Demolition contractor Erith is believed to have landed the complex job of demolishing the existing building while retaining the new digital screen installed last year on a standalone structure to free up the site behind.

The complex enabling works package will get underway next April following a six-month design and pre-construction phase. It also involves retaining some existing building facades and rerouting services around the busy West End island site.

Contractors Skanska, Sir Robert McAlpine and Wates are also understood to be chasing the £250m project, known as One Sherwood Street.

The new scheme is being brought forward by Landsec at a time when it is also moving ahead with 21 Moorfields,  a 564,000 sq ft office scheme above Crossrail’s Liverpool Street Moorgate ticket office in the City. Mace, McAlpine and Multiplex are in the running for this job.

Together the projects signal renewed confidence in the London office market from Landsec, which led the capital’s major building recovery after the last recession.

The Piccadilly Circus island site has been a planning conundrum for more than 60 years.

The empty space behind the Piccadilly Lights has been under-used since the 1950s.

Blue/grey ceramic roof tiles will be used on the roof and part of the facades

Designs by architect Fletcher Priest turn the apparently unusable area behind the lights into flexible workspace, shops and apartments while keeping the Piccadilly Lights and existing retail fully operational throughout.

The new eight-storey building will feature top floor wintergarden roof terrace and a signature ceramic tile lattice roof that acts as a mantle over the whole scheme.

View of proposed One Sherwood Street building along Shaftesbury Avenue.

The client team includes cost consultant Core Five, Watermans acting as structural engineer and Long and Partners as M&E services engineer.