Mayor of London Ken Livingstone appeared before the urban affairs select committee in the House of Commons on Tuesday to speak in favour of more tall buildings in London.

The mayor believes that tall buildings are an effective use of space and supports their development as long as they are situated areas of London such as the city.

Forum Response: Corporation of London

A spokesman for the Corporation of London told ePolitix.com: "The City of London is the world's leading international financial centre and it is a reflection of its success that demand for office space is at a high level and that its vacancy rates are the lowest ever recorded. Adequate critical mass is a key to the City's success and it must be able to provide more space if it is to compete with rival centres in other countries which are seeking to usurp London's position.

"The City has always valued its unique heritage and has been a strident advocate of top quality architecture. As planning authority, it has balanced the preservation of the best of its past with the need to provide a constant supply of top quality office accommodation which matches the needs and aspirations of the international businesses which seek to operate here and, as a result, produce immense benefits for the UK economy.

"Experience shows only too clearly that it is impossible to meet these demands solely by the continued construction of high density low rise buildings. The Corporation does not support a plethora of tall buildings. It accepts that they must be located sensitively and have regard to transport, economic and environmental factors.

"It is a fact that businesses benefit form co-location in high density clusters which maximise the use of existing infrastructure. In short, progress through change is the key to continued success. Following the awful events in New York it is vital to review detailed design and other specifications for any proposed tall buildings as well as security and evacuation procedures. However it must be remembered that there are no proposals for buildings above 50 storeys in the City of London."

Forum Response: Chartered Institute Of Building

A spokeswoman for the Chartered Institute of Building told ePolitix.com: "Democracy, the economy, the perceived invincibility, and the root confidence of all freedom loving countries have been shaken by the events of September 11. What role do we, as Construction Management professionals, play in the war on terrorism? How can we use our professional skills to hold paramount the welfare, health and safety the public? There has been much talk on the safety of tall buildings and the limits that may now have to be placed upon them."The CIOB would be pleased to take part in the preparation of overall guidelines on risk assessment, assessing the role of the construction profession in protecting and enhancing the performance of infrastructure, and determining the required resources. The CIOB will assess the vulnerability of the UK's infrastructure, endeavour to determine ways of better protecting it, and promote better understanding of response mechanisms.

"While the terrorist attacks of 11 September were horrifying in every respect, Construction Management professionals have addressed massive destruction in the past - earthquakes, bombings, and floods. We have learned valuable lessons; and we will continue to learn. We will build higher, bigger, better and stronger, and will not have the limits of professional expertise determined by the activities of terrorists."

Forum Response: English Heritage

A spokesman for English Heritage told ePolitix.com: "English Heritage is not opposed to tall buildings per se and has not objected to proposals at Lots Road Power Station and the Swiss Ré development on the site of the former Baltic Exchange. For English Heritage a primary consideration is whether the location is suitable for a tall building in terms of its effect on the historic environment at a city-wide as well as local level.

"The most recent in-depth research in 1998 concluded that there is no case for arguing that there is an economic need for tall buildings to sustain London's role as a world city. English Heritage believes that the City of London should not be seen in isolation. It is part of a much larger central business district embracing parts of the West End and Canary Wharf. There is scope for tall buildings in other areas of London, such as Canary Wharf, where they would be more appropriate to the historic environment and not harm the qualities that make London special.

"English Heritage has played a key role in the development of policy for tall buildings at both a national and regional level and believes that a coherent strategy is required for London as part of the London Plan. Our concerns about tall buildings are as much to do with the quality of the urban and street environment they create as with issues of skyline."

Forum Response: Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment

Sir Stuart Lipton, chairman of CABE, told ePolitix.com: "In an appropriate environment with the proper infrastructure tall buildings make extremely positive contributions to the life of cities. High quality and well planned towers can take their place in society and serve as beacons of regeneration.

"The only way to judge when we should endorse a tall building and when we should steer clear is to consider each application with the very closest scrutiny and on a case by case basis. The way we scrutinise proposals is also extremely important - looking at schemes on the drawing board does not allow us to experience the tall building three dimensionally, a process which is fundamental to judging success. Transport, context, public spaces and the integration of the building into the existing environment are just as crucial to success of tall buildings as their appearance."