I go past Battersea power station every day on the way to/from work. It's such an amazing building and I'm always in awe of what it once was.
Today with the blue sky and atmospheric clouds, I thought I'd take a photo and promised myself to find out what plans there were for its future.
Not the most reliable of sources I know, but trusted Wikipedia filled me in with the following:
On 30 November 2006, it was announced that Real Estate Opportunities (REO), led by Irish businessmen Richard Barrett and Johnny Ronan of Treasury Holdings, had purchased Battersea Power Station and the surrounding land for €532 million (£400 million).
Apparently REO want to reuse part of the station building as a power station, fueled bybiomass and waste. The station's existing chimneys would be utilised for venting steam. The former turbine halls would be converted to shopping spaces, and the roofless boiler house used as a park. An energy museum would also be housed inside the former station building. The restoration of the power station building would cost £150 million.
A plastic built "eco-dome" is also to be built to the east of the power station. This building was originally planned to have a large 300 metres (980 ft) chimney, but this has now been abandoned in favour of a series of smaller towers. The eco-dome would house offices, and aim to reduce energy consumption in the buildings by 67% compared to conventional office buildings, by using the towers to draw cool air through the building. 3,200 new homes would also be built on the site to house 7,000 people.
In June 2008 a consultation process was launched, which revealed that 66% of the general public were in favour of the plans. At an event at the station on 23 March 2009, it was announced that REO were to submit the planning application for their proposal to Wandsworth Council. REO hope for construction to begin in 2011, with completion of the project by 2020.
So there you have it.
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