High buildings such as the Shard are dramatic but the planning can be highly political, writes Beth Gascoyne
- Our cities’ skylines are ever-changing, but the process of altering this skyline can be fraught with political and legal challenges.
- Stakeholders compete to balance the need for more housing, efficient use of land, and a growing population with the preservation of celebrated and historic vistas and protection of landmarks and buildings.
- With ever more public wrangling over planning for tall buildings, it is likely that decisions will increasingly be made by politicians.
London’s iconic skyline is an ever-changing landscape. However, the process of altering this skyline can be fraught with political and legal challenges, as stakeholders compete to balance the need for more housing, efficient use of land, and a growing population with the preservation of celebrated and historic vistas and protection of landmarks and buildings. Such difficulties were highlighted towards the end of 2021 when the government’s department for levelling up, housing and communities finally rejected the long-debated plans for the Tulip. This 305-metre building would have been the second
