Ken leaves skyscraper legacy for London

London mayor Ken Livingstone's most visible impact on the capital will be his relentless enthusiasm for skyscrapers, an editorial piece in the Guardian has suggested.

Since the mayor came to office he has backed construction of some 20 buildings that stand taller than 300 ft, prompting an outcry from traditionalists but earning praise among many Londoners.

One of the mayor's more controversial projects is St George's Wharf Tower - popularly known as the Vauxhall Tower - which is set to become the tallest residential building in the country at a massive 50 storeys.

Critics have questioned the aesthetic value of the project, but Livingstone's regeneration director, Neale Coleman, insisted it is a worthwhile development "because we desperately do need new homes".

And while housebuilding has become a top priority in the capital - with the mayor now pledging construction of 50,000 affordable homes over the next three years - most of the forthcoming additions to the capital's skyline are in fact commercial projects.

Arguably the most widely anticipated of these is the 72-storey 'Shard of Glass' at London Bridge, which will become the tallest building in the UK when it is completed in 2011.

News posted on 22nd February, 2008