07 August 2009

Battersea Power Station refit plans submitted to council


Battersea Power Station refit plans submitted to council

The planning application for the £4bn redevelopment of Battersea Power Station has been informally submitted to Wandsworth Council, with hopes rising that the latest proposals could be given the green light by authorities.

The project has so far been dogged by political opposition, with the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, rejecting previous plans that included a glass eco-tower that was 1,000 ft tall and potentially the highest building in London.

The present site owners, Real Estate Opportunities, are the third since the power station was decommissioned in 1983. There are fears that the building's structure cannot survive if another proposal is rejected.

However, the new design, unveiled in June, does not include any building visible from behind the Palace of Westminster, as requested, and is believed to have won positive signals from the authorities.

Treasury Holdings, the project manager, is planning to restore the Grade II listed structure and convert its interior into 650,000 sq ft of offices, an event space, and a 2,000-seat conference centre with apartments on the roof.

Outside will be curving blocks of office, retail, residential and hotel space, as well as a hospital. The Northern Line would also be extended from Kennington to the site, which would cost around £450m.

Treasury is believed to have submitted plans on an informal basis on Friday. Overall, the plans form the biggest planning submission made in London apart from the Olympics.

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