Heritage minister declines to list South Eastern Railway building

The building, which houses Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience, Tuli Restaurant and Tower Paintball, is due to be demolished as part of Network Rail's proposed redevelopment of London Bridge Station.

This week English Heritage wrote to Network Rail to confirm that heritage minister had decided not to list the building after an application was made by the Victorian Society.

According to English Heritage, "64-84 Tooley Street has many of the features common to commercial buildings of the period: considerable height and a floor plan that allows maximum accommodation on the site; skin-deep use of colourful materials to enliven the facade and inscribed lettering announcing its original purpose.

"Yet, in the context of the great number of commercial offices built in the second half of the 19th century, its architecture is not remarkable."

The English Heritage decision notice continues: "This is not to deny, however, that 64-84 Tooley Street is a handsome local building which enhances the character of the street and the setting of the listed Shipwright's Arms and Hay's Wharf buildings.

"It has some historic significance as a surviving element of London Bridge Station, which was extensively rebuilt after the Second World War."

Earlier this month we reported the decision by John Penrose to grant listed building status to the railway arches along St Thomas Street and Crucifix Lane.

Winston Churchill's Britain at War Experience has raised objections to Network Rail's plans to demolish the South Eastern Railway building.