News
July 2025
Liverpool Street Station revised proposal 2025
This is the letter of opposition to the proposed second version of the development of Liverpool Street Station, sent to the Corporation of the City of London by the London and Middlesex Archaeological society (LAMAS).
We should all take note.
Application Ref: 25/00494/FULEIA – Liverpool Street Station: Phased development/partial demolition
We object strongly to this planning application.
The London and Middlesex Archaeological Society (LAMAS) promotes London’s archaeology, local history, and historic buildings. The LAMAS Historic Buildings and Conservation Committee reviews planning applications relating to important historic buildings and seeks to ensure a sustainable future for vital aspects of London’s built heritage.
LAMAS is a member of the Liverpool Street Station Campaign (LISSCA) and we object to this planning application primarily on the following grounds:
The substantial harm that would be caused to (a) the setting of the Grade II* listed former Great Eastern Hotel and Liverpool Street Station by the new 97m, twenty storey building being erected over the station, and to (b) the setting of the Bishopsgate Conservation Area as a whole, which is generally an area of low-rise buildings.
The destruction of the Grade II listed roof of the concourse. Its destruction is reported as necessary as it would be unable to bear the weight of the new tower above it. We remain unconvinced that such a large building is required to fund the necessary upgrades to Liverpool Street station.
The extension of the high-level walkways along the east and west sides of the trainshed to house a large number of additional retail units, which will have a harmful impact on the special interest and significance of the Grade II listed trainshed.
The Bishopsgate Conservation Area SPD 2014 states (p22) that ‘The [Liverpool Street] station, its 1990s additions, its Gothic style office wing on Liverpool Street and the former Great Eastern Hotel (1880-84) collectively form a notable Victorian townscape group’. The setting of this ‘grouping’ would be materially damaged by the proposed new building. The importance of this ‘group value’ is highlighted also in Historic England’s Listing Particulars for Liverpool Street Station.
The harm to the settings caused by the new tower would be contrary to the relevant planning guidelines in (a) the NPPF, (b) the London Plan, (c) the 2015 City of London Local Plan, and (d) the City Plan 2040, currently being consulted on:
1) NPPF (December 2024 version): Paragraphs 212-214. We do not believe that any ‘substantial public benefits’ have been demonstrated which would outweigh the substantial harm that would be caused to the settings.
2) London Plan: Policy D9 (Tall Buildings), particularly (C)(1)(d). We do not believe that ‘clear and convincing justification’ of the harm to heritage assets and their settings has been demonstrated, or that the proposed new buildings ‘positively contribute to the character of the area’ (the Bishopsgate Conservation Area). Also, Policy HC1 Heritage conservation and growth is relevant.
3) City of London Local Plan 2015: We consider that the proposed development most certainly ‘detracts from’ the settings of the heritage assets, and would contravene (a) Core Strategic Policy CS12; (b) Policy DM 12.1; and (c) Policy DM 12.2.
4) City Plan 2040: This proposed new Local Plan constitutes a material consideration in planning terms. Policy HE1: Managing Change to Heritage Assets sets out three sets of criteria that development proposals should meet in relation to heritage assets. None of these criteria have been met by the proposed development.
Also, Strategic Policy S12: Tall Buildings is relevant, as is Strategic Policy S21: City Cluster: there is no ‘contribution to’ or ‘preservation of’ heritage assets and their settings in the proposed scheme.
The Heritage Statement prepared by Donald Insall Associates concludes (p9) that ‘In summary, the proposals comply in part with the development plan comprised of the heritage policies in the City of London Local Plan, the draft City of London Plan, and the London Plan, although some harm will be caused to heritage assets which prevents full compliance with certain policies’. We believe strongly that the harm caused will be material, and that the proposals represent an unacceptable contravention of these planning policies.
We therefore strongly recommend that this planning application be refused.
Vanessa Harding and John Ricketts
President and Chair London and Middlesex Archaeological Society LAMAS Historic Buildings and Co, 30 June 2025
Royal Mint site: Chinese Embassy archaeology
Part of a wall and a doorway in the ruins of St Mary Graces Abbey, in the present basement at the Mint
The proposed Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint, East Smithfield
The Chinese government proposes to relocate its embassy in the buildings of the Royal Mint, currently empty, north-east of the Tower of London. The design of the new complex, which includes several Listed Buildings and structures, is by architect David Chipperfield. A first proposal was refused planning permission by the local authority, Tower Hamlets, in 2022. Chipperfield has now submitted a second application which is exactly the same as the first. This has been called in by the Secretary of State Angela Rayner. There will now be a Public Enquiry about the project in 2025.
CoLAT has concerns about the future display and public access in the present basement of fragments of walls from St Mary Graces Abbey, extensively found on the site during excavations of the 1980s. Here is a note describing the site and the setting of the fragments:
| Title | File Type | File Size |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Embassy note by CoLAT 0 |
481 KB | |
| 0 |
Welcome to the CoLAT website
The City of London Archaeological Trust (CoLAT) is a charity whose purpose is to support and initiate archaeological work in the City of London and its environs.
The Trust supports all kinds of archaeological work and the exhibition of archaeological sites. We prefer to concentrate on education and research, especially publication, within or in addition to existing research frameworks; but assistance with survey and excavation projects may be requested.
Many of the projects supported by CoLAT are large multi-stage research and publication projects which require additional funding for completion. We welcome donations from individuals and organisations who want to contribute to the archaeological and historical study of London.
**NEW: two items concerning our support for public discussion and appreciation of London archaeology. First, our News page now highlights what we think of several major redevelopments in the City, and how they are dealing with the rich archaeology and built heritage on their sites. Second, we are hosting a page about the activities of the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society. Click the LAMAS link at the top or in the footer at the bottom of this page to find it. This page holds the letters sent by LAMAS to local planning authorities about developments, and the letters sent by CoLAT to the Corporation of London about specific developments in the City.
