The Tulip awaits go-ahead after nod from City planners

Proposals for a new tower in the Square Mile known as 'The Tulip' have been moved one step closer to reality following a recommendation from the City Corporation’s chief planning officer.

The 1,000 feet skyscraper, designed by Foster and Partners, is expected to be given the green light by the City’s planning committee at a vote on Tuesday.

In a report released earlier this week, planning officers concluded that the new project, which will include a multi-deck glass viewing platform, would benefit from a "classroom in the sky" aimed at educating schoolchildren.

If given the go-ahead, construction on the dramatic 305-metre viewing attraction could begin next year, with plans to open in 2025.

The Tulip is set to be located next to The Gherkin in the heart of London’s financial district.

Read more: New London skyscrapers set to break record in 2019

Unlike its neighbouring skyscrapers throughout the Square Mile, The Tulip, which is just one metre smaller than the Shard, has not been proposed with office space in mind.

Instead, the building would act as a "new public cultural and tourist attraction" to draw in visitors and schoolchildren to the City.

The news comes several months after London City Airport insisted that construction could not be given the green light until National Air Traffic Control was consulted over the potential impact that rotating gondola rides around the outside of the tower could have on radar systems at the airport, which lies six miles to the east. Air traffic control group NATS said in November it was satisfied that no impact from either the building or the moving gondolas is anticipated.