At the end of 1939, the British Naval Shipbuilding Office focused on the development of cruisers featuring 203 mm guns. In 1940, several designs for cruisers based on the Edinburgh-class ships were presented. The biggest of them in terms of size and combat qualities was a project for a cruiser with a displacement of 15,500 tons boasting three triple-gun turrets housing 203 mm guns. According to the plan, ships of this class were to be commissioned in 1944; however, the Admiralty was displeased with their low speed, and it was decided to abandon the project in favor of mass-constructing light cruisers.