Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has given the thumbs-up to a pair of towers designed by Zaha Hadid Architects for a site on the Vauxhall gyratory that will completely reshape the area.

The towers – one 185m tall and its northern neighbour 151m – breach Lambeth council’s local plan which restricts heights in the location to 150m despite identifying it as a suitable spot for towers.

Jenrick said he took into account the inspector’s view that the quality of the architecture was “undeniable” and the scheme “outstanding” in townscape terms, as well as the number of homes that would be provided and improvements to the public realm.

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