Sellar, the developer of London Bridge Quarter and Paddington Square, MTR, a global operator of sustainable rail transport services including the Elizabeth line, and Network Rail have submitted a joint planning application to the City of London Corporation for proposed vital upgrades to transform Liverpool Street station.

The £1.5bn vision for Liverpool Street station will create a world-class transport hub and landmark destination, with new retail and leisure facilities for visitors, passengers and the local community.

The designs being submitted follow several years of working with the City of London Corporation as well as ongoing consultation with heritage organisations.

Despite being the capital’s main transport hub, significant changes are required for the station to become fully inclusive. It is one of the most difficult to access for people with disabilities and offers a poor passenger experience for those with small children and luggage, with only one accessible lift serving the mainline station and no step-free access to most London Underground platforms.

When the last upgrade to the station was completed in the early 1990s there was no expectation that passenger numbers would grow. Liverpool Street is the busiest station in the UK by footfall, with up to 135m people using the station and concourse area annually in recent years. Despite high passenger volumes, it operates with just half the concourse space of similar London stations which results in overcrowding during peak times.