Italian architect Renzo Piano's speculative project "Paddington Cube" in London is still on hold due to the objections of campaigners and Save Britain’s Heritage body. 

After given a green light by Westminster planners in 2016, Save Britain’s Heritage applied for a new judicial review against Renzo Piano's controversial 14-storey building, which had been rejected last November.

According to Construction News, the group will make its official appeal on July 19, 2018. Developed by Sellar Property Group and designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, the Paddington Cube will be built at the former site of an Edwardian former Royal Mail sorting office in London Street, which causes the demolition of the building. 

Piano's £775m development will include 360,000 sq ft of office space, 80,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant accommodation over five levels, including a rooftop restaurant, access to Paddington Station and a £65m investment in a new Bakerloo line station and ticket hall.

The 17-storey building is comprised of a cubic volume of 14 office floors which provides prime quality working spaces for over of 4000 people and brings valuable employment opportunities to the Paddington area. The remaining floors will host restaurants, bars, cafes and shops.

Scaffolding of the building started to be seen on site and the entire area is expected to be scaffolded by the end of this month, according to Construction News. Demolition of the Edwardian former Royal Mail sorting office is expected to be completed by the end of this year and the construction of the Paddington Cube is planned to start by March next year.

The Paddington Cube - also dubbed as Paddington Square - received the green light by Westminster planners – despite a string of objections from heritage bodies in December, 2016. 

In 2017, following the decision, Sajid Javid, the secretary of state for communities and local government, halted the planning application secretary of state for communities and local government, as he was planning to call for a public inquiry. Then, Save Britain’s Heritage has raised objections to the fact Sajid Javid did not explain the reason for his decision.

"The ability of the secretary of state to hold a public inquiry under an independent planning inspector is a vital safeguard, allowing contentious cases and issues to be examined and assessed in an open and public forum," Marcus Binney, Save Britain’s Heritage executive president, told Construction News.

"An essential part of this process is that the secretary of state gives reasons when he declines to hold an inquiry."

Sellar Property Group is also working on the scheme in partnership with Great Western Developments. Irvine Sellar, the late chairman of Sellar Property Group, previously told Construction News the decision to convert the scheme from residential to office was partly because the high-end residential market had slowed.

If the delays are solved on the scheme, the building is expected to complete by the end of 2021.

All images courtesy of RPBW

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