Plans have been unveiled for a new £391 million office tower in the heart of London that will have seven different levels with a touch of fantasy that wouldn’t look out of place in a Batman film.

Henderson Global Investors plans to build the 170 meter tall building on a site in Leadenhall Street which will also include 20,000 square feet of space for shops, cafés and restaurants on the ground floor.

A grade II listed building built in 1865 at 19 to 21 Billiter Street will be restored and integrated as part of the overall development with the new building designed by architect Make.

‘Henderson's plans for a new high quality office building on Leadenhall Street will be a fantastic addition to London's dynamic insurance district,’ said Nick Deacon, director of property for central London offices.

‘It represents Henderson's continuing commitment to the City of London with improved public realm and pedestrian routes and the highest standards of sustainability and environmental performance,’ he pointed out.

Henderson director of property development Geoff Harris explained that it will fit in with the rich urban character of streets and spaces of the area with tall towers and lower rise blocks, primary thoroughfares, hidden alleyways and discreet public spaces.

‘It is highly sustainable given the environmental measures that have been adopted and great local transport links. The building is also a vote of confidence in the City of London and a major boost to investment, growth and employment in the economy,’ he added.

The building will vary in height between seven and 34 storeys formed of vertical slices arranged around the listed building which create a striking and considered vertical composition to complement the more curved and leaning buildings on the London skyline. The tallest part of the building is positioned at the northern end of the site to take account of neighbouring tall buildings and steps down in height toward the River Thames and Tower of London to the south. 

The proposed new building is also terraced at high level on the northern side of Leadenhall Street so that it remains out of sight when travelling east along Fleet Street along the ceremonial route to St Paul’s Cathedral. Ground floor entrance and retail frontages are set back to create generous pedestrian zones, wider pavements and spaces along key pedestrian routes on adjacent Leadenhall Street, Fenchurch Street, Billiter Street and Fenchurch Buildings.

Paul Scott of Make said that it will reduce carbon emissions by over 40% compared to current regulations and lead the next generation of city centre office buildings. The development has been designed to meet the BREEAM NC 2011 excellent standard and will have 1,067 bicycle spaces with additional mobility scooter charging spaces, 113 showers and two disabled car parking spaces.