Westminster City Council in August 2017 granted planning consent for the Renzo Piano designed redevelopment of the former Royal Mail sorting office at 31 London Street and the adjacent former post office on Praed Street, Paddington.

The scheme, which includes a 360,000 sq ft office building over 14 floors, is being developed by Sellar Paddington Limited on behalf of Great Western Developments Ltd.

In addition to the offices, the development will also comprise more than 76,000 sq ft of retail and restaurants over four floors along with an iconic rooftop restaurant. £65m further investment will dramatically improve the Paddington Station underground.

The development will also provide 1.35 acres of public realm and the creation of a new piazza that will seamlessly link Paddington Station to the new office building, shops and restaurants.

To create the new piazza it is intended that London Street will be pedestrianised and the wall that currently runs alongside Paddington Station entrance will be demolished. This will open up the station’s entrance for the first time.

A new road, built to adoptable standards, will be constructed on the eastern edge of the development that will enable ambulances and other emergency vehicles to access St Mary’s Hospital more easily.

It is forecast the development will generate an additional £350m a year to Paddington’s economy and would attract as many as 4,500 new jobs to the area.