LaSalle Investment Management’s plans for a 20-storey office scheme at London’s Barbican Estate are under threat after a report from the local authority warning of nesting birds of prey at the site.
CGI from Lipton of the 1 Silk Street development
Developer Lipton Rogers submitted the plans on behalf of LaSalle last June for a 980,000 sq ft commercial scheme at the site at 1 Silk Street.
But an environmental report by the City of London has revealed that two peregrine falcons have been spotted using nearby towers as breeding sites.
The developers have been instructed to confirm whether the birds are nesting before any construction begins.
Peregrine falcons are protected by the maximum level of safeguarding under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, meaning it is a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or damage their nests.
Their discovery has previously led to significant additional costs and delays for developers, with the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station requiring the construction of a temporary nesting tower nearby at a cost of £100,000.
HS2 was revealed to have spent £100m on specialist netting to safeguard bats, prompting the Labour government to pledge to prevent “the bats and the newts” from blocking development.
The £450m 1 Silk Street project would see the existing office demolished, with current tenant Linklaters planning to move to new offices in the City at 20 Ropemakers.
As well as nearly 1m sq ft of office space, the proposed scheme would include 24,000 sq ft of retail and community uses.
Spread across two 20-storey towers, the plans also include cultural spaces that could provide facilities for the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and a retail arcade connecting Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations to the Barbican Arts Centre.
Lipton Rogers said the proposals would give greater visibility for cultural institutions in the area, such as the nearby Barbican Centre.
However, more than 1,000 objections have already been lodged against the scheme, including from nearby residents concerned about its bulk and height.
The site is owned by Malaysian pension fund NWB, which acquired it for £350m from Beacon Capital Holdings in 2011. LaSalle intends to acquire the site if the planning application is successful.
Lipton Rogers said last year that if the plans were approved, work would start on site in Q3 2026, once vacant possession has been secured. Construction is expected to take 42 months.
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