Proposals to rebuild East Anglia's gateway to London are gathering more high profile opposition after they were registered with the City of London.

Norfolk-based actor and writer Stephen Fry and artist Tracey Emin have added their voices to the protests by Griff Rhys Jones and the Victorian society to the proposed £1.5bn redevelopment of the station.

East Anglian Daily Times: Stephen Fry has added his voice to the protests about the planned Liverpool Street redevelopment.Stephen Fry has added his voice to the protests about the planned Liverpool Street redevelopment. (Image: Archant)

In a letter published in The Times, they called on Mr Gove to intervene in proposals by developer Sellar to build offices, shops and a hotel above Liverpool Street station.

The station is used for mainline train connections to destinations across Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, as well as the Elizabeth line and London Underground services.

Sellar says its proposals involve more than £1.5 billion of private investment, including £450 million to double the size of the station concourse and add more lifts and escalators.

The station "suffers from significant overcrowding" as well as "poor pedestrian accessibility and connectivity", according to the company.

The plan would involve rebuilding the neighbouring Grade II listed Andaz hotel, which opened as the Great Eastern hotel in 1884.

Network Rail, which owns the station, and transport company MTR are partnering with Sellar in developing the project.

In their letter, opponents to the plans wrote: "The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities must call in the planning application for Liverpool Street Station and its terminus hotel.

"To plonk 15 storeys of insensitively-designed tower directly on top of the Grade II listed former Great Eastern hotel, thus partially demolishing the listed station and overwhelming the Victorian train sheds, is grossly opportunistic and wrong."

A Sellar spokesman said: "Our proposals aim to deliver the vital upgrades needed at Liverpool Street station to address significant overcrowding and access issues, while protecting and celebrating its remaining Victorian elements.

"Our proposals allow Network Rail to invest in other much-needed infrastructure improvements elsewhere in the country while transforming Liverpool Street station into the accessible, future-fit transport hub that the City of London, as a global centre of business and tourism, deserves."