There has been vocal opposition to the designs
Liverpool Street, which is served by National Rail, Overground, Elizabeth Line and Underground trains, is the busiest station in the UK; around 118 million people use it annually and that figure is expected to rise to 158 million by 2041. Network Rail has been planning to future proof the station to cope with those numbers for a few years now but the redevelopment hasn’t been smooth sailing.
Initial designs, which included the partial demolition of the Victorian station and the addition of a new multi-storey tower above the neighbouring Grade-II listed Andaz Hotel, were submitted to the City of London Corporation in May 2023. These plans, created with property developer Sellar, received thousands of public objections, including from Westminster Council, Historic England, the Victorian Society, and public figures like Stephen Fry and Tracey Emin, forcing Network Rail to go back to the drawing board.
Revised plans produced by a different team, including new architects Acme (and not including Sellar), were submitted last year. Among the amendments were a reduction in size of the office block above the station, a realignment of the building so it no longer interfered with the hotel, a redesign of the station entrance, and the addition of landscaping and benches by the Kindertransport statue. The size of the concourse would also be increased and family rooms and quiet areas would also be added to the station.
On Tues 10th February, the City of London Corporation’s planning committee voted in favour of the £1.2bn project, which includes the construction of a 318ft mixed-use tower block over the concourse.
The Victorian Society, led by Griff Rhys Jones, has been a vocal opponent of the development, with Jones saying: “This is sad day for the City of London.
“A disfiguring billion pound office block on top of a major heritage asset is not essential to the City’s development plans, it is doubtful whether it will easily provide the profit to ‘improve’ the concourse, and can only realise a small amount of extra space for the passenger. Its focus is retail opportunities which the commuter doesn’t need.
“The Corporation planning committee have bowed to developer ambitions, set a bad precedent for London and ignore the user.”
In a release on the development approval, the Corporation said: “In keeping with the City Corporation’s mission to make the Square Mile as inclusive and accessible as possible, step‑free access will be included at every station platform, including the London Underground, and an expanded concourse will greatly improve passenger congestion, as visitor numbers are anticipated to grow by hundreds of millions, in the near future. Upgraded passenger facilities include more ticket barriers, wider platforms, more escalators, lifts, lounges and toilets, to further ease congestion and improve comfort.”
You can find more details about the redevelopment of the station here.
