Scheme at 2 Finsbury Avenue drawn up by Danish architect 3XN

The planning consultant working on British Land鈥檚 plan to build a 37-storey in the City of London has responded to objections raised by neighbouring authority Hackney last month.

The east London council said the proposal at 2 Finsbury Avenue would blight parts of the borough including the Sun Street conservation area, a grade II listed pub and locally listed buildings at 5-15 Sun Street.

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The scheme is due before City planners later this month

In its objections, Hackney said the revised scheme by 3XN 鈥� which replaces an already consented plan by Arup for a 32-storey tower 鈥� was 鈥渁 significant increase in the bulk, height and scale of the proposed building鈥� adding that it would 鈥渓ead to increased visual dominance鈥� over the buildings to the north and the area in general.

But in a reply Tavernor said the Sun Street conservation area 鈥渉as been significantly redeveloped in recent times and is now largely characterised by the modern tall buildings of One Crown Place鈥� 鈥� the 33-storey mixed-use scheme drawn up by KPF and being built by Mace.

It added it did not believe 3XN鈥檚 design would be 鈥渧isually intrusive鈥� and that 鈥渢he street experience and relationship with the listed and unlisted buildings of merit along Sun Street would be enhanced鈥�.

It is 3XN鈥檚 first project in London and others working on the 2 Finsbury Avenue scheme include executive architect Adamson, the firm which worked on the Shard, structural engineer Ramboll, QS Core 5 and project manager Gardiner & Theobald.

It will feature just over 85,000 sq m of office space, along with retail and restaurants.

The scheme is due to go before City of London planners later this month.

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