Liverpool Street Station Redesign Sparks Heritage Battle

The City of London Corporation has controversially approved plans for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station, a decision described as a “sad day for the City of London” by Griff Rhys Jones, President of the Victorian Society. The project, initially conceived by Network Rail, Herzog & de Meuron, and Shard developer Sellar, and later refined by architectural firm ACME, aims to transform the Victorian station.

Proponents, including City of London Corporation Chairman Tom Sleigh, laud the plans as creating a “state-of-the-art, fully accessible station” capable of handling up to 200 million passengers annually. They assert it will significantly enhance the local area for visitors, workers, and commuters, calling it “A late, but very welcome Christmas present for the nation.”

However, the project faces strong opposition from various heritage groups. Historic England’s Chief Executive, Duncan Wilson, previously deemed the initial proposals ‘incongruous’, ‘oversized’, and ‘misconceived’. Critics argue the core of the plan involves a “disfiguring billion-pound office block,” a 97-metre-tall glass structure, wrapping around the existing station. They contend this massive development is not essential for the City’s growth, questioning its profitability for concourse improvements and its minimal passenger space benefits. Opponents highlight that the focus appears to be on retail, not commuter needs. Furthermore, they warn the project will destroy an existing conservation area, demolish listed buildings, and harm the surrounding historic fabric, debunking claims that Network Rail is mandated to build above its stations.

The revised plans include an enlarged concourse, eight new lifts, and ten new escalators. Despite the City Corporation’s approval, heritage campaigners, including the Victorian Society and its Liverpool Street Station Campaign (LISSCA), are “prepared for the long haul.” They await decisions from the Mayor of London and potentially the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, confident in strong public support to preserve the station’s heritage.

(Source: https://londonist.com/london/news/liverpool-street-station-green-light)