It has been more than two years since plans to build one of Britain’s tallest buildings were approved for Croydon town centre.

But work on One Lansdowne is now not expected to start until 2021 – It was originally supposed to start in summer 2018.

It was given the go ahead in November 2017 and at 68 storeys would be the same height as Britain’s second tallest building, One Canada Square in Canary Wharf.

At 236 metres tall it will tower over the current tallest building in Croydon , Saffron Square – which is 134 metres.

Chief executive of developers Guildhouse Rosepride, David Hudson, said the company is still securing the half-a-billion pounds needed for the project.

He said: “There was uncertainty which has now been removed by the election, there is now money flooding into the country.

“We are looking at several options for funding, it is going to take a few months at the very least to get sorted, the earliest we will be on site is next year.”

But he said that the company is still committed to coming to Croydon and plans for the skyscraper have not changed.

David added: “We are looking at an innovative heating system which will be run without any fossil fuels by ground source.”

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Buildings on the site, at 1-5 Lansdowne Road, as well as Voyager House at 30-32 Wellesley Road will be demolished to make way for two towers.

The 68-storey and 41-storey towers will be connected by an 11-storey block.

As well as 794 flats the skyscraper would include office space, retail space, a swimming pool and gym, a bar, a restaurant and a public viewing gallery.

Croydon Council cabinet member for regeneration, Councillor Paul Scott, was a member of the planning committee when the plans were approved and said that personally he is not a fan of the design, but this is just an “objective view” and “not a planning consideration”.

He said: “We had refused a previous application and they came back with significant improvements.

“I think it could be a good addition to Croydon I am a big fan of the mixed of offices and flats and a publicly accessible viewing gallery. That would be great for Croydon you’d get some really good views.”

“It is a very ambitious scheme, anything that tall becomes super expensive to build.”