East Anglia’s main commuter station in London is set for a £1.2billion redevelopment.
Plans have been approved for the transformation of Liverpool Street Station, having last been redeveloped in 1991.
Since then, customer numbers at the station have tripled, connecting around 118 million people every year, serving as the main link to the capital from the East of England and East Anglia.
Ellie Burrows, Managing Director for Network Rail’s Eastern region, said the redevelopment would ‘future-proof’ the station as commuter numbers grew.
She said: “This decision represents a key step towards the transformation of Britain’s busiest station and marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Liverpool Street.
“Our plans focus on improving the everyday experience for passengers whilst respecting the station’s unique heritage.
“With annual passenger numbers forecast to grow to 158 million, this approval ensures the station will be future proofed for decades to come.”
Passenger numbers at Liverpool Street Station are expected to increase by 35% by 2041, up to 158 million.
The new approved plans look to ensure the station can accommodate more than 200 million in the decades ahead.
The plans were approved by the Planning Committee of the City of London on February 10.
Among the improvements included in the plans are increasing the concourse capacity by 76% and expanding the lower concourse space by 23%, improving step-free access, eight new lifts, six new escalators and toilets on every level.
Network Rail says the scheme has been carefully designed to safeguard the station’s unique heritage, with the Victorian trainshed remaining completely untouched by the plans, and will provide improved views of the station’s Victorian architecture.
The train station’s transformation will also include the construction of a new office building with a publicly accessible roof garden.
