Trustees of the Grade II listed Commonwealth Institute in London have asked the government to consider passing an Act of Parliament to permit the building’s demolition following repeated failed requests in recent years.

However, Simon Thurley, chief executive of English Heritage, is due to meet Minister of Culture David Lammy MP to discuss the proposal and Heritage’s concerns for its wider implications for heritage protection in the UK.

Thurley said: “This is a proposal for a demolishers’ charter. Historically priceless buildings on valuable sites could be put at risk from demolition for profit. The proposal undermines the fundamental principle that the country's architecture is worth keeping.”