Plans for a 46-storey building at 63 St Mary Axe in London threaten a suspected 13th Century burial ground, according to Historic England. The site, once home to two churches, may contain undiscovered remains. Axa Real Estate wants to demolish the current office for a larger structure, but concerns arise about harming nearby World Heritage sites like the Tower of London. Axa states their plan aims to celebrate the burial ground within a public park, balancing development with heritage, yet Historic England warns of potential significant harm and calls for further archaeological exploration.
Historic England has raised concerns that the proposed 46-storey building near The Gherkin will lead to "total loss" of a suspected 13th Century burial ground which remains largely unexplored and could house additional ancient remains.
The development plans, which include a public park and an auditorium, have been criticized for potentially harming the integrity of the Tower of London site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Axa Real Estate has commented that their proposals aim to balance the need for office space with heritage, promising to celebrate the space of the potential graveyard within a new park.
Historic England stated the plans may cause harm that outweighs the heritage benefits, indicating further evaluation of the site is needed due to the possibility of Roman remains.
Collection
[
|
...
]