Planning inspector鈥檚 report said 鈥榟ighly unsustainable鈥� attraction could become obsolete if other towers block its views
Ministers鈥� decision to reject Foster & Partners鈥� Tulip partly on the grounds of its 鈥渉ighly unsustainable鈥� use of concrete may have set a 鈥済ame-changing鈥� precedent, according to architects, planners and lawyers.
Other major projects are now likely to be given a much harder ride at planning with their sustainability credentials set to come under significant scrutiny.
In a that was backed by Michael Gove and his housing minister Christopher Pincher, planning inspector David Nicholson noted that the Tulip would require the demolition of an office building less than 20 years old. The scheme replacing it would not be carbon neutral and would not achieve zero-carbon on site, although he acknowledged the designers had gone to 鈥渆normous lengths鈥� to make its construction and operation