London Bridge Tower architect Renzo Piano this week said the 306 m high building would not ruin views in London, and denied the scheme was ego-driven.
At a public inquiry into the scheme, the Italian architect responded to claims by English Heritage that the project would spoil views of St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London.

He said: "The tower will add something to, not detract from, St Paul's. I still don't understand what the problem is."

Piano said English Heritage's method of analysing views had "taken things out of context" and was "perverse". He added the scheme was "conceived keeping in mind the history of the city".

He added that developer Sellar Property was not building for the sake of it. "Towers are usually about making money and the challenge of being tall. This is an intelligent sustainable building, not arrogant or stupidly symbolic."