Walkie Scorchie fix ‘will cost millions’

The owner of London’s Canary Wharf business district has seen its property portfolio rise in value by 2.6 per cent to £5.7 billion during the first six months of the year.

Songbird Estates also said its new Fenchurch Street skyscraper in London, dubbed the “Walkie Scorchie” after its concave design caused the sun’s rays to melt parts of a nearby car, is now 57 per cent pre-let.

Chairman David Pritchard said the cost of fixing the problem will run into the “low single-digit millions”. Songbird is developing the 37-storey tower with joint venture partner Land Securities.