British Land unveils plans for 32-storey City office tower on UBS site
Plans to replace UBS' London headquarters in the City with a new 32-storey off tower have been unveiled by FTSE 100 developer British Land.
The proposed scheme at 2 and 3 Finsbury Avenue Square, which is part of the wider regeneration of Broadgate, would provide around 550,000 sq ft office space across four buildings – the tallest rising to 32 storeys – with shops on the ground floor.
British Land said the Arup Associates-designed site will be able to accommodate up to 5,000 workers and that it will be targeting a "broad mix" of occupiers.
There will also be new route and arcade of shops linking Finsbury Avenue Square with Sun Street and Old Street to the north, a public restaurant, roof terrace and a flexible conference and event space with panoramic views across London, British Land said.
The company has launched a public exhibition at Broadgate today and expects to submit a planning application for the scheme early next year. The Swiss bank is moving to another neighbouring office buildling at the end of next year and British Land hopes to start work on the site shortly after.
Plans to demolish 2 Finsbury Avenue Square come after the 1980s building, also designed by Arup, narrowly escaped being listed this year. The Twentieth Century Society opposed British Land's move to seek immunity from listing but ultimately the property giant prevailed. Its neighbour One Finsbury Avenue was granted listed status earlier this year.
It is also the latest in a raft of new towers being added to the City skyline including Lipton Rogers and Axa Real Estate's new 62-storey "vertical city" at 22 Bishopsgate, on the former Pinnacle site, and Brookfield Property Partners 37-storey tower at 100 Bishopsgate.