City of London councillors have reviewed the initiation of a new road at 1 Undershaft, designed to accommodate the development of the new tower and enhance pedestrian priority in surrounding streets.
The Streets and Walkways Sub (Planning and Transportation) Committee met on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, where a key item was the progress of the Section 278 project for the 1 Undershaft development.
The committee considered the initiation of a Section 278 project for the development at 1 Undershaft. This project, fully funded by the developer, will see the construction of a new road to a new alignment to accommodate the new building. It also involves extensive pavement and road reconstruction on Leadenhall Street and St Mary Axe, with options being explored to increase pedestrian priority in St Mary Axe, potentially including a timed closure to motor vehicles.
These improvements are expected to contribute to the City Cluster Vision and Healthy Streets Plan by enabling positive growth, enriching the sense of place, and creating a world-class destination. Specifically, it will prioritise pedestrian movement in St Mary Axe and Leadenhall Street, improve the public realm, and ensure local infrastructure is resilient to support future growth.
An initial £280,000 has been allocated for evaluation and design, with the total estimated cost for the project ranging between £4.341 million and £6.341 million. This wide range is due to several factors: the long duration of the works (anticipated to fully complete by 2033), the complexities involved in constructing a new road in Undershaft, and anticipated changes in the costs of materials and inflation. Additionally, the implementation is likely to occur under a new term contract for highways works, which may have different rates than the current contract.
Councillor Edward Lord declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item due to his membership of the Leather Sellers' Company, which has an interest in property developments in the Undershaft area. He was permitted to remain for the discussion and vote. The committee noted the project initiation and the budget for its progression.
More details on the discussion can be found in the Public reports pack for the meeting, and the agenda frontsheet.