London Tunnels project gets go-ahead

Plans to turn a mile-long series of tunnels into a new leisure offering in London’s Square Mile have been approved. The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels were kept under wraps by the Official Secrets Act for 70 years, having originally acted as bomb shelters during the Second World War. They were then used by the Special Operations Executive, the forerunner of MI5 and MI6. The London Tunnels company, led by Australian banker Angus Murray, now aims to turn them into a £220m tourist attraction, complete with two exhibition spaces, the deepest bar in the UK and retail facilities. The City of London Corporation unanimously signed off on the plans for the tunnel, which starts at 38-41 Furnival Street, EC4. Camden Council will also need to approve the scheme, which ends at 31-33 High Holborn, WC1. A committee date has yet to be set in Camden. City planning officers acknowledged objections to the project, including harm to a heritage area, as well as the loss of office space owing to the demolition of 38-41 Furnival Street. However, they said: “The proposal would preserve the historic and rarity interest of the Kingsway tunnels as a non-designated heritage asset, and any harm which arises as a result of the development would be mitigated by the improvement to the accessibility and visibility of this currently unknown heritage asset to a wide public audience.” Images from WilkinsonEyre; City of London Corporation