An Identified Floating Object

I noticed today that the former sorting office next to Paddington Station, has been reduced to a pile of rubble and a few sections of steel framework. It will be replaced by a 14 story office block perched on 12 metre columns and a large central podium. The podium itself will house eateries, retail units and a new entrance to the Bakerloo line. 

The Royal Mail sorting office was built by Sir Henry Tanner in 1892, in 1907 it was extended by Jasper Wager. From 1927 to 2003 it was also the western terminus of the Post Office Railway. Although it had been disused for many years the Victorian Society considered it important enough to protest its demolition claiming “The proposals entail the complete loss of the existing handsome building and would cause substantial harm to the setting of nearby listed buildings and the conservation area". They also agreed with Historic England's statement that "whatever its detailing, a building of this scale will have a seriously detrimental impact on the character and heritage assets of this part of London".

The architect of the new building is the, love him or hate him, Renzo Piano the man who gave us the Shard and the multi coloured Central St Giles development. He has said of this building "when you exit the station you will see a clear floating cube levitating above the ground". If you close one eye and squint heavily with the other perhaps!

The original plan for this site was announced in December 2015. The proposed building, also by Mr Piano, was a 254 metre, 72 story, cylindrical skyscraper. Nicknamed the Paddington Pole, it was condemned by Sir Terry Farrell as "opportunistic and piecemeal" Unsurprisingly locals protested about its effect on the area and the Skyline Campaign fought against its impact on London's horizon.

Further protests from locals, SAVE Britains Heritage and Historic England among others, led to a withdrawal of the planning application in February 2016.

By July of the same year the plan for the new building was in place and despite continuing controversy, Westminster Council gave its approval in December. The decision made simpler perhaps by an offer from the developers to build, and pay for, a new ambulance access road to St Mary's hospital.

But it didn't end there. Following constant campaigning the then UK Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, issued an Article 31 direction, preventing Westminster City Council from granting formal planning permission for the project. Ultimately, of course, that was overturned which brings us to where we are now.

So, like it or not, there will soon be a shiny glass cube hovering alongside Paddington Station. At least it won't be casting a giant shadow, like some kind of humongous gnomon, across West London.