By unanimous agreement, Southwark Borough Council has resolved to grant planning consent for the London Bridge Tower - also known as the Shard of Glass - to be built on a site adjacent to London Bridge station.

The 1,000ft tall, pyramid-shaped development, which will comprise commercial, leisure and residential space over 66 floors, will be the largest building in Europe at 900,000 sq ft.

The Tower has been designed by Paris-based Renzo Piano, who claims the 'shard of glass' relates to the 'horizontal flowing elements of the site'; such as the railway lines and River Thames.

Irvine Sellar, of Sellar Property Group, said; 'We believe Renzo's design for London Bridge Tower will become a prominent international landmark, but just as importantly the development will make a major contribution to the continued regeneration of London's Southbank.'

It is believed that the tower could create up to 10,000 jobs in the area and will transform the transport system with a piazza serving the station and tower improving pedestrian access, and major alterations being made to Joiner Street, a key link between the south London residential areas and the City in the north.

Further conditions must be met before full consent is granted, after which point it is anticipated that the project will take approximately five years to complete.