Albany Crown Tower

The mixed-use tower's proposed height was 131 m (430 ft), it had 44 floors,[3] providing 35,298.00 square metres of space.[2] The ground floor comprised retail space, while floors 1 to 23 (140,000 square feet of space) would be a hotel and floors 24 to 41 residential, with a penthouse on the top two floors.[5] In total there will be 237 flats.[1] In May 2007, Albany proposed adding a further 10 storeys increasing its height to 160 m (525 ft).[1] Adjoining the tower was a smaller, 11-storey structure, at 49 m (160 ft), with approximately 14,500 square metres of space[2] to be occupied by retail and offices.[5]

A planning application was submitted in February 2005.[6] Albany then purchased the site in October 2005[7] for £6 million.[1] Planning permission was approved on the 11 November 2005.[6]

The site was occupied by five-storey offices designed by David Thomson in 1936 and built between 1948 and 1951 when the architect E H Montague Ebbs took over the project,[8] and occupied by a Labour Exchange,[1] part of the Department of Employment.[9] It was proposed to be demolished in early 2006 but demolition started in 2014. A hotel run by Holiday Inn is currently under construction on the site.[8]

The project stalled due to the failure of Albany Assets to sell apartments in its other developments.[2][10]

Albany Crown entered administration in May 2010 and the construction of the hotel finally put paid to the chance of the skyscraper ever being constructed.[11]