Young architects compete for cheese grater space

British Land has approached young architects to find uses for the City's abandoned 'cheese grater' tower on Leadenhall Street, EC3.

More than dozen young architects have been shortlisted for a temporary solution competition to fill the Richard Rogers' site which appeared to come to a standstill last summer.
The move by British Land has reportedly come as a shock to Rogers Stirk Harbour, which was only told of the plans earlier this month.

Opening up vacant plots is part of a wider initiative by the City of London's planning authority to force developers to turn to alternative uses for sites indefinitely put on hold by the credit crunch.

Shortlisted firms include Building Designs Young Architect of the Year 2009 , (Due to take place tomorrow), finalists Duggan Morris and Glowacka Rennie along with 2007 winner, Carmody Groarke, with submitted ideas for the Leadenhall tower site ranging from a city farm to a viewing platform.

The winning design, which could sit on the site for up to five years, will be announced by competition organiser Wordsearch in the next few weeks.

The Corporation of London is determined not to have the Square Mile riddled with derelict plots and one shortlisted architect said the developer had been "bounced" into the initiative. British Land declined to comment.

The much talked about site, which saw the bottom up demolition of the former Leadenhall Building, was initially due for completion in 2011.