Canary Wharf giant drives plan for new 300m skyscraper in City of London

Plans are being drawn up for a 70-storey skyscraper in the City of London that would be nearly as tall as the Shard.

Property giant Sir George Iacobescu is overseeing the project which would see the building at Exchequer Court near the Gherkin replaced by a 300-metre-high tower, according to the site’s owner, New York-based insurer AmTrust Financial Services.

The skyscraper would be one of the biggest in the Square Mile and nearly as tall as the Shard, which measures 306 metres in height.

The Exchequer Court plans will reportedly be put out for public consultation later this month.

The project would see the building at Exchequer Court near the Gherkin replaced by a 300-metre-high tower PA Archive A planning application to the City of London Corporation is expected early next year. AmTrust hopes the tower will be completed by 2033 if the plans are approved.

The skyscraper would be comparable in size to One London, a planned 74-storey office tower also close to the Gherkin.

Romania-born Sir George is one of the giants of London’s property scene, having been one of the driving forces behind the transformation of Canary Wharf from an urban wasteland into a global financial powerhouse.

The project is being overseen by Sir George Iacobescu Sir George retired as chairman of Canary Wharf two years ago , after 36 years working on the regeneration of the area.

Chaya Cooperberg, AmTrust’s chief people and communications officer, said: “This is a long-term commitment to London we are making.

“We think this project is going to help meet the city’s needs for more top-quality workspace.”