How real estate reshaped the City of London as we know it

The City of London was a very different place 30 years ago. Bowler hats could still be seen, and women wore shoulder pads. Senior directors were chauffeur-driven or commuted by car, and would look disapprovingly at the ‘eccentrics’ taking the same journey by bicycle. There were no coffee shops. At lunchtime the choice was limited to greasy spoon cafes, the company canteen, exclusive dining room or boozy pubs, and if you needed to buy a meal on the way home, forget it – there wasn’t a supermarket in sight.  In 1989 the City’s confidence was draining away. Canary Wharf was seen as a challenge rather than part of a wider London real estate offer. The IRA’s bombing of Bishopsgate in 1993 knocked sentiment even further, with Britain just emerging from a harsh recession. But as economic activity grew in the 1990s, so too did confidence, and two landmarks provided significant markers for change. A more diverse Square Mile The Millennium Bridge, linking St Paul’s and the Tate Modern, opened in 2000, and despite a wobbly start began the process of marking the City as a cultural destination. Next was The Gherkin at 30 St Mary Axe. I remember a sleepless night before it was granted planning permission. When it eventually opened in 2004, I realised that the City skyline was changing forever. Change it did, and for the better, with the Eastern Cluster now becoming synonymous with world class architecture such as The Leadenhall Building or ‘Cheesegrater’ and 22 Bishopsgate, as well as providing offices for thousands of people working in cutting edge new buildings. It is not only tall buildings which have changed the face of the City. Broadgate has been transformed by British Land into a mixed-use neighbourhood which is as likely to be home to tech groups Mimecast or Innovate Finance as investment bank UBS. One new company moving into Broadgate is global advertising group McCann, which was attracted to the facilities and accessibility of the City from the West End, and the prospect of bringing 11 agencies under one roof, introducing new ways of working. Now the City couldn’t be more different, with diversity rising up the agenda for a wide range and scale of companies, thousands cycling into the Square Mile daily and world class restaurants and shops. Respecting heritage So how do we maintain this progress in the City of London? How do we ensure that as Britain leaves the European Union it continues to be seen as global and open? And how do we address the other great issue of our times – climate change? We believe the City Plan 2036 addresses these issues. It develops policy on offices, housing, tall buildings, open space, greening and climate resilience, shops, culture and community services.  We propose to increase the City’s office stock by at least two million square metres over the plan period to maintain the City’s status as a world leading financial and professional services sector, ensuring that the office stock is flexible for a wide range of occupiers including small and growing businesses. We will have 196,000 sq m of additional retailing to support this growth, deliver a major destination for culture and creativity in the north-west of the City, add smart infrastructure and utilities, protect existing open spaces and ensure new developments create new routes and green spaces. Our transport strategy will reduce the number of motor vehicles by 25% by 2030 and by 50% by 2044, and will focus on the needs of pedestrians. The hierarchical days of 1989 are past. The City will be a more inclusive place, and we have focused on the areas where we think the greatest benefits will occur. By looking to make improvements in Smithfield and Barbican, Blackfriars, Fleet Street, Liverpool Street and the tall buildings cluster, we will maintain the City’s status as a world leading destination – well prepared and open to the changes and new challenges its future will bring. As I prepare to retire as chief planning officer at the City of London Corporation, I am pleased to be leaving a diverse, inclusive and resilient Square Mile that respects its heritage and continues to be a global powerhouse which is capable of adaptation and change. Annie Hampson is outgoing chief planning officer at the City of London Corporation