City of London decision makers should reject planning officers’ advice to approve Foster & Partners’ Tulip tower because of the harm it will do to the capital’s heritage, the chief executive of Historic England has said.

In an unusually direct attack on a development proposal, Duncan Wilson said the 305m tourist attraction was “a lift shaft with a bulge” that would have a detrimental effect on views of the capital. He added that approving the tower would compound harm caused by Rafael Viñoly’s Walkie Talkie building.

Historic England submitted detailed objections to the scheme – created for Jacob J Safra, owner of the neighbouring Gherkin building – in December last year, primarily expressing concerns over its impact on views of the Tower of London, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

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