5 Broadgate (New 700,000 sq ft UBS London HQ) | 69m | City of London U/C

[jonnyboy]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standa...ent-banking.do

[Rational Plan]

Blow for Make’s plans to build new headquarters for UBS

English Heritage has recommended the early phases of Broadgate to be listed at grade II*.

The news is a blow to developer British Land, which has received planning permission from the City of London to demolish 4 and 6 Broadgate and build a new headquarters for UBS designed by Make.

In its report to the government the heritage body said the Peter Foggo-designed development “can confidently be regarded as one of the most important and successful developments of its period and type, possessing special architectural and historic interest”.

It added: “English Heritage does not lightly recommend listing - the process of assessment and consultation is extremely thorough. Experience has shown that listing must be one step ahead of fashion and we seek to celebrate those buildings that are exemplars of their time and place.”

The sections recommended for listing include Nos. 1-2, 3, 4, 6 and 8-12 Broadgate and 100 Liverpool Street, including the Octagon Arcade, the Broadgate Circle and the Stage Area. Four sculptures, including Leaping Hare and Bell have also been recommended for listing.

Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt will now consider the listing case.

[Mossy22]

There was a nice report on newsnight last night on 80's buildings which included broadgate and how its future is threatened and whether they should be listed

[pricemazda]

I don't think this is necessarily about the merit of Broadgate, but more due to the fact the proposed design is so out of kilter with it's environment and quite frankly hideous. If UBS want a brand spanking new HQ why the hell not sign a pre-let at the Pinnacle?

Scale and proportion matter here and it's another bad design that's got waved through.

[Black Cat]

This grade II* listing is an interesting development, and unexpected. A recommendation is not a sign-off, and a sign-off does not mean a building is saved. Lots of listed buildings get demolished, as demonstrated by Mappin & Web, demolished for 1 Poultry.

This listing may save the rest of the Broadgate estate from similar redevelopment.

[pricemazda]

I don't think it should be listed, at least not yet. But it's clearly an attempt to stop a hideous design.

[delores]

Originally Posted by Black Cat

This grade II* listing is an interesting development, and unexpected. A recommendation is not a sign-off, and a sign-off does not mean a building is saved. Lots of listed buildings get demolished, as demonstrated by Mappin & Web, demolished for 1 Poultry.

This listing may save the rest of the Broadgate estate from similar redevelopment.

Some of Broadgate needs to go but I agree with English heritage here.

[AUTOTHRILL]

Looking at EH's track record, doubt they'll have any success in this campaign.

[ismail]

EH may indirectly be doing others towers in the city a favour here.
If UBS can't get the space here, they may go for GRPE/Multiplex 100 Bishopsgate, which is also able to have large trading floors, who knows they may even be tempted to move to CW ( RS anyone??)

[mayflower232]

It's 6am, just got on my train and picked up city AM and to my surprise today's front page headline is: 'IS THE UK REALLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS, MR CAMERON? If so... DON'T LIST BROADGATE'.

[mayflower232]

Broadgate: symbol of red tape Britain

IS THE UK REALLY OPEN FOR BUSINESS, MR CAMERON? IF SO... DON'T LIST BROADGATE

[Rational Plan]

Looks like the property companies are spending their advertising well.

[Trances]

So how was Allister Heath approached with his information ?

[ismail]

Originally Posted by Trances

So how was Allister Heath approached with his information ?

Probabally by some posh twat that he used to go a expensive private school together with, at a polo match hosted by his pal Prince Charles

[mayflower232]

It seems UBS own a large plot of land close-by, which has planning permission for this:



Could this be a plan B?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1394422

[Trances]

To me, it reeks of pulp media release. Journalism at it's laziest.

[Jim856796]

Please list Broadgate.
UBS headquarters plans are ridiculous.
Do not demolish anything in Broadgate.
Cancel that new building NOW.

[Black Cat]

From today's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesi...adgate-listing

Battle for City's Broadgate site hots up
William Hill giving odds that Jeremy Hunt will not save 'historic' 1980s complex from demolition for new UBS headquarters

Will Hurst and Julia Kollewe
Thursday 9 June 2011 16.12 BST

Broadgate Circus, part of the complex where British Land is trying to build a new HQ for UBS. Photograph: Dan Atkin / Alamy/Alamy
Expectations have increased that furious lobbying from the City is likely to prevent the listing of the 1980s-built complex in Broadgate that has become a tug of war between financiers and conservationists.

For the first time bookmaker William Hill has opened a book on a building listing and is giving 4-7 that culture secretary Jeremy Hunt will not save the complex.

English Heritage last week recommended that the entire 1980s development, designed by architect Peter Foggo, be given statutory protection at Grade II* level, dealing a major blow to British Land's plans to tear down 4 and 6 Broadgate to make way for a new "groundscraper" building that would house a £340m headquarters for Swiss bank UBS.

Although the law states that the listing decision should be made on the basis of architectural and historic factors alone, Hunt is under pressure from the City of London corporation to ignore his official adviser and choose not to list it.

The City argues that the new scheme is vital to maintain confidence in it as a banking centre. Hunt's decision on Broadgate is due in about two months' time, after submissions from British Land, the local authority and other interested parties.

A spokesman for William Hill said this was the first time it had offered odds in a listing case. "We believe this decision will be as difficult to call as a photofinish but English Heritage needs to upset the odds to come out on top."

The City of London Corporation had approved British Land's 700,000 sq ft scheme, and building was to start this summer, with UBS planning to move in by 2014. The corporation's policy chairman, Stuart Fraser, is due to meet communities secretary Eric Pickles next week to lobby for the UBS building. He said: "The Broadgate buildings aren't worth preserving or listing. They aren't of great architectural merit. Listing Broadgate will send out the wrong message. UBS would probably give up. Eric Pickles is very keen on bureaucracy not getting in the way of economic development."

Catherine Croft, director of heritage group The Twentieth Century Society, which is campaigning in favour of listing, expressed surprise at the odds. "I think it is fairly extraordinary because it suggests that William Hill thinks factors other than the accepted criteria [for listing] may affect the minister's decision," she told weekly trade paper Building Design.

"City boys do like gambling of course but Hunt needs to make his decision on the basis of architectural and historic interest. It would be very wrong for him to be affected by any other factor."

Croft added that she believed there were many other locations in the City suitable for the proposed UBS building, which has been designed by one of the architects responsible for the Gherkin, Ken Shuttleworth of Make Architects.

The planned building, at 5 Broadgate, would boast four trading floors each capable of holding 750 traders and has been described by Shuttleworth as an "engine of finance" with a design resembling an immense machine-tooled block of aluminium.

A spokesman for Hunt's Department of Culture, Media and Sport, noted that it was responsible for regulating both heritage and gambling. "It is always good to see two areas of DCMS come together but, as we always say when it comes to gambling, don't bet more than you can afford to lose," he said.

[Jim856796]

I have thoughts that English Heritage act like putting the Entire Broadgate office estate (the 80s buildings) is the only thing that's gonna be saving them from demolition for a new headquarters.

[Core Rising]

It is isn't it? This does have planning permission.