Japan’s leading developer Mitsubishi Estate is to submit a planning application for a 40-storey office tower at the heart of the City of London.

The proposals for an office-led, mixed-use tower with public viewing gallery at the top have been designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects and resembles a stack of blocks.

The redevelopment of 6-8 Bishopsgate and 150 Leadenhall Street is rated as one of the most prized sites in the Square Mile nestled between the Cheesegrater and soon to be redeveloped site of the stalled Pinnacle building.

The London arm of Mitsubishi Estate is seeking to bring forward the comprehensive regeneration of the site.

Stanhope is the development manager  on the scheme, Arup is the structural and services engineer and Alinea is the cost consultant. Gerald Eve is advising on planning.

The 770,000 sq ft  building will comprises a series of five rotated building blocks. The higher up the tower, the narrower these volumes become, reducing in size to produce a slender tower form.

It has been conceived to be an exemplar in urban office design and will include some of the highest sustainability and low energy features. The scheme will exceed the threshold for the BREEAM NC 2014 “Excellent” rating.

Mr Naoki Umeda, managing director and CEO of Mitsubishi Estate London said: “The submission of this application represents Mitsubishi Estate’s confidence in  the City of London’s long term growth prospects as a world financial centre, and its attractiveness for blue chip companies.

“We look forward to enhancing the offer of the City further by delivering a striking landmark building on this fantastic location, which bridges London’s financial and insurance districts”.