Major Setback for London's Busiest Station Overhaul
The highly contentious £1 billion redevelopment of Liverpool Street Station has been hit by a fresh delay, pushing a final decision on the scheme into 2026. Network Rail's ambitious plan to transform the UK's busiest transport hub must now undergo another round of public consultation after submitting additional details to the City of London Corporation.
A decision was anticipated by the end of 2025, but this timeline has been officially extended. A Network Rail spokesperson confirmed the organisation "remains committed to our proposals", with the new information available on the Planning Register for public scrutiny.
A Controversial Planning Journey
This delay marks the latest chapter in a complex planning saga. Network Rail initially filed revised plans in April 2025 after scrapping a previous proposal developed jointly with Sellar and designed by lead architect Herzog & de Meuron.
That original scheme, which featured a 21-storey tower above the station and the Grade II*-listed Andaz Hotel, attracted substantial criticism, prompting more than 2,000 formal objections.
The current scaled-back proposal, with Acme replacing Herzog & de Meuron as architect and Sellar no longer involved, has still drawn significant opposition despite modifications. These include reducing the tower to 19 storeys, realigning the building to avoid the Andaz Hotel, and redesigning areas around the Kindertransport Statue.
To date, more than 2,100 representations against the scheme have been submitted, though over 1,000 have been filed in support.
Financial and Environmental Concerns Persist
Beyond heritage impacts, the project faces other significant challenges. A June 2025 report by JLL, filed as part of the application, raised serious questions about financial viability, finding the proposal "not technically viable" due to insufficient surplus income after accounting for station improvement costs.
James Hughes, Director at the Victorian Society, subsequently labelled the scheme a "billion pound gamble". However, Network Rail maintains confidence that the project can proceed without cost to customers or taxpayers.
Environmental concerns have also emerged, with a report by government advisor Simon Sturgis in August 2025 claiming the redevelopment fails to meet key carbon emission policies and should be refused planning permission.
The latest delay stems from additional information submitted regarding transport matters following engagement with Transport for London and the City of London's Highways team, along with upgraded connections to the neighbouring 1 Appold Street development.
Despite the obstacles, the £1 billion project aims to future-proof the station as it prepares to serve more than 200 million passengers annually, making this one of London's most significant and closely watched infrastructure projects.
