Plans for £275m US Embassy approved

12:45 17 Sep 2009 By Grant Prior

Wandsworth Council has granted outline planning permission for the construction of a new £275m US Embassy at Nine Elms.

The site covers five acres on the south side of Nine Elms Lane and straddles the existing Ponton Road which will be repositioned. It is the first major scheme to come forward in the Nine Elms opportunity area.

The detailed design of the building will be settled following a competition involving four US-based architectural practices.

The embassy will be in the centre of the site and set back 30 metres from its boundaries. The building’s height has still to be determined but will be in the region of 15 to 20 storeys. The final design will have to preserve existing views of the Palace of Westminster.

The outline permission is subject to detailed negotiations on contributions to the cost of local and strategic transport improvements. This would include funding towards Crossrail or the council’s preferred alternative of a Northern Line extension from Kennington. This could include a station at Wandsworth Road.

Other improvements include a new pedestrian and cycle link between Wandsworth Road and Nine Elms Lane, improvements to the riverside walk and a new ‘park’ which could take the form of a green chain running through the site from Vauxhall to other new developments in the area.

The full schedule of improvements will also have to be approved by Transport for London and the Mayor of London.

The Embassy will employ 800 people and offer jobs for local people. It is the first of a series of major developments now expected to come forward that will change the face of the mainly industrial area of Nine Elms.

Planning applications chairman Leslie McDonnell said: "This is an outline consent which sets out the broad terms on which the development can proceed. It is very much the first hurdle. There is a lot of detail still to be resolved. Most of this will become clear once the winning design has been chosen. This will then require a series of detailed approvals from the council.

“At this stage we will be looking closely at the building’s appearance from Nine Elms Lane, the effect on important local views from Albert Bridge and Chelsea Bridge and the impact on Battersea Power Station.

"We are delighted that this scheme is moving forward. It promises to kick start the wider regeneration of this part of north Battersea and encourage further development on other sites in the area."

The wider Nine Elms area comprises around 450 acres of land on the Thames riverside and is the biggest regeneration opportunity in central London. The council has identified the potential for thousands of new homes and jobs in the area which stretches from Vauxhall Bridge to Battersea Park.