Imagine if English Heritage always got their way then London would like above, and sometimes they have. Throughout the ages there has been a variety of proposals for London for tall buildings in london, below you'll find a number complete with their heights and date/reason for rejection. Clicking on a building link will pop-up a picture of the building in question. 1542ft - Mallory Clifford Project, 1998 A totally insane tower design that was more concept than anything else. Submitted anyway, it was rejected for its height which is almost twice that of the tallest building in London. 1450ft - Greenbird, 1998 To be built in Tackets Lock in London, this tower strongly represented a dildo. Surprise, surprise it never made it past the initial planning stages, and today remains one of the most amusing looking of all the Phantom Projects. 1265ft - London Millenium Tower, 1998 The Millenium Tower was officially rejected because of its threat to passing air-traffic although the site itself was suitable for tall buildings and is now having the Swiss RE Tower built in its place. The unofficial reason for rejection though was that it was so much bigger than the surrounding buildings and would represent a new core for the city. 1159ft - Wembley Park Tower, 1907 Anything the French can do we can do better might as well be the national motto but this structure, which was supposed to be taller thn the Eiffel Tower ran out of money as the legs were finished so it was demolished. 1066ft - Aldegate Tower, 1999 To be built in the City of London itself, this was one proposal so serious it wouldn't go away. Despite it's uninspiring design it lingered like a bad smell for years before the developer fed up with running into brick walls decided to give the project a mercy killing 590ft - Kings Cross Twin Towers, 1988. Two towers of 590ft each designed by Fosters and Partners as part of a plan for regenerating the area the timing wasn't the best and it got caught in the downturn of the property market in the late 80s. 550ft - Albert Memorial, 1870 One of the most impressive proposals ever, a 550ft eddifice to serve as a memorial to Queen Victoria's dead husband would be errected opposite the Houses of Parliament. Incredibly gothic and grand, they opted for something cheaper in the end in Kensington. 525ft - Old St Pauls Cathedral, 1666 Not truely a phantom project the original medieval Cathedral in the City of London burned down in 1666 and was replaced by the current design. Considered one of the wonders of the world it was the centerpiece of olde London. 511ft - Winchester House, 1988 Proposed by Waites City it was rejected because of its proximity to St Pauls Catherdral and vocall opposition from the classicist lobby. 500ft - Esso Green Giant, 1981 Owned by Esso, this site had numerous proposals from the mid 60s onwards but each was rejected until finally the Environment Secretary vetoed a 500ft tower, once again views were the issue. 500ft - Guildhall, 1949 To replace bomb damaged Guildhall after World War Two the council came up with the idea of building a 500ft high soviet style building before opting on rebuilding the original. 472ft - 168 Fenchurch Street, 2001 A serious mid rise proposal for the City, proposed by Churchill securities the project ran into serious legal problems over ownership of the site and after unsuccesful litigation was eventually shelved. 465ft - Vauxhall Bridge, 1975 Due to it's location south of the River this proposal was actually succesful in getting approval but was never built because of the falling rents and slump in property prices caused by the oil crisis of the 1970s. 407ft - Euston Road, 1971 With the building boom of the late 60s developers realised that the cluster in the city was inadequate so a second cluster was proposed for Euston Road, a natural choice given the travel arteries there. Six towers in total were planned but it proved impossible to do as it blocked views (again). 390ft - The Pinnacle, 2000 A victim of outdated planning rules, the Pinnacle was opposed by English Heritage after they said it interferrer with the views of a royal residence in Kew Gardens. The residence had been empty for almost 100 years and was literally falling to pieces but rules are rules and rather than conserve some heritage E.H spent their money on getting the project cancelled. It was initially reduced to 26floors but after constant opposition from E.H the developer finally decided to cancel. 390ft - Hays Wharf, 1981 Proposed between the City and Canary Wharf on rundown land this plan was vetoed after opposition from Prince Charles and low level housing built there instead. The irony was the Prince's favourite archietect was the designer. 365ft - Vauxhall Bridge, 1975 This is the other tower proposal that was succesful in getting approval but cancelled because the devloper pulled out in the 1970s. 350ft+ - The Living Bridge, 1997 This was one of a number of proposals for a "millenium bridge" across the Thames, being the first since London Bridge that would actually be lived on. In the end they chose a single span suspension footbridge that sways so much you cant cross it! 350ft - Effra Site, 1962. 330ft - Hays Wharf, 1986 Hays Wharf was to be two towers, this is the second one. 290ft - Mansion House, 1985 This building was rejected due to its sensitive location next to Mansion House in the City. 223ft - Coin Street, 1986 A prime location in the city, despite its moderate height it was too sensitive a spot to build a tall building on. 205ft - Liverpool Street Station, 1979 Another building that was rejected to it's location in the City and the danger of obscuring St Pauls Cathedral. See the older page here