Broadgate heads for a facelift:

London’s iconic Broadgate development is to get a spruce up if a planning application submitted by the owners, British Land and Blackstone Group, is approved the London Office Database blog from Estates Gazette reports.

The 32-acre (13 ha) office and retail estate in the City of London was built in the 1980’s and as well as providing some 4 million square feet of mixed usage real estate it is also home to some of the City’s most iconic public art, including Richard Serra’s Fulcrum, a 55ft tall installation.  The application will see more shops and restaurants as well as outdoor seating and new canopies to create more usable outdoor space.  It is understood that the application also includes for the conversion of certain basement areas into gyms, not a bad idea given that approx. 25,00 work in the estate.

It is assumed that the planning application is timed to dovetail with the current redevelopment of numbers 4 & 5 Broadgate.  No. 4 was at one time home to the late Security Pacific and no. 5 is to become the new UBS HQ in the City.

It is hoped that the new design will also include for more viewing areas for the outdoor ice rink, as, in the winter months, it is usually very difficult to get a decent spot to see the antics of those skaters who have recently left Corney & Barrow!