Liverpool Street Station plan still 'unacceptable'

Re-drawn proposals were not acceptable to the Victorian Society

A new proposal for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station does not answer objections raised by the previous plan, a heritage charity has said.

Fresh plans were drawn up after thousands of public objections to the original proposals, including from Westminster Council and Historic England.

The Victorian Society said it "cannot accept that this is the best way forward".

Network Rail has said the charity has not recognised the benefits of its plan which involves partially demolishing the historic building to create office and retail space that will fund the project.

Network Rail changed their lead architect for the project, from Swiss firm Herzog & De Meuron to London-based Acme.

Herzog & de Meuron had proposed a series of futuristic white-coloured arches flowing through the station concourse.

Acme’s plans are Victorian in style and their idea of the controversial office block includes a reduction in height and a cover of greenery.

The added greenery on the office block was not enough to assuage the concerns of some objectors

However, the original planning application does not yet appear to have been withdrawn and it remains under consideration by the City of London.

On the scheme's website, Network Rail said its updated plans would ease congestion, reduce queuing and make the station more accessible.

It stated the "overall look and feel has been completely reimagined," adding: "We’ve spent time talking and listening; our latest plans embrace Victorian features including the original train shed and the Great Eastern Hotel."

But the Victorian Society said the plans remained "perverse".

"Other London stations like King's Cross and St Pancras have adapted to the 21st Century. They revealed their original Railway Age splendour," it said.

"It seems perverse that the proposals at Liverpool Street should still go in the opposite direction."

The group urged Network Rail "to stop looking at this handsome station as a development site" and to recognise it as a historic artefact.

'Our stations are not artefacts'

In a statement, Network Rail said: "We’re disappointed that following our meetings with the Victorian Society, they don’t currently appear to recognise the substantial beneficial changes that we have made to the design. We would encourage them to continue their dialogue with us."

It said Liverpool Street remains Britain’s busiest station and as a result it "must plan for this", adding: "The current station needs significant improvement.

"We listened to concerns from the previous application; we’ve reduced the height of the structure, and our plans no longer interfere with the Grade II* listed former Great Eastern Hotel.

"And the new office building is the way of funding these station improvements."

The statement continued: "Our stations are not artefacts. We want to invest in them, for them to be used and enjoyed by all.

"They’re working buildings, responsible for transporting over 700m people each year for work, to visit family and friends, and to travel."