Battersea Power Station

Battersea Power Station – Description

Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal fired power station located next to the River Thames to the southeast of Chelsea Bridge. The power station is the largest brick building in Europe, Grade II* listed, and is noted for its Art Deco interior fittings. A good view can be had from trains serving Victoria Station as the railway lines run very close to the power station. The power station’s iconic shape has been popularised by its appearance in a scene in the Beatles’ 1965 film Help and on the front cover of Pink Floyds 1977 album Animals. Battersea Power Station’s control panels feature on the front cover of Hawkwind’s 1977 album Quark Strangeness and Charm (a recent image of one of the control panels complete with rotary dial telephone can be seen below).

Battersea Power Station – History

In 1925 Parliament decided that the specifications of electricity output by power companies should be standardised. As a result several of the existing small local power companies (which were the norm at the time) got together to form the London Power Company and build a super power station. Construction of Battersea Power Station commenced in 1929 and the first electricity was generated in 1933. The exterior of Battersea Power Station was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (who also designed Bankside Power Station to the east where Tate Modern is now located). The control room was given Art Deco fittings and the turbine hall featured Italian marble. The original power station was completed in 1935.

Battersea Power Station originally had two chimneys. In 1955 in order to meet rising demand for electricity a new power station called Battersea B Power Station was added to the east side of the original power station (now called Battersea A Power Station). Battersea B is a mirror image of Battersea A and the combination of the two results in a well balanced symmetrical building with a chimney in each of the four corners. Due to post-war austerity the interior was not as lavishly finished as Battersea A Power Station.
The power station was decommissioned in 1983.

Battersea Power Station – Redevelopment

Battersea A Power Station was closed in 1975 and as a result of public concerns Battersea Power Station was listed as Grade II in 1980 (upgraded to Grade II* in 2007). Battersea B ceased producing energy in 1983. Subsequent to it’s decommissioning Battersea Power Station was gutted as part of plans to construct a theme park on the site. However this – like later plans for the site: offices shops and a hotel (granted permission 1990); a retail, housing and leisure complex (granted outline permission 1997) – came to nothing, and by 2012 the power station had been empty for nearly 30 years and was on English Heritage’s Buildings at Risk register.

Events took place in a marquee set up in the boiler house which sits within the shell of the building, and the site was to be used as a mustering ground for police during the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Peregrine falcons nest on the site, this is a protected species and a metal gantry was built in the grounds so that the birds could nest in peace while essential maintenance work was carried out on the building to prevent it deteriorating further.

Battersea Power Station – Recent Schemes

Planning permission was obtained in November 2010 by Irish company Real Estate Opportunities for a mixed use development including homes, offices, a hotel and leisure facilities. Implementation of the permission is dependent on full restoration of the power station and a contribution towards the Northern Line extension from Kennington via Nine Elms to connect the site to the underground railway network. However the power station was then in the hands of creditors (state owned banks in the UK and Ireland) and was put on the market again in late February 2012.

A £400 million bid for Battersea Power Station was accepted from two Malaysian firms in June 2012. A representative for the prospective new owners stated that the building would be preserved and that for the interim they were committed to following the approved plan.

The Northern line extension opened on 20 September 2021 with a new Battersea Power Station Underground station, and the restored power station, with shops, restaurants, offices and homes, opened to the public on 14 October 2022.

Battersea Power Station – Website

https://batterseapowerstation.co.uk/

Battersea Power Station – Getting There

Address: Battersea Power Station, 188 Kirtling St SW8 5BP
Nearest Underground Station: Battersea Power Station (Northern line), entrance on Battersea Park Road