KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 17): Battersea Power Station has submitted a planning application to revise its masterplan for the final 16 acres of the 42-acre Central London riverside site.

According to a press statement on Sept 14, the proposals outline up to 3.2 million sq ft of residential, commercial and leisure space, nearly doubling the scale of development delivered across the location.  

Architecture and urban design firm Studio Egret West refreshed the original masterplan by Rafael Viñoly, which is over 15 years old, to adapt to modern working, living and leisure trends. The updated scheme reflects feedback from public consultations and stakeholder engagement conducted over the summer.  

The revised design divides the remaining phases into clusters of smaller buildings to improve integration with the surrounding neighbourhood. It introduces a network of streets, laneways, courtyards and passages, while opening new sightlines to preserve the Grade II* listed Power Station as the area's visual anchor.  

Landscaping proposals incorporate a "green handshake" across Nine Elms Lane to connect directly to Nine Elms Park, alongside a climate-resilient planting strategy featuring species such as lavender. 

At the heart of the vision is the "Third Generator", a planned venue designed to host arts, music, fashion, food, education, sport and creative industry events. 

Meanwhile, Phase 5A of the project has secured detailed planning permission to construct 200 council homes in partnership with Wandsworth Council, and the remaining phases remain subject to detailed design approvals and reserved matters applications.  

"The submission of our revised masterplan for the remaining 16 acres of Battersea Power Station is a critical step forward in realising the vision for this vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood," said Battersea Project Holding Company chairman Tan Sri Shahril Ridza Ridzuan.

"Projects of this scale and ambition take decades to bring to fruition...and it is our duty as custodians of a major undeveloped part of the city to take account of these adjustments."  

James Saunders, the chief executive officer of Battersea Power Station Development Company, noted that shifts in remote work and digital integration since the Covid-19 pandemic prompted the redesign to focus on community connection.