Battersea power station, London

As a child, I clearly remember Battersea power station being a prominent landmark. The large building with the four tall chimneys was visible from afar as it was the tallest building and surrounded by empty land, the railway line and the river.

This is taken from the Battersea power station website :
"Battersea Power Station is one of London’s most iconic landmarks and an unforgettable presence on the capital’s skyline. The building is a twentieth-century feat of architecture and engineering and a favourite icon of popular culture – it featured in the 2012 Olympic closing ceremony and was visited by over 38,000 people as part of London’s recent Open House weekend.

Battersea Power Station was first Watch listed by World Monuments Fund in 2004. Ten years on, it is still a building at risk. No substantive repair works have been carried out since 1983, and in 2007 the power station was upgraded to Grade II* status on account of its powerful architectural and historic significance and the degree of loss the building has suffered.

WMF will keep the spotlight on current redevelopment plans for the power station site and the impact existing proposals will have on the future of this heritage asset. The rebuilding of Battersea’s iconic chimneys has been the focus of much media attention. With demolition and subsequent reconstruction plans scheduled to start on the chimneys in 2014, WMF’s renewed focus on the site supports the campaign to ensure that these icons are rebuilt and the famous South London skyline is reinstated as soon as possible."

So it was interesting to learn that the power station was bought by Sime Derby in 2012. Sime Derby is one of the largest companies in Malaysia and is heavily involved with plantations, mainly oil palm. Due to this they have received lots of negative news about destruction of the rain forest and carrying out illegal logging in the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia, endangering protected species such as the orangutan.

According to Wikipedia, the station is the fourth largest brick building in Europe and is notable for its original, lavish Art Deco interior fittings and decor.

I knew the place was being developed for luxury housing as well as shops and offices and that Sime Derby had an obligation to preserve the station's Grade II listed four iconic chimneys and wash towers.

So when I was in London I went to have a look. I approached from Chelsea Bridge Road that runs alongside Battersea Park, as that is the view I remember most clearly from my childhood. I was shocked to find there was no view of the power station, as it was obscured by large buildings of luxury apartments. 

So I walked over the bridge to the north side and then walked along the Embankment until I could get a view. Unfortunately the sun was right behind the power station which wasn't good for taking photos. 

There is certainly an abundance of cranes

Ironically Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is located next to the power station. This the UK's oldest and most famous animal rescue centre. 

Some Google Earth images of Battersea power station over the years -

1999

2002

 Note the new apartments to the left of the railway line by 2010 -

2010

2015

 In the London Evening Standard on 3 Feb there was an article on how there could be a crash of property prices in Battersea and there was a wonderful cartoon

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2021 UPDATE

Battersea Power Station finally off Historic England at-risk list

4 Nov 2021

Battersea Power Station has been removed from this year’s Heritage at Risk Register after three decades on the list. The iconic Art Deco building, which dates back to 1929, once supplied a fifth of the capital's electricity but was decommissioned in 1983 and stood vacant for 30 years.  

Read rest of the article on the ITV page

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© Liz Price 

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