Wandsworth Council and Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) have announced a new partnership to build 203 homes on an undeveloped plot of land as part of the redevelopment of the 42-acre site.
The Labour-run council previously fiercely criticised the regeneration, which was approved while the authority was still under Tory control, for only agreeing to build 386 affordable homes, or nine per cent, of roughly 4,000 homes overall.
Labour councillors turned down an invitation to attend the opening of the restored Grade II* listed power station in 2022 over their concerns and applied increasing pressure on the developer to deliver more affordable homes.
In a turning point for the regeneration, the council and BPSDC have now confirmed they are working together to build 203 affordable homes in the next stage of the redevelopment. These council homes would come in addition to the level of affordable housing already agreed by the developer, taking this to 15 per cent, if they win planning approval.
More than 2,200 homes have been delivered so far by the regeneration, including the 386 affordable homes at New Mansion Square in partnership with Peabody.
The council homes would be designed for local families and provided at social rent, which the authority described as a major step towards tackling the housing crisis and creating mixed communities in Wandsworth.
They would form part of the authority’s Homes for Wandsworth scheme, which aims to deliver 1,000 new council homes across the borough by 2029.
Labour Council Leader Simon Hogg said: “We’re determined to deliver the genuinely affordable homes that Wandsworth people need, and this strong partnership gives us a real opportunity to do that right at the heart of one of London’s most recognisable landmarks.
“These will be high-quality council homes, let at social rent, for local people who need them most. It’s a key step in our mission to make Wandsworth a fairer borough, where everyone can share the benefits of growth.”
The scheme is coming forward in phase five of the regeneration, which is split into eight phases overall.
It will need planning permission from the council and funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA) to go ahead. A detailed planning application is expected to be submitted early next year.
New cultural attractions and experiences, along with extra homes and workplaces, are planned for future phases of the regeneration.
Sam Cotton, interim CEO of BPSDC, said the developer was delighted to be working with the council and approaching “this next phase with the same ambition and dedication that has guided every step of the journey so far”.
Mr Cotton said: “Restoring Battersea Power Station was about bringing a London landmark back to life and creating a thriving new neighbourhood that provides new jobs, growth and economic opportunities for Wandsworth and beyond.
“But the story is only half told. The next chapters will be significant: shaping a place that brings people and ideas together and builds on Battersea Power Station’s creative spirit with new cultural spaces as well as homes and workplaces.”
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was “extremely proud” to be helping to bring the first new council homes to the site through grant funding.
He said: “I have always been clear that partnership working is vital to accelerate the delivery of more high-quality and sustainable council homes across our city and I’ll continue to work closely with Wandsworth Council, Battersea Power Station, developers, partners and communities to provide the social and affordable homes London desperately need.
“Tackling the housing crisis in London is one of my top priorities and we are doing everything we can to deliver more homes of all tenures.
“I am committed to building on the progress which has already been made in the across the capital, with more new council homes started in London than at any time since the 1970s as we continue to build a better and fairer city for all.”
