as “a significant improvement,” though still acknowledging “a high level of harm.”
Network Rail said the latest additions to its planning application include detailed transport analyses developed in consultation with Transport for London and the City of London’s highways team.
The City of London Corporation has yet to announce when a new decision date will be set. Photo by Doyle of London, Wikimedia commons.