Tall buildings to become more common still in the capital

Construction work has started on a record number of new skyscrapers in London, research suggested.

While the majority of towers are concentrated in Canary Wharf and Docklands, major developments are becoming increasingly common across the city’s 33 boroughs.

The details of various projects – and a map showing their distribution – are included in the latest London Tall Buildings Survey.

The report, now in its fourth year, provides a detailed review of all towers over 20 storeys which are either proposed or already being built in the capital.

According to the survey, there are presently 455 towers in the pipeline.

While the majority of the developments will have 30 floors or fewer, a total of 27 will stand at least 50 storeys tall.

Paul Wellman, from EG Residential Research, the firm which collated data for the report, said: “Tall buildings continue to come through the planning system, at a staggeringly high level, especially relative to just five to 10 years ago. If Londoners haven’t noticed the activity of tall buildings around them, they soon will.

“That’s because more and more are getting off the drawing board and are coming out of the ground. Although transactions at the top end of the market may be waning, values remain stubbornly high for the average Londoner.

“Tall buildings more focused on the rental market and further out in to the suburbs is a feature we are likely to see more of in the coming years.”

The report shows that construction has remained remarkably resilient even in the face of Brexit. Indeed, in 2016 work began at a rate of almost one tall building every week.

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