Trellis tower scaled back because it is too tall

Developers behind plans for the City’s tallest tower have had to trim their ambitions after being warned that the so-called “Trellis” skyscraper could endanger planes landing at City airport.

The height of the office building, formally known as 1 Undershaft, has been cut by 4.7 metres under resubmitted proposals from Singaporean property company Aroland.

It will now stand 304.9m tall, just below the height at which buildings are considered to be a danger to planes on the approach route to the airport.

The tower will still be the highest in the Square Mile although it will be less of a rival to the Shard at London Bridge, which is 310m tall.

The City of London Corporation will consider the revised plans later in the autumn, with a decision due before Christmas.

The Trellis, designed by architect Eric Parry, will be built on the site of the Aviva Tower, which was bought by Aroland’s backers — palm-oil billionaires Kuok Khoon Hong and Martua Sitorus — five years ago.

Aroland is in talks with the Museum of London over creating the capital’s highest free public viewing gallery and exhibition space and classrooms on the 71st and 72nd floors of the skyscraper.

The firm said it “looked forward to a planning decision from the City of London in due course”.