Qatari property developers have secured fresh funding for one of London’s highest-profile tower projects – the Shard of Glass at London Bridge – with the loan of an undisclosed sum from Qatari Diar, the state-owned real estate company.

As other London skyscraper projects are shelved, construction of the Shard – which at more than 1,000ft would be the tallest building in Europe – now looks assured. The development is led by a consortium of four Qatari companies plus Sellar Property Group.