Wandsworth Council have given consent to six planning applications and one variation concerning detailed designs for one of our favourite lump of bricks - the Battersea Power Station:
These consents, representing a total area of 4.5 million sq ft mean that, for the first time, the project can now move forward towards the construction stage and leasing programme.
Victor Hwang, President of Parkview International explains why it's taken so long to get this far:
“It has taken us 13 years and an investment of £200 million to arrive where we are today. This included the acquisition of an additional essential 8.5 acres of land from Thames Water, National Grid, British Rail and Spicer Cowan to create this masterplan. It was not until 2003 that the London Electricity Board vacated Turbine Hall B and the removal of plant and equipment was completed in December 2005 that we were able to inspect the structure. As a foreign investor, it has been somewhat of a revelation to realise that it is not uncommon in Europe for projects of this scale and complexity to take this long to navigate through the planning process.
Naive foreigners have no bloody respect for our mighty and esteemed red tape.
““We are delighted to have reached this milestone and as we move into the next phase of construction, we very much hope that we will have the opportunity to work with the authorities to evaluate how this project could contribute to the Olympic Experience and to provide a legacy for London. We believe that the vision of the masterplan for the regeneration of Battersea Power Station site will be able to provide complementary facilities and amenities to the vision that the Mayor of London has for the 2012 London Olympics.”
Beats housing Balkan mercenaries as it did in that episode of McGuyver with Brian Blessed.
Things will still take a while of course, but now that the first construction contracts for the restoration will be awarded in January we can see how Londoners take to the idea of developing what has been for so long something of a London dinosaur and turning it into The Power Station:
the vision for the development embraces a place of fun and celebration; international meetings and events venue and a new centre for the creative industries. At its heart is the Power Station, a celebrated iconic building and a potent symbol of the energy and vitality that is London. Surrounding the Power Station will be two hotels, over 70,000 square metres of Class A office accommodation, a 2000+ seat auditorium and a 750 unit residential component.
The BPSCG are already less than pleased...
