Lab space plan for Euston Tower approved

Euston Tower will be remodelled into a life sciences and "innovation hub"

Euston Tower will be remade into workspaces that can be used as labs, following approval from a north London council.

The 36-storey building will be partially demolished and turned into a 32-storey mixed-use tower by developer British Land.

British Land said it was "delighted" after its plans for a "world-class science and technology building" secured planning consent from Camden Council.

"Euston Tower will be a blueprint for sustainable development, delivering an all-electric building fit for the future," the company said.

The revamped tower has been vacant for four years according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Camden's decision comes despite opposition from Climate Emergency Camden (CEC) regarding sustainable building.

An assessment showed the plans did not meet the council's "aspirational" carbon reduction targets, largely because lab-enabled spaces would use more energy than standard offices.

Friends of Regent's Park and Primrose Hill also objected to the plans, claiming the revamped tower would be "overbearing" and "prominently" visible from the parks.

Royal Parks also argued the new skyscraper would harm the views from Kensington Gardens and Primrose Hill.

Camden Council said the impact was "less than substantial", and that public benefits from the project would outweigh any harm to the area.

The council's local plan identified the surrounding Euston Area having the potential to see the "most significant growth".

The decision will need final approval from the mayor of London.

The 124m (400ft) tower was once the home of Capital Radio in the 1970s and British satellite company Inmarsat.