BATTERSEA POWER STATION, LONDON SW11

Battersea Power Station, one of London’s iconic landmarks, is currently undergoing a £9bn regeneration and is transforming into the largest mixed-use development schemes in central London. Located on the south banks of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, the development covers 42 acres of former industrial brownfield site and extends from Chelsea Bridge to Vauxhall Bridge. The regeneration zone of Vauxhall/Nine Elms/Battersea comprises more than 40 individual developments, to create a community of over 20,000 new homes, shops, bars, restaurants, cafes, offices and over 19 acres of public space including a six-acre park. Furthermore, these new neighbourhoods and business quarters will be serviced by London Underground’s Northern Line zone 1 extension with the new Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station stations. 

Approved in 2011, the Battersea Power Station masterplan was developed by internationally renowned architectural firm Rafael Vinoly, which also designed the landmark building “Walkie Talkie” (22 Fenchurch Street) in the City. Divided into eight phases, the first three phases of the redevelopment are well underway.

The centrepiece of this new riverside district is the iconic Power station building, a Grade II* listed Art Deco masterpiece designed in brick-cathedral style by the prominent 20th century architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Built in two stages, Battersea A was completed in 1933, and Battersea B started producing energy from 1955. After being in operation from the 1930s – 1980s, the Power station  was decommissioned in 1983.

Phase 1: Circus West Village

Completed in 2017, Circus West Village occupies the western side of the development, between Chelsea Bridge and the Power Station, has over 750 new homes and delivered a new pedestrian riverside connection with Battersea Park. Central to this development is a 7-storey high and 327-metre-long glass clad building. The building has a private garden at podium level, a 15,000sq ft gym, an indoor swimming pool and a health spa. Residents have access to a 5,000sq ft private club with bar, dining space, library, and a cinema. This new neighbourhood has over 20 bars, restaurants, shops, leisure, and entertainment venues and is already providing a well-established, year-round calendar of events.

Phase 2: Battersea Power Station

First residents moved into the Phase 2 Power Station heritage building in May 2021, following the completion of Switch House West. Once home to the power station’s main switch gear, laboratory, battery and assembly rooms, Switch House West restoration utilities the existing historic structure of the power station, while adding three new glazed floors to the top, accommodating single and dual-aspect three-bedroom duplexes with private terraces.

The next residential sections to complete are Boiler House and Switch House East. Apple’s London Campus is expected to take residency in their 500,000sq ft office space shortly, followed by many retail outfits. The Power Station is set to deliver around 250 very high-end, exclusive new homes, and will also become central London’s third largest shopping destination and 2,000-person events centre.

The restored Power Station has been designed by architectural practice, Wilkinson Eyre, with Purcell as conservation architects. They say that: “The Restoration works (worth over £750m) began in late 2013 and over 1.75 million bricks, sourced from the original suppliers Northcot Brick and Blockleys, are being used to restore the Power Station. The iconic chimneys were also rebuilt between 2014-2017 using the original construction methods.” A custom-built glass elevator reaching 109m high summit and serving as 360 degrees viewing gallery platform has been designed to fit in one of four chimneys.

Phase 3: Battersea Roof Gardens and Prospect Place

Phase 3 will see the construction of The Electric Boulevard, the development’s pedestrianized high street. The Boulevard will link Power Station building with the new Northern Line Underground station. Battersea Roof Gardens by Foster + Partners, and the Frank Gehry designed Prospect Place complex are due to complete during this phase

Battersea Roof Gardens comprises residential (436 new homes), hotel and commercial space. The top of the entire building will become one of the largest roof gardens in London – designed by James Corner, the visionary landscape designer behind New York City’s High Line Park.

Prospect Place, the first London residential building by Frank Gehry, comprises five bright, distinctive shapes with sinuous reflective facades, will provide  over 300 new homes. This stunning complex is set at the primary entry to the development, a short distance from the Battersea Power Station Underground Station Its protruding and receding volumes of winter gardens and terraces are arranged in such a way to “evoke the flowing sails of ships.” Prospect Place apartments are completing in Spring 2022.

Battersea Power Station Sustainability

Since the launch of Battersea Power Station in 2013, long term sustainability or economic, social, and environmental benefits “ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come” has been promoted by all involved.

Rafael Vinoly Architects, the masterplan team, stated at the time that “The site will be one of the largest low-carbon developments in Europe, with London’s largest combined Cooling, Heating and Power (CCHP) system on site linking to a series of smaller plants that feed into the surrounding residential buildings. The restored Power Station building will become Europe’s largest zero-carbon building.” Following on that objective, in 2018, Battersea Power Station decided to source all its electricity from the renewable energy sources.

Construction and design

From its inception, the Battersea Power Station development team has been pursuing the most sustainable design and responsible construction practices. Circular economy principles of reuse, reduce and recycle have been applied consistently by various construction teams working across the development, and with particular focus on the old Power Station building. The net zero carbon achievements during the construction phase have been truly impressive: 99% of waste has been diverted from landfill.  “If built today, the reused primary structural elements of the Power Station itself, including the concrete substructure, piles and superstructure of steel frame and concrete slabs would equate to a carbon footprint of around 36,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. states the Battersea Power Station 2021 positive energy report. The design principles applied across all the buildings in the development ensured that all dwellings benefit form views and achieve maximum natural daylight exposure. The enclosures of open spaces (balconies and terraces) have been dominant in order to offer passive, as well as user-controlled building cooling options.

Biodiversity

To support the biodiversity net gain across the lifetime of the project, environmental plans cover over 18-acres of new open urban space plus the 6-acre Power Station Park. Currently, the development is home to a variety of bird species, the most popular being Peregrine Falcons. The public realm is in hands of Battersea Power Station’s landscape experts, LDA Design. The design philosophy behind the active greening includes the concept of biophilia – the passionate love of life and of all that is alive. The diverse plant mix of 50 species of grasses, perennials, and bulbs have been chosen to match the varying microclimates around the development, and to adapt to future climate changes. 

Accessibility

Accessibility to the site, making the location open, vibrant and inviting to residents and visitors on foot, is achieved by creating three primary streets that unlock the access to the site from the new Underground Station to the south to Battersea Power Station Pier, as well as from the river park to the north.

More than 904 electric car charging parking bays (29% of total) will be available across the completed development. 10,000 bike parking spaces are available across the operational estate.

Local economy and community

In terms of local economy and community, the development has contributed £300million towards the construction of the Northern Line extension, has generated £6.11billion in additional taxes to the UK government and £43million of local expenditure in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The regeneration is estimated to create 20,000 jobs.  Currently, 32% of people working in Circus West Village live locally either in Wandsworth or Lambeth.

When it comes to the local community, the development supports local schools via Power to Connect, which recently provided 1,416 refurbished laptops. It is funding the BPS Community Choir and BPS Foundation, which supports local communities.

The transformation taken place at Battersea Power Station has already been a catalyst for the regeneration of the wider Vauxhall /Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area.

Local area and Transport

Located on the south bank of the River Thames, Battersea Power Station SW11 is an up-and-coming riverside district. Across the river to the north are Chelsea and Pimlico. Over the National Rail main line to the west are the open green spaces of Battersea Park. To the east of the development are the well-established Nine Elms’ neighbourhoods, Riverlight and Embassy Gardens.

Most of the current amenities at Battersea Power Station (shops, restaurants, fitness, and leisure facilities) are located within the Phase 1, at Circus Village West.

The development has already delivered significant infrastructure and transport projects in travel zone 1, such as the two Northern Line extension stations – Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms , a riverboat pier, as well as the pedestrian and cycle user upgrades to Nine Elms Lane highway.

Battersea Power Station Pier can be accessed via the new section of the pedestrian and cycle path on the Thames River walk. There are approx. 10,000 cycle parking spaces for residents, employees, and visitors across the development. Once completed, the development will provide more than 904 electric car charging parking bays, .

London Underground:

The 3.2km Northern Line extension opened 20 September 2021 with two new London Underground stations servicing the area: Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms.

London buses run along Battersea Park Road to Vauxhall and Clapham Junction, and along Chelsea Bridge to Chelsea and South Kensington.

River Bus from Battersea Power Station Pier connects the district to 23 London riverside destinations, from Putney to Woolwich.

Apartments

From contemporary apartments at Circus Village West to luxury Battersea Power Station penthouses, all properties in the development are energy efficient with comfort cooling and underfloor heating.

London’s Battersea Power Station Phase Two restoration project that brought back to life The landmark Grade II-listed building, is the winner of the prestigious 2024 RIBA London Award and 2024 RIBA London Conservation Award. 

To register your interest in Battersea Power Station apartments email:

elephantandcastlelettings@chaseevans.co.uk

or call : +44 (0)20 3869 2888

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