The London Borough of Southwark has already approved the 1,000-ft tower, called the 'shard of glass' because of its finely tapering profile, but the ultimate decision on whether or not it will go ahead lies with DETR Secretary Stephen Byers. Developer Irvine Sellars has already reduced the height of the building to make it more planner-friendly.
Mayor Ken Livingstone said: 'The scheme offers significant regeneration benefits for the immediate area. At my request Southwark Council has given an undertaking to use planning powers to ensure that the high-quality architecture and design of the building can't be diluted in any way. I hope that the Government will soon also give the go ahead to the development which both the local authority and I believe will be a great addition to London.'
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