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Protests put paid to chimney at Battersea
Danny Brierley26.02.09
Plans to build a giant glass chimney B rising out of an "eco-dome" at Battersea power station have been scrapped.
The chimney would have been one of the tallest structures in London, twice the height of the Gherkin building in the City, and contained a wind turbine.
However, residents, public bodies and the Mayor all objected to the proposal - the central showpiece for the £4billion redevelopment of Giles Gilbert Scott's Grade II-listed building which has been out of action since 1982.
The developer, Treasury Holdings, and architect, Uruguayan-born Rafael Viñoly, have been forced to go back to the drawing board. It is thought the height of the tower will be reduced to bring it in line with those in Westminster and the dome will be replaced with a series of canopies.
Admirers of the 1933 building have complained about how long the redevelopment has taken, fearing delays could eventually lead to its crumbling into disrepair.
Reader views (23)
Every few years someone comes along with a plan to "transform" this old relic. It is probably now too late to save it. Remove it and plant trees.
- Neil M., london uk,
As Battersea Power Station crumbles all we have is monument to a conservation lobby who just make London look like a run down city. The same is now happening in Farringdon Street where buildings at Harts Corner have already been through a regeneraton and failed and now lay derilick as plans to redevlop the site have been rejected.
There is little point in complaining about building on green belt if city centres have large areas preserved in aspick with no pratical use for the old buildings.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
Knock it down. It is London's ugliest building next to the chimney still standing on what is now Tate Modern.
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Battersea Power Station is one of our greatest monuments to the 20th Century economic history of London - it is magnificent and deserves an exciting new future as part of the development of this huge derelict area. It will take a similar imagination demonstrated in the re-use of the same architect's Bankside Power Station now the Tate Modern. I wish the developers and their architects every good fortune in coming up with a new plan that respects this landmark and breathes new life into Battersea.
- Thomas, London
What makes Battersea power station iconic is its scale and simplicity. Any complimentary construction should accentuate these features, not overshadow them.
- Glenn, New York, USA
Come on Steven, the Shard is getting built, your precious Boris can do NOTHING about that. So what would you suggest then? nothing around the powerstation? so what will the powerstation become then? any idea's? I think the old scheme by parkview was much better and should be reinstated, this new scheme is led by greed and not by architecture or purpose.
- Christian, london
Pull the bloody thing down. I'm sick to death of seeing photographs of it, taken by amateurs, in photographic magazines.
- Roger Slade, Winchester, Hampshire, England
Flatten it, and build a new 'village' with a mixture of low and medium cost housing, with a sports facility, cinema, youth club, playground etc.
- Sarahn, London, UK
I recently gave an Albanian politician a mini guided tour of London. As we drove down the embankment he pointed to Battersea Power Station and wanted to know what it was. Words almost failed me, just how can you explain what it is doing there and is now just a ruin. We went on to St.Pauls then over the footbridge to Tate Modern in Bankside Power station. Inside there was an "art" installation of hundreds of red, yellow and blue iron bedsteads. At that point words really did fail me.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, England
London's lost all it's character and with it, it's identity.
- Steve, London
Time to put it out of its misery and flatten it.
- Mike, Dubai, UAE
Nicely said Les Ferris! I don't know who said The Shard is ugly...but that person's vision is very distorted! TheShard Tower is an Epic structure of glass, and a beautifull representation of the future!!!
Embrace this, as it IS happening...
- D. Underwood, Sutton, England
Most people don't get it: All of what has been proposed for this side was scrapped. nothing is good enough. This is a listed building. I guess there is no money left to restore it. So what is the solution: Let it rott and decay, it will crumble down and then suddenly devevlopement will be starting. mark my words.
- Kai, London
"This is excellent news and the ugly Shard should be next. Well done Boris for stopping this. Thank god we no longer have Ken."
The Shard is starting construction as we speak mate. It's going to rise nice and tall over London, and be a beacon of the 21st century. No number of NIMBYs can stop it now.
And in regards to Boris, this the first tower he's objected to. A lot of people voted for him because he manipulated them into believing he was anti skyscraper. He's proven he well and truly isn't. And I think that is absolutely hilarious.
- Les Ferris, Portsmouth
What a farce. 27 years have gone by since it was decommissioned and still no progress. 27 years! Mind you, this is private enterprise failing for once, not government, which makes a change.
- Trevor, London
The power station ( or what remains of it) is an eyesore and a monumental waste of a site. It is 4 chmneys 3.5 walls and no roof. It should be brought back into use without delay. Affordable housing and community uses would be a good start. Boris should CPO it in 12 months if a start has not been made on site by then
- Tony, London
I visited it when it was open to the public 2-3 years ago. It is an awe-inspiring building. It's a shame that it is in a sad state, but it must be preserved. It's like a cathedral inside, and in fact the only sound inside was that of cameras clicking. Everybody was awe-struck, and it was in fact quieter than in a church that day.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
Please lets get this project rolling, with the planned American Embassy moving in across the road, what a great opportunity to create more badly needed jobs for British builders and of course to enliven the very badly run down area that the station stands on. Keep the Battersea towers they are a part of real london but JUST GET ON AND DO IT !!!!
- Paula Willis, Resident Nine Elms
God bless Ken! He would probably have it done way quicker than Boris.
- Stephen, London
The powerstation should be pulled down and affordable housing ,swimming pool,community centre , health centre etc be built.It is a disgrace that so many property deloppers have been able to pass it on making profits( and some losses too)all these years without doing anything. The building may be iconic but is also ugly.
- Paul, London UK
The power station is an iconic building, but when are they going to do the thing up and turn it into something functional?
- Triffidqueen, Desk in London
The Power Station needs space to impress, it is already detracted from by the horrible modern flats built around it and with more boxing in it will be ruined.
- Stephen, London
This is excellent news and the ugly Shard should be next. Well done Boris for stopping this. Thank god we no longer have Ken.
- Stephen, London
