Thames set for 50-storey tower block

Ken Livingstone is urging Lambeth to give the go-ahead to a "world class" 50-storey tower block as part of a controversial development beside the Thames.

The Mayor has called on the borough's planning committee not to reject the proposal from developer St George as he fears it would spark a planning appeal that would cost council taxpayers millions.

It comes as the Government's architecture adviser, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe), said it supported the tower after changes were made to meet its concerns and those of the council and Mr Livingstone.

Plans for the 180-metre tower block at Vauxhall Cross will now provide 40 per cent affordable housing - up from 25 per cent - though the low-cost homes will not be contained within the £100million tower itself. Lambeth is due to decide on the plans in the next few months, having approved the remainder of the St George Wharf site including a hotel, offices and shops.

A spokeswoman for the Mayor added: "He is firmly of the view that there are now no good policy grounds for refusing the application, and forcing the applicant to appeal would delay the delivery of desperately needed new housing and be a huge waste of taxpayers' money."

Meanwhile, Mr Livingstone has denied that he fosters unnecessarily close relationships with property developers, after attending a two-day expenses-paid conference in France and a private dinner. His comments come in response to yesterday's Evening Standard investigation into his first three years in power. Today we analyse his record on planning matters.

His spokeswoman said he "does not have any close personal relationship with any property developer". Rather, his duty was to tackle London's housing crisis - something that could not be done without meeting developers.

A report by the London Assembly last year investigated the Mayor's use of his planning powers - he has the right to order the 33 boroughs to reject any scheme he dislikes. However, a mayoral protocol makes it clear when he will and will not meet developers, and ensures he is always accompanied by City Hall advisers, his spokeswoman said.