Historic England has branded Herzog & de Meuron’s latest designs for revamping Liverpool Street station in London ‘fundamentally misguided’. The latest proposals, for Network Rail and developer Sellar, include a two-part block reaching 15 and 21 storeys above the Grade II-listed Liverpool Street station and the neighbouring Grade II*-listed hotel.

Historic England Chief Executive, Duncan Wilson, said in a statement on the 3rd May 2023 that:

“We remain very concerned about the submitted proposals to redevelop London’s Liverpool Street Station.

We have given our pre-application advice to the developer and still believe that the redevelopment plans would have a severely negative impact on the Grade II listed Liverpool Street Station – one of London’s great Victorian stations – as well as the former Great Eastern Hotel (listed at Grade II*) and the Bishopsgate Conservation Area. The impact is also likely to be felt further afield. The sheer bulk of development proposed above the station and the hotel is so large that it is also likely to encroach on views of some of London’s great landmarks, including those of St Paul’s Cathedral.

We believe that this scheme is fundamentally misguided. At Historic England we are in favour of development where it secures a sustainable future for our best public and private buildings. This scheme does not.

Now that a planning application has been made on the basis of these proposals we will review this and consider our next steps.”