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London needs a more coordinated approach to regulating high-rise development to give residents greater input and ensure the capital鈥檚 architectural treasures and views are not lost forever, the chief executive of Historic England has said.

Duncan Wilson acknowledged proposals from the City of London Corporation to introduce more prescriptive rules about acceptable locations for high-rise development and wider use of three-dimensional modelling as part of the planning process.

But the boss of the government鈥檚 heritage-advisory body said those plans did not go far enough and that a 鈥減an-London鈥� approach to prevent further harm to the capital鈥檚 skyline was required.

Wilson鈥檚 comments came in a to the Evening Standard newspaper that saw him directly reference Herzog & de Meuron鈥檚 recently-lodged plans for a 15-storey tower above Liverpool Street Station as 鈥渕isguided鈥�.

Wilson, who was a leading opponent of Foster & Partners鈥� Tulip tourist tower proposals, said some tall buildings were 鈥渦ndeniably well-designed and elegant鈥�. But he said Londoners needed to be more alive to the danger posed by high-rise development, even after a decade of 鈥渞adical change鈥�.

鈥淟ondon is still largely low-rise and each tower exerts a powerful, wide-reaching impact,鈥� he said. 鈥淎mong those proposed for the City is one above the grade II-listed Liverpool Street Station, which would not only impact one of London鈥檚 finest Victorian stations but its sheer bulk means it would encroach on views of landmarks such as St Paul鈥檚 Cathedral.

鈥淲ith misguided schemes like this on the horizon, surely it is time to take a more considered approach?鈥�

Wilson said he recognised the capital would continue evolving, but insisted change should not come at the expense of its 鈥渟pecial鈥� characteristics.

鈥淭all buildings, if in the wrong places and poorly designed, can seriously harm our city,鈥� he said.

鈥淲hile you can put a price on each tower, both our skyline and our streetscapes are treasured and priceless. London deserves better.鈥�

The Historic England boss said the 鈥渃umulative effect鈥� of towers should be planned for 鈥減roperly鈥�, rather than being considered separately.

鈥淭he City of London Corporation is adapting its planning policies to identify the right areas for tall buildings but we should go further,鈥� Wilson said.

鈥淐onsultation about tall buildings is too narrow, so we stand for a pan-London approach, with Londoners being better informed and involved, through accessible 3D modelling and more.鈥�

He added that the carbon impacts of constructing new towers, set against the greener option of retrofitting existing buildings to provide new office space, ought to be given proper consideration 鈥� particularly in light of changes to working practices ushered in by the coronavirus pandemic.

The City of London is due to publish its draft City Plan proposals, featuring its new approach to high-rise building, early next year. Determination of the Herzog & de Meuron proposals 鈥� which were drawn up for Shard developer Sellar Property Group, Network Rail and MTR 鈥� is also not expected until next year.