1,000ft skyscraper green-lighted

A controversial skyscraper that sparked a public inquiry over claims it would spoil London's skyline has been given the go-ahead.

Permission to construct the 1,000ft London Bridge Tower, which will overshadow St Paul's Cathedral, was granted by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.

The decision is the most dramatic triumph yet for Mayor Ken Livingstone's policy of supporting tall buildings near major public transport links. The tower, which is nicknamed the Shard Of Glass and will stand next to London Bridge Station, is set to be Europe's tallest building.

Such unequivocal support for the project comes as a surprise to many, as it had been widely expected that the plans would either be rejected or approved with conditions.

There is now no legal obstacle to building the tower, which was designed by leading Italian architect Renzo Piano and will contain offices, a hotel, flats and shops.

Although praised by some architects for its elegant, tapering profile, it was condemned by English Heritage for its effect on views of St Paul's - especially from Parliament Hill in Hampstead - and the Tower of London.

But after a public inquiry this year, the planning inspector ruled that the tower "enhanced" the setting of St Paul's, and had no negative impact on the Tower of London.

Mayor Livingstone and his architectural adviser Richard Rogers, who designed the Pompidou Centre in Paris in partnership with Mr Piano, have backed the project from the outset.

Consent for the London Bridge Tower follows last year's decision to approve the Heron Tower in the City of London, which also followed a public inquiry.

Another skyscraper, the Minerva Tower in Aldgate, is likely to receive planning permission in the new year. The decision also increases the value of the tower's site by several million pounds. Its developer, Irvine Sellar, said he and Mr Piano were "over the moon".