‘London’s Times Square.’ Regeneration of Tottenham Court Road to be complete in autumn

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

“London’s Times Square” could open as soon as this autumn, the project’s developers have said.

The Now Building is set to bring new visuals to Tottenham Court Road with huge pieces of art projected over the famous central London street.

Consolidated, one of the development firms working on the project, has dubbed the project London’s answer to Times Square. But unlike the famous New York landmark, developer Outernet says the Now Building will not display ads.

By the time construction is finished, three new buildings will open beneath Centre Point, and sections of Denmark Street will also be restored, according to planning documents submitted by Consolidated.

The construction company was given permission to restore Grade-II listed sections of the famous street and in neighbouring Denmark Place and St Giles Square.

Plans to build the Now Building were eventually approved by Camden council in 2020, despite objections from Westminster City council as well as the Covent Garden Society and Soho Society about the amount of noise and light the new tourist attraction would create.

Ultimately, Camden council ruled the complex was in line with the musical history of the area and believed the attraction could help bring music back to Denmark Street.

Denmark Street was once the centre of rock and roll in London, and was home to music magazines NME and Melody Maker.

Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Eric Clapton are among the musicians to have recorded music in Denmark Street, while David Bowie used to camp outside as a teenager to try to become involved in the music industry.

Now a five-storey building neighbouring the road will be fitted with 360 LED screens, and it will broadcast 4D art and music videos over the streets of the West End.

So far, Outernet has teamed up with the likes of The British Film Institute, the Brit Awards, director Ridley Scott and photographer Rankin to help bring striking visuals to the streets of London.

Based just outside the new Tottenham Court Road Elizabeth Line station, the Now Building is part of a £300m regeneration, including a brand new West End theatre  – @sohoplace.

The theatre, which has been a 12-year project, is also set to fully open this autumn.

An Outernet spokesman told said it was currently checking the screens for the Now Building and that the project is set to be complete in the coming months.

Beneath the building is a 2,000-capacity event space and the Outernet has promised to try and host some of London’s favourite bands and DJs when it opens.

Elsewhere on the site are licensed spaces for buskers to play to help and maintain an element of Soho’s musical history.

Pictured top: The Now Building is set to transform Tottenham Court Road (Picture: The Outernet)