Great Portland Estates submits plans for City Place House redevelopment

Great Portland Estates has revealed fresh details of its proposed office redevelopment at City Place House, near Moorgate, EC2, after submitting planning documents last month. The developer has applied to demolish the nine-storey marble-clad block at 55 Basinghall Street, described in planning documents as “obsolete and heavy-looking”, and replace it with a new 12-storey office building. Designers described the proposed new scheme, which would include 322,000 sq ft of office and retail space, as well as changes to the surrounding public realm, “as more consistent with the City of London’s ambition to remain a ‘global city’”. The project would involve replacing an adjoining public walkway running above London Wall, carrying out significant works at the foot of the neighbouring City Tower, which is also owned by Great Portland Estates, and installing a new garden space. The plans were submitted by GPE subsidiary Knighton Estates, and designed by architects at Allies and Morrison. GPE bought the 29-year-old City Place House from Starwood Capital in 2015, in a £104m deal designed to “unlock further value” at the 179,000 sq ft site, according to chief executive Toby Courtauld. The developer picked up City Tower at the same time, also from Starwood, for £86.6m. It holds the long leasehold from the City of London Corporation for both buildings. The new building would also include raised garden terraces for its office tenants, as well as new retail space on the ground floor. It would be renamed 2 Aldermanbury Square, in a nod to the area behind the building which backs out towards Guildhall. To send feedback, e-mail alex.daniel@egi.co.uk or tweet @alexmdaniel or @estatesgazette Photo: Allies and Morrison