Property company Helical Bar and architect Gensler have been appointed by Deutsche Bank to redevelop Ropemaker Place in the City of London
The team will take on a site that was originally to feature a 38-storey leaning tower, designed by Sheppard Robson. This was intended to be the bank's London headquarters, but plans were scrapped in 2002, amid speculation that a downturn in Deutsche Bank's commercial position had forced a rethink.

Grundbesitz-invest, the bank's property investment fund, has since opted for a less ambitious scheme based on interlocked glass boxes of between eight and 24 storeys. This will involve demolishing a 10-storey building that formerly belonged to investment bank Merrill Lynch and replacing it with a mixed-use development.

The US-based architect and planning consultant Hugh Moseley Consultants was in talks with Islington council this week about the plans.

Helical Bar is expected to submit a planning application for the site next week. Both Helical Bar and Gensler refused to comment on the scheme.

Sheppard Robson鈥檚 leaning tower was part of a research process to get planning permission

Deutsche Bank spokesperson

Sheppard Robson's design envisaged a 200 m high building that would have leaned from the vertical by 20掳 鈥� earning it the nickname of the Leaning Tower of London.

A Deutsche Bank spokesperson said Sheppard Robson's designs were only intended to give the fund some idea of what could be done on the site. He said: "It was part of a research process to get indicative planning permission for the site. It was never agreed that the leaning tower development would go ahead."

It is understood that Sheppard Robson is in talks with a potential client for the leaning tower, which won support from CABE and the Greater London Authority.