I am really not sure what is the best option for airport expansion and I am not ready to read through all of the politicised reports to try and extract a non-biased argument.

However, I will say that the journey from Stansted Airport by car or taxi to London is, I think, the most interesting. The moment that the City and Canary Wharf appear on the horizon is wonderful. As a proud Londoner it is how I would like a visitor to see our city for the first time. Is this a relevant factor? Almost certainly not.

In terms of architectural heritage, the original Broadgate buildings are fantastically important. They were the first that heralded a new wave of City office buildings that addressed issues of public realm and context in a way that was progressive at the time, and very successful. And they are only 25 years old for chissakes! These are great buildings, still fit for purpose – leave them alone. There are plenty of sites around the Bishopsgate area with buildings on them that are more suitable for replacement.

The point of heritage listing is not to preserve the City in aspic, but to prevent good quality buildings being replaced by potentially inferior stock. It is an external force that provides balance, preventing a commercial free-for-all in the historic centre of our city. In this sense, conservation of good quality buildings, from all eras, should be seen as progressive – not the enemy of progress. It is a policy designed to ensure that the overall quality of our built environment makes net gains over an elongated time period.