Historic England blasts Herzog & de Meuron’s Liverpool St station plan

The major overhaul of the existing building to create a ‘world-class transport interchange’ forms part of a wider £1.5 billion project which includes a new 16-storey tower above the revamped concourse. A big reveal of its designs for a massive development above the London terminus is set for next month.

But the proposals by Sellar and Network Rail have already prompted a backlash from conservation groups. Historic England has branded the 'oversized and insensitive' scheme 'fundamentally misconceived' while the Victorian Society said it had not yet been consulted on the plans which it fears could ‘overwhelm’ the 1874 listed station.

According to the scheme’s backers, the £450 million worth of ‘vital upgrades’ to the station include upgrades to ‘alleviate access, capacity and overcrowding issues’ and will transform the passenger experience for the 135 million people who use it every year.

To create step-free access across the station – and to all London Underground platforms – the number of lifts will be increased from one to seven while six more escalators will be added to the four currently in use.

The team insists that a ‘key priority’ is ‘working sensitively’ with the station’s heritage features, and that it will restore historic elements as well as the façade of the Grade II-listed Andaz hotel.

Herzog & de Meuron’s plans include opening up rooms such as the masonic temples and ballroom, ‘providing unique meeting, leisure, and exhibition space’.

The as-yet-unseen designs for the wider redevelopment, which aims to create a ‘landmark seven-day-a-week destination in its own right’, include an over-site block housing nearly 80,000m2 of offices and a new six-storey Andaz hotel.

This all-electrical building will feature extensive planting, solar panels on its roof and includes plans to reuse heat emitted from the office space to warm the hotel above. A new publicly accessible pool will be used as a ‘massive thermal store’.

A large-scale public roof garden with 24/7 access is also being proposed, while new leisure, shopping and dining offers will be included within the commercial development and throughout the upgraded station concourse.

The team said that consultation on the plans would start with ‘key groups’ over the coming weeks, and initial proposals for the project, including station improvements, would be shared with the public between 21-23 November.

But the early plans have been met with resistance by heritage bodies. Duncan Wilson, Historic England's chief executive, said: 'Liverpool Street Station is one of London’s great Victorian stations, with a distinctive and special character. While we recognise the need for upgrades to the site so that it can better serve the millions of people that pass through its doors, this oversized and insensitive development is surely not the answer.

'We believe that this scheme is fundamentally misconceived.'

Historic England said it believed the project would have a 'severe impact on the Bishopsgate Conservation Area' and more widely on the extraordinary historic character of the City of London'.

It said it would make 'a very strong objection' if the scheme were taken forward to a planning application.

Meanwhile, the Victorian Society has already launched a fighting fund to challenge the proposals ‘if needs be’, saying that it was dismayed it had only just been invited to meet the developers.

The heritage group was originally part of a coalition that saved the 1874 station from total demolition following a public inquiry in 1975. The station in the City was reopened by the Queen in 1991 after a six-year conservation-led redevelopment which the society said was ‘now under threat’.

Victorian Society director Joe O’Donnell said: ‘It is extremely disappointing that a proposed redevelopment of a major Victorian station has got this far without speaking to [us] – especially where public bodies such as Network Rail and TFL are involved.’

O’Donnell said that although the society had written to the development team ‘months ago’, it had heard nothing until the plans were announced this week.

He added: ‘Consequently, we cannot comment on the details of the plans. It is unclear how much of the listed building will be lost or how many storeys – possibly 16 – will be built over the concourse.'

‘Given Sellar’s previous developments of the Paddington Cube and the Shard, this development is likely to overwhelm the listed building. The few images provided hint at the sky above the concourse being totally blocked out by a view of a new tower.’

Sellar chief executive James Sellar said: ‘Poor commutes are a barrier to London’s growth and it is extremely rare to have the opportunity to positively improve millions of passenger journeys every year. Our vision to significantly upgrade Liverpool Street station will alleviate its chronic overcapacity issues and future-proof it for generations at zero cost to the tax or fare payer.’

He added: ‘London is at a pivotal moment post-Brexit and post-pandemic, and we need to show a willingness to commit to infrastructure improvements. We believe the proposed station upgrade will also help ensure that the City remains competitive and maintains its position as one of the world’s most innovative, inclusive and sustainable business ecosystems and as a highly attractive place to invest, work, live, learn and visit.'

Responding to Historic England’s criticisms, James Sellar said the project was on the edge of the City’s eastern cluster of skyscrapers and ‘our designs have been kept deliberately low rise by comparison to ensure minimal to no harm to the City skyline’.

A formal planning application is expected to be submitted next year.