Skyline stretching 53-storey and 43-storey towers withstand critics at planning committee

An ambitious proposal to build London’s two tallest buildings faced pushback from neighbours — but ultimately received an endorsement from the city’s planning committee.

An ambitious proposal to build London’s two tallest buildings faced pushback from neighbours — but ultimately received an endorsement from the city’s planning committee.

On Tuesday, a public participation meeting in front of the Planning and Environment Committee (PEC) heard from neighbours of 50 King St. where York Developments has requested zoning amendments to permit a mixed-use building with 53-storey and 43-storey towers.

The delegations included a parade of familiar faces at city hall.

“I am blown away at the heights that they want to put out there. It is just too high,” said former Board of Control member Dawn Erskine.

“Have a win-win,” suggested former mayor Joe Fontana. “Let York [Developments] build a 35-story building at Ridout and King and let the city offer to buy the rest of it.”

And former city councillor Sandy Levin advised the committee to get more information about necessary upgrades to sewer and water capacity before the development could proceed, “Without the cost information, it seems it should be a premature application,” she said.

However, former city planner John Fleming pointed to the correlation between the building’s location and pervious municipal investments in the downtown including Covent Garden Market, Dundas Place and Bus Rapid Transit, “This being at the centre of rapid transit,” Fleming added.