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Paddington ‘Shard’ goes back to the drawing board

A planned 72-storey skyscraper in Paddington, London, dubbed the ‘skinny Shard’ has been scrapped in the face of strong protests from residents.

Plans for the proposed £1bn development, with the working name of Paddington Place, have been rejected by Westminster City Council following discussions with Irvine Sellar, the man behind the Shard, and Great Western Developments (GWD).

The proposals, which also include improvements to the National Rail station, a new Bakerloo tube station, offices and restaurants, will now go back to the drawing board to be redesigned.

Local opposition to the proposals focused on the 254-metre height of the proposed building which residents believe would have had a negative impact on views in the area.

GWD had already obtained approval for the proposals from many of the key stakeholders involved, including National Rail, Transport for London and St Mary’s Hospital.

The Leader of Westminster City Council, Cllr Philippa Roe, believes the decision is a ‘very positive step’ that will ensure any development ‘enjoys broader community support’. She added: “We remain committed to ensuring that all the benefits of the original scheme are retained in the revised plans.

“Our Paddington opportunity area makes up the largest regeneration area within Westminster and is a site of strategic importance in London. This kind of major investment in the city is vital to provide an environment where business can thrive, creating new jobs to help people achieve their aspirations and to tackle the blight of unemployment. Schemes such as this act as a catalyst for additional investment and will really kick start and boost regeneration in that area.”

A statement from Sellar Property Group and GWD, commented: “We have always believed that successful development is a collaborative process, involving the developer, council and community and look forward to delivering a development in Paddington of which Westminster and its residents can be proud.”

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