The City of London Corporation has approved plans for a major redevelopment at 85 Gracechurch Street, a scheme that will merge commercial infrastructure with heritage interpretation. The project, led by Hertshten Properties, will deliver a 32-storey skyscraper featuring premium office space, public amenities, and an immersive Roman basilica attraction located beneath the building.
Set within the Square Mile’s financial core, the development represents a new phase in the City’s evolving approach to combining archaeological assets with modern urban design.
Roman Basilica to Become Central Feature of New Visitor Offer
The defining feature of the project is the integration of an ancient Roman basilica, discovered during recent archaeological investigations. The basilica, once adjacent to the forum in Roman Londinium, was a major civic structure central to administrative and legal life in the city nearly 2,000 years ago.
Plans include the creation of an immersive exhibition space around the preserved ruins in the building’s basement, providing public access to a major archaeological discovery. This initiative supports the City of London’s wider ambition to connect its Roman heritage into a continuous narrative across multiple development sites.
The exhibition will serve as both an educational platform and a cultural asset, offering new opportunities for partnerships in interpretation, storytelling, and digital engagement.
Contemporary Design Meets Historical Infrastructure
Alongside the heritage components, the development will deliver a new public hall and provide improved pedestrian connections to the adjoining Leadenhall Market. The fifth floor will feature a public viewing gallery with vantage points over the 19th-century Victorian market, establishing a visible relationship between multiple historical layers of the area.
The architectural approach reflects a broader trend in the City of London’s planning strategy: fusing modern commercial demand with accessible public heritage. This concept positions 85 Gracechurch Street not just as a workplace, but as a multifunctional site with cultural, educational, and economic value.
Linking Past and Present in the Square Mile
The project sits within a wider pipeline of skyscraper approvals in the City, including a nearby 45-storey tower at 63 St Mary’s Axe. Both developments are being shaped by the Corporation’s focus on integrating archaeological significance into the design and narrative of new buildings.
The planning committee has identified the opportunity to create a connected visitor experience across the Square Mile, where Roman ruins, Victorian markets, and modern infrastructure co-exist within a walkable and coherent urban network.
This approach is increasingly relevant for architects, developers, and operators focused on placemaking, storytelling, and visitor engagement. By embedding interpretation and public access into commercial developments, projects like 85 Gracechurch Street illustrate how heritage can become a value driver in high-density city environments.
Construction timelines are not yet confirmed, but the planning approval marks a key step toward delivering a development that brings Roman London to the surface while supporting the City’s commercial ambitions. For the visitor experience and built environment sectors, it signals growing opportunities to design spaces that honour the past while serving future urban needs.
