Network Rail, the station owner, confirmed today (4 November) that the Swiss practice is no longer working on the redevelopment of the station following opposition from heritage groups against the giant over-station development. Developer Sellar has also exited the scheme.Proposals unveiled today, drawn up by ACME, include new entrances, an increase in escalators from four to eight and a bigger station concourse. In contrast with Herzog and de Meurons design, the fresh plans feature a new office building that wraps around the Grade II*-listed former Great Eastern Hotel rather than sits above it.ACME says the new scheme is lower than the earlier, controversial design the highest point is now 97m, compared with 108m previously and that the proposal will still be constructed over the station concourse but will be sufficiently set back from the hotel so as not to dominate it in the way it did before.AdvertisementThe team added that there would be no works on the hotel apart from minor works to adjust how the train shed roof meets the hotel.In a statement, Friedrich Ludewig, funding director at ACME, said overhauling Liverpool Street station was a monumental design challenge that will create a world-class transport gateway in the City of London.He continued: Working with Network Rail Property, we are creating a transport hub that will work for the city and all Londoners.The 1990s saw a few stations such as Victoria, Cannon Street and Charing Cross compromised by Over-Station Development. [But] At Liverpool Street, we will retain the sense of a tall and airy concourse, with a flexible workplace building above to fund the development of the station at street level.The consultation on the updated scheme comes less than two months after the AJ revealed that substantially different plans would be submitted to replace initial proposals lodged in early 2023 by Herzog & de Meuron on behalf of Sellar.AdvertisementThat scheme by the Swiss stars received more than 2,200 objections over a proposed part 15, part 21-storey building sitting above the Grade II-listed station providing 78,000m of office space. Contentious changes to the Grade II*-listed former Great Eastern Hotel building also came in for criticism.In October 2022, Historic England announced updated and expanded listings for Liverpool Street to include the 1990s station elements for the first time. Simultaneously, the former Great Eastern Hotel buildings listing was upgraded from Grade II to Grade II*.Historic England said in January that objected in the strongest terms to what it argued was extraordinarily high levels of harm to the 1870s and 1990s trainsheds and the former Great Eastern Hotel building andentirely remove the significance of the 1992 trainshed and profoundly damage the character of the station as a whole.The body added that Herzog & de Meuron and Sellars plans were fundamentally misguided and called for a comprehensive redesign to remove the harm caused by the proposals.A spokesperson for the City of London told the AJ in September: Revised proposals present an elegant and intelligent solution that integrates the station and hotel whilst addressing concerns about the potential impact on the historic assets. This is a heritage-led response that will also deliver a world-class station within a sustainable, mixed-use landmark destination for London.Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail Property, said of the ACME proposals: Investing in transport infrastructure is key to unlocking future economic growth. Weve spent time talking and listening: our latest plans celebrate Victorian features including the original train shed and the Great Eastern Hotel.He added: Network Rail Property is leading a new team with a new approach which will respect the stations unique heritage simple in design, embracing Londons mix of the old with the new. A new office building on top of the station concourse will generate the money to pay for these improvements.A consultation on ACMEs scheme runs until 4 December and a planning application is due next year.Herzog & de Meuron and Sellar have been contacted for comment.