Wandsworth Council resolves to approve Battersea redevelopment

The scheme covers two hectares of land where four decommissioned gasholders are currently located. National Grid are currently in the process of removing the gasholders; planning permission was received for this demolition in 2013. The site also contains a pressure reduction station; planning permission has now been granted to remove and relocate the station.

The gas holders will be replaced with 12 new blocks ranging from seven – 26 storeys high. These new blocks will provide 839 new homes with a mix of one to three bedroom apartments. Of these, 201 units will be allocated to intermediate affordable housing; these will be split between affordable rental accommodation and sales.

In addition to the residential units the scheme also includes, 725 square metres for retail or café use, 441sqm for a nursery, 4,678sqm allocated to flexible education or office space, 393 sqm gym space, open outdoor play area and community space. The scheme also includes 294 residential car parking spaces and 1,147 resident bicycle spaces with some extra spaces for visitors.

The developers will also be required to make a contribution towards improving the public transport links in the area, including upgrading Battersea Park Station. An estimated £30million CIL contribution towards the infrastructure improvements will also be made, some of which will fund the Northern Line Extension.

The project will create 370 construction jobs during the building period and some permanent jobs once it has completed.

Wandsworth's planning committee chair, Sarah McDermott said: “This project will transform another disused industrial site into the new housing our residents need. It will also create valuable public open space and hundreds of jobs. The proposal comes with well over £30m towards improving community and transport services in Nine Elms which will be absolutely vital to making this new part of the city a success.”

Planning expert Alexis Coleman of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com, said "This is an exciting scheme to be brought forward as St William’s first development, and reflects the benefits of the partnership in marrying the Berkeley Group’s expertise in housing development with National Grid’s property portfolio."

"The scheme is another example of the continued pace of development within the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea opportunity area, which is now moving away from the river, as those developments in Nine Elms are underway or completed, and increasingly towards the Vauxhall and Battersea parts of the opportunity area" said Coleman.