Croydon set to be the home of the UK's second tallest skyscraper

Construction will begin in Summer 2018

High-rise: An artist's impression of One Lansdowne Road (CZGW Architects)

Plans for a 68-storey skyscraper in Croydon have been given the green light – meaning the London borough will play host to the UK’s second tallest building.

The complex, named One Lansdowne Road, will contain both the gargantuan 228m tower and slightly smaller 41-storey, 140.3m ’twin’. The structures will be mixed-use with 798 flats (170 of which will be ‘affordable’ two-bedroom apartments), along with 35,000 sq ft of offices, bars and restaurants.

The building will be the UK's second tallest skyscraper behind The Shard, which is also in London.

On the south side of the tower, fronting Lansdowne Road, both towers will be decorated with Matisse-inspired bronze ribbons that swoop and intersect each other, uniting both towers with the design. The exterior of the complex will feature balconies and winter gardens.

Developer David Hudson, chief executive of developers Guildhouse, one of the firms leading the project, said: “The great challenge for Croydon is to change perceptions, and this scheme will help it to become a destination in its own right. This will help to achieve that because, in my opinion, it will be a world-famous building.”

One Lansdowne Road is an example of a number of new developments proposed in the South London borough, including the new Hammerson-Westfield partnership aiming to transform the Whitgift and Centrale shopping centres.