Crossrail 2 is already shaping London’s skyline

It may be years, even decades before Crossrail 2 is built, but the future railway is affecting buildings today and has delayed a planned redevelopment in Victoria.

It’s emerged that a plan to refurbish and expand an office block close to Victoria Station has been put on hold because it might affect the Crossrail 2 tunnels that might run underneath the building when the railway is eventually built.

Proposed Ebury Gate redevelopment – source: Planning documents / Morrow + Lorraine

The issue concerns a legal protection for Crossrail 2 known as safeguarding, which requires any construction work within the railway’s planned route to consider its effect on the railway tunnels if and when they are built.

It prevents problems such as an office block drilling foundations down where the tunnels will go, or as in a recent case, ensures that a block of flats has foundations that won’t send vibrations into the homes above when trains pass through nearby tunnels.

The safeguarding for Crossrail 2 has now affected a planned redevelopment of Ebury Gate, a 1960s office block just south of Victoria station.

Crossrail 2 safeguarding map with Ebury Gate outlined in red

As part of the planning process, Transport for London (TfL) has to be consulted on anything that might affect them, and they were duly contacted for opinions about the development. TfL has raised some concerns, leading to the delay in the planning application meeting until after the issues could be resolved.

The issues TfL raised with the developer were due to be discussed at Westminster Council’s planning meeting, but that was put on hold until talks between Grosvenor and TfL can settle the problem, so the specifics of the issue are not yet public.

A TfL Spokesperson said: “As part of our submission for the planning application for Ebury Gate building, TfL set out that the proposed site is within the land currently safeguarded for the potential Crossrail 2. We are always happy to discuss what impact the statutory safeguarding of Crossrail 2 by the Transport Secretary would have with any development, and we are discussing the application with Westminster City Council and Grosvenor with a view to finding a way forward whilst protecting Crossrail 2 for the future.”

Although the redevelopment primarily reuses the core structure of the existing building, adding a new facade and bolting two more floors on top, it will need some new piles to be drilled into the ground to support the replacement lift and stair cores in the building. That may have triggered a review to ensure the additional piles won’t affect the future Crossrail 2 tunnels or that that won’t transfer train noise into the office block.

Or it could be something totally different.

The reasoning may become clearer when an amended planning application is submitted.

A Grosvenor spokesperson added: “Our retrofit proposals for Ebury Gate represent an opportunity to transform an outdated office building in the Victoria Opportunity Area into a highly sustainable Grade A workspace. The exemplary architectural designs for the building’s extensive refurbishment have been developed in collaboration with the community and will significantly enhance the visual appeal of the neighbourhood.”

“TfL has raised concerns about our proposals being within an Area of Surface Interest (AOSI) safeguarded for the potential future development of Crossrail 2. We are confident that these issues can be resolved quickly, allowing us to bring the scheme forward for determination in the near future.”