The building site next to Farringdon Station is to be turned into an office block once Crossrail vacate it later this year.
It’s been announced that the scheme, which was originally approved back in 2013 has now been handed to HB Reavis to build the 138,000 sq ft (Gross Leasable Area) mixed-use scheme.
It’ll sit next to the Elizabeth line and Thameslink entrances to Farringdon Station, with ground-floor shopping and seven storeys of office space above. The original planning application filed in 2012 was rejected by Islington Council, citing concerns about the scale of the proposed development.
Sent back for revision, the upper two floors were stepped back away from the street so that the height of the building, from street level, would appear lower. This also expanded the size of the roof terrace area for office users.
It is possibly a slight irony that the new building is smaller than the 12-storey high, and ghastly Cardinal Tower that used to sit on the site now being developed.
Although the new block is substantially lower, it is only slightly smaller in terms of office space being provided.
The revised scheme was approved in December 2013.
Construction above Farringdon station is expected to start later this year.
Plans are in place for 12 major developments over and around the new Elizabeth line stations and construction sites. The developments are expected to raise £500 million which is used in part to cover the cost of constructing Crossrail.
Some of the Crossrail “Elizabeth Line” stations in Central London will soon have offices and apartments being built on top. Including at Liverpool Street, Bond Street, Paddington and Whitechapel.
Interesting – where will they put offices or flats on top at Paddington? It would appear the Crossrail station has that fancy glass “cloud” roof, and sits aside the (undoubtedly listed) existing station. So there can’t be much room “on top” can there?
Very true SteveP
And there won’t be offices atop Whitechapel.
Maybe I proved wrong.
Why did TfL abandon the track through Smithfield Market thus depriving people in South London direct access to the City and the CrossRail interchange?
The Thameslink line is still working – not sure what you are referring to.
The link that could have taken Southern trains around to Barbican & Moorgate
The rail link for passengers to Barbican/Moorgate from the south side of Thameslink was cut in 1916.
People from the south will be connecting to the Elizabeth line at Farringdon.
But the track remained for goods use and it makes much more sense to go into the City than terminating trains on Blackfriars Bridge
So your asking why, 70 years ago, didn’t TfL (which didn’t exist) do something on a line that was closed for lack of use to ensure it could be used for two different railways that didn’t exist.
Nice article,simply good.
I am suprised no one mentioned the hideous image on the front of the new map. Is this really what visitors to London want to take home with them? Why not a picture of some of London’s world famous buildings.