14th June 2011, 02:58 PM
Madweasels Wrote:From EH statements section
"Broadgate Square is an exemplar of commercial place making. Here, 'people places' and office buildings harmoniously coexist - the result of developer and architect working successfully together. Rare for commercial developments, people enjoy Broadgate Square - in this sense, it is a triumph of urbanism, a special place in the financial heart of the capital."
City 1, Docklands 0
Canary Wharf next then - and they will be able to use the same paragraph - just replace Broadgate with Canary Wharf - in the other financial heart of the capital.
Quite! So, what is the justification for listing Broadgate Square over any of the other locations in cities around the country (London included) which fulfil the same criteria?
EH's decision looks as if they are just taking the opportunity to show they can flex some muscle in a high profile situation, and possibly pick a fight it might be against their longer term interests to engage in. On a general level (and I know this isn't how EH administer their criteria, but....) I can't see how it is in the local, regional or national interest to list and protect this development over taking any other course of action.