Toppled by the French! London's Shard will soon lose title of Europe's tallest building to Hermitage Plaza in Paris

Still less than half the height of Dubai's 2,760ft Burj Khalifa skyscraper



France is to build 1075-feet high twin towers that will trump London’s title as home to Europe’s highest building.

The two skyscrapers in Paris will be just 60 feet taller than the Shard, which is currently under construction in the British capital.

Planning permission for the French project called Hermitage Plaza - designed by British architects Foster and Partners - was granted by Paris officials this week.

Top trump: Paris's proposed Hermitage Plaza, which would usurp London's position as home to the tallest building in Europe

Metropolitan: The proposed towers would sit by the River Seine in the La Defense district in the heart of Paris

Sumptuous: The buildings will house offices, luxury apartments, a shopping complex and a hotel

Luxury: This artist's impression shows how it will offer inhabitants striking views over Paris

Swish: The buildings are designed by British architect Norman Foster

Imposing: The 93-storey plaza, due for completion in four years time, will dominate the Paris skyline

The two buildings - which will house offices, luxury apartments, a shopping complex and a hotel - will dominate the skyline in the western business district of La Defense.

Work began on the Shard at London Bridge in February 2009 and it is already Europe’s highest construction project at a cost so far of around 450 million pounds.

The 87-storey building is due for completion in May this year, when it will stand at 1,016 feet tall and offer uninterrupted 360-degree views of London for 40 miles in every direction.

But it will only hold the title of Europe’s tallest building until Paris’s 93-storey Hermitage Plaza is completed in an estimated four years time.

The Shard: The Hermitage Plaza towers would knock London's newest skyscraper, by London Bridge station in Southwark, off the top spot as Europe's tallest building - beating it by just 54 feet

Undisputed: The 2,760tt Burj Khalifa in Dubai is still more than twice as tall as either Hermitage Plaza or The Shard

Its British architect Norman Foster also designed Europe’s previous tallest building, the 860-feet high Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt Germany, which will now be dwarfed by the London and Paris skyscrapers.