City cheers Hunt decision on Broadgate
THE City of London’s top executive yesterday thanked City A.M. for its campaign to allow the redevelopment at Broadgate, after culture secretary Jeremy Hunt confirmed that he would not award the estate listed status.
Stuart Fraser, chairman of policy at the City of London, said: “I would like to thank City A.M. for their support on this vital issue. By running such a high-profile campaign, the secretary of state will have been left in no doubt as to the strength of feeling within the Square Mile.”
Shares in estate co-owner British Land surged as much as 2.8 per cent at one point, after the company put out a statement confirming it would go ahead with its 700,000 square foot headquarters for tenant UBS following our exclusive story.
“I am delighted by today’s decision as it allows Broadgate to continue to evolve as a sustainable and flexible office location that will meet the future needs of occupiers whilst maintaining the sense of space and place for which it is rightly renowned around the globe,” said British Land chief Chris Grigg.
English Heritage, which had recommended to the government that most of the Broadgate estate be given Grade II* listed protection, said yesterday: “We are of course disappointed that the secretary of state has declined our recommendation to list Broadgate Square, but we respect his decision and welcome the public debate that the case has prompted.”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Next chief Lord Wolfson were among those supporting our campaign to allow redevelopment.
FAST FACTS | BROADGATE
● The Broadgate estate near Liverpool Street is co-owned by British Land and Blackstone
● It was designed by architect Peter Foggo and completed in the mid-1980s, with construction on UBS’s new HQ due to begin this summer