Race on to demolish 1970s block that will make way for new City office

Plans to redevelop a 1970s office block on the site where the Great Fire of London started are gearing up with four firms shortlisted for the demolition contract.

Fletcher Priest’s 10-storey proposals for Faryners House at 25 Monument Street in the City of London were approved over the summer for client, development manager Monument Estates.

M3 was the original development manager but later replaced by Monument Estates, which was set up by Aviva’s former head of development Neal Pickering.

Building understands Erith, John F Hunt, Morrisroe and Deconstruct are all in the mix for the demolition contract which is set to start early next year.

Faryners House was named after Thomas Farriner, whose bakery on Pudding Lane was the starting point for the great fire in September 1666 that destroyed around 80% of the City.

Fletcher Priest’s scheme will replace the existing seven-storey building with 13,338sq m of high quality workspace and a 339sq m visitor centre for the grade I-listed Monument to the Great Fire of London, which stands metres from the site.

Fletcher Priest said the £85m scheme would enhance the setting of the adjacent column, built in the 1670s to commemorate the fire, and aim partly to re-establish the original piazza which surrounded the Monument.

The building itself will be cube-shaped, featuring a spiral of garden terraces over six storeys, starting on Pudding Lane and stepping down towards the side of the building facing the Monument.

Others working on the scheme include cost consultant Exigere and project manager Blackburn & Co. Structural engineer is London Structures Lab.