New £385m super skyscraper set to become one of London’s tallest buildings

Plans for a new super skyscraper in London are moving a step closer after a construction partner signed a multi-million-pound deal. Contractor Bovie has been chosen to build a 36-storey office tower in the City of London next to the famous Walkie Talkie building. Bovis has signed a £385 million deal to build the huge skyscraper at 60 Gracechurch Street, which will replace the existing nine-storey building, home to insurance company Allianz. The company hopes to finish the tower by 2029.The tower, designed by Danish architects at 3XN, will be 147m tall, which is just behind the nearby Gherkin (180m) and Cheesegrater (180m). It will provide 430,000 sq ft of office space, as well as areas the public can use. At street level there will be a café courtyard that the public can use, as well as a free-to-access roof garden and a level 35 viewing gallery indoors. The scheme was approved by the City of London Corporation in 2024, with developers arguing it would help meet demand for modern, energy-efficient office space in the Square Mile. The building is expected to target some of the highest environmental standards in the sector, as companies continue to seek premium office space despite wider questions over the future of working patterns.Architects have said the tower has been designed to improve public access through the site, with new pedestrian routes linking Gracechurch Street with Leadenhall Market and surrounding streets. The project will also feature new public spaces, retail units and extensive planting at ground and upper levels.60 Gracechurch Street next to the Walkie TalkieCity of London Corporation The tower's distinctive stepped design is intended to reduce its visual impact on key views across the capital, while maximising natural light at street level. Developers say the public viewing gallery will offer panoramic views across London, including landmarks such as Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral and the Thames.The area in the city of London will be transformed over the coming years as even more sky-reaching developments have been given the green light by planners. At 70 Gracechurch Street, a 33-level tower will be built to provide even more office space for Londoners. At 85 Gracechurch Street, a 30-storey scheme was also given approval in 2025 after it was resubmitted to city planners following an unusual discovery. The Museum of London Archaeology discovered well-preserved Roman remains underneath the site dating back to around 70 AD. Read MoreThe development is part of a new wave of office construction reshaping the eastern side of the Square Mile. City leaders have repeatedly argued that the cluster of new towers is needed to maintain London's competitiveness against international financial centres including New York, Paris and Frankfurt.Critics, however, have questioned the continued expansion of office space following the rise of hybrid working, while heritage campaigners have previously raised concerns about the impact of tall buildings on historic views across the capital.The Gracechurch Street scheme is just one of several major projects set to alter the City's skyline over the next decade. Alongside 70 Gracechurch Street and 85 Gracechurch Street, planners have also approved proposals for a skyscraper that is set to be nearly as tall as The Shard, at almost 300 metres, would rank among the tallest buildings in Western Europe.