Take a look inside a 90-year-old London power station turned into a $9 billion 'urban village' with shops, restaurants, houses, and Apple's new UK campus

Grace DeanNov 16, 2022, 15:18 IST

Grace Dean

London's Battersea Power Station reopened in October, nearly 40 years after it was decommissioned.
The redevelopment – which isn't yet complete – cost around $9 billion.

In October, London unveiled a much-anticipated new urban village that's been described as the UK's most expensive historic redevelopment: Battersea Power Station.

Grace Dean/Insider

The new venue is a major shopping, entertainment, and leisure hub, featuring restaurants, a cinema, a theater, and dozens of shops. The site's redevelopment had been a long time coming, with the power station falling out of use nearly 40 years ago.

Grace Dean

The new venue is a major shopping, entertainment, and leisure hub, featuring restaurants, a cinema, a theater, and dozens of shops. The site's redevelopment had been a long time coming, with the power station falling out of use nearly 40 years ago.

The construction of the power station just south of the Thames started in 1929, though it took around 26 years for both stages of the power station to be complete. At its peak, the coal-fired power plant supplied 20% of London's electricity.

Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

The construction of the power station just south of the Thames started in 1929, though it took around 26 years for both stages of the power station to be complete. At its peak, the coal-fired power plant supplied 20% of London's electricity.

The building, designed by famed architect Giles Scott, became one of London's leading landmarks, easily identified by its four imposing chimneys. The power station even featured on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album "Animals."

30th August 1978: The gothic-style towers of Battersea Power Station

The building, designed by famed architect Giles Scott, became one of London's leading landmarks, easily identified by its four imposing chimneys. The power station even featured on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album "Animals."

The power station closed and stopped generating electricity in 1983. It passed through multiple hands before being purchased by the current shareholders in 2012, and over the decades plans were discussed to turn it into various ventures including a theme park and a football stadium for Chelsea FC.

Ian Tyas/Keystone Features/Getty Images

The power station closed and stopped generating electricity in 1983. It passed through multiple hands before being purchased by the current shareholders in 2012, and over the decades plans were discussed to turn it into various ventures including a theme park and a football stadium for Chelsea FC.

The 42-acre site is gradually reopening in phases as a mixed-use development, with the first part, comprised of accommodation, bars, restaurants, and leisure facilities, including a cinema and theatre, opening in 2017.

Grace Dean/Insider

The 42-acre site is gradually reopening in phases as a mixed-use development, with the first part, comprised of accommodation, bars, restaurants, and leisure facilities, including a cinema and theatre, opening in 2017.

The whole development is even served by a new tube station which opened in late 2021.

Grace Dean/Insider

The second stage, the part actually housed in the former power station, ultimately reopened in October 2022.

Grace Dean/Insider

The flagship building is primarily a shopping, leisure, and entertainment venue. It also features 254 homes, with the first residents moving in in 2021.

Grace Dean/Insider

It is home to stores including Uniqlo, Superdry, Levi, Adidas, Nike, Sweaty Betty, and Lululemon.

Grace Dean

There's a broad mix of stores, though, including also a showroom for electric-vehicle maker Polestar and one for electric-motorcycle maker Maeving. Many of the stores are high-end, including Ralph Lauren, Rolex, and Boss. Gordon Ramsay has a restaurant there, too. There are no budget stores in sight, and the site's biggest grocery retailer is Marks & Spencer, a higher-end choice associated with middle-class shoppers.

Grace Dean/Insider

There's a broad mix of stores, though, including also a showroom for electric-vehicle maker Polestar and one for electric-motorcycle maker Maeving. Many of the stores are high-end, including Ralph Lauren, Rolex, and Boss. Gordon Ramsay has a restaurant there, too. There are no budget stores in sight, and the site's biggest grocery retailer is Marks & Spencer, a higher-end choice associated with middle-class shoppers.

I was surprised by how many of the shops were yet to open, though.

Grace Dean/Insider

There was also a store dedicated to local businesses ...

Grace Dean/Insider

... but compared to the vast size of the site, this area seemed very small.

Grace Dean/Insider

The design of the site honed in on its industrial past.

Grace Dean/Insider

There was a bar called the Control Room ...

Grace Dean/Insider

... and some pieces of old machinery dotted about. This is a circuit breaker dating from around 1955.

Grace Dean/Insider

There was also an exhibition with information about the site's history and redevelopment.

Grace Dean/Insider

In the future, you'll also be able to get a lift to top of one of the chimneys and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Grace Dean/Insider

Overall, the building is light and airy.

Grace Dean/Insider

It seems to seamlessly mix the old and the new.

Grace Dean/Insider

The power station is a Grade II listed building, with Historic England describing it as being "of outstanding interest on architectural grounds as a monumental example of an inter-war utilities building, designed by a leading architect of his day."

Grace Dean/Insider

The power station is a Grade II listed building, with Historic England describing it as being "of outstanding interest on architectural grounds as a monumental example of an inter-war utilities building, designed by a leading architect of his day."

Outside of the flagship power station building, the site is split across different levels.

Grace Dean/Insider

This area is known as Electric Boulevard ...

Grace Dean/Insider

... and features luxury apartments on top of stores including Zara. There's also a parking lot underground.

Grace Dean/Insider

The accommodation doesn't come cheap, though. This two-bed, two-bath apartment which looks down onto the retail stores and courtyard comes in at more than £45,000 a year (more than $50,000). A three-bed, 1,922-square-foot apartment also advertised costs £15,145 ($17,700) a month. The site does also include hundreds of affordable homes, however.

Grace Dean/Insider

The accommodation doesn't come cheap, though. This two-bed, two-bath apartment which looks down onto the retail stores and courtyard comes in at more than £45,000 a year (more than $50,000). A three-bed, 1,922-square-foot apartment also advertised costs £15,145 ($17,700) a month. The site does also include hundreds of affordable homes, however.

People who already own property in the new neighborhood include Sting, Bear Grylls, and Gordon Ramsay, The Evening Standard reported.

Grace Dean/Insider

Apple and 1,400 staff are also moving in next year, with the company locating its new 500,000-square-foot London campus across six floors of the old boiler room.

Grace Dean/Insider

Battersea's developers say that by the time the whole project is completed, the 42-acre site will have around 25,000 people living and working there, and it will be one of London's largest office, retail, leisure, and cultural quarters.

Grace Dean/Insider

Battersea's developers say that by the time the whole project is completed, the 42-acre site will have around 25,000 people living and working there, and it will be one of London's largest office, retail, leisure, and cultural quarters.

Battersea said that more than 250,000 people visited during its opening weekend in mid-October. One bar alone sold more than 7,000 cocktails.

Grace Dean/Insider

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Take a look inside a 90-year-old London power station turned into a $9 billion 'urban village' with shops, restaurants, houses, and Apple's new UK campus

In October, London unveiled a much-anticipated new urban village that's been described as the UK's most expensive historic redevelopment: Battersea Power Station.

The new venue is a major shopping, entertainment, and leisure hub, featuring restaurants, a cinema, a theater, and dozens of shops. The site's redevelopment had been a long time coming, with the power station falling out of use nearly 40 years ago.

The construction of the power station just south of the Thames started in 1929, though it took around 26 years for both stages of the power station to be complete. At its peak, the coal-fired power plant supplied 20% of London's electricity.

The building, designed by famed architect Giles Scott, became one of London's leading landmarks, easily identified by its four imposing chimneys. The power station even featured on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album "Animals."

The power station closed and stopped generating electricity in 1983. It passed through multiple hands before being purchased by the current shareholders in 2012, and over the decades plans were discussed to turn it into various ventures including a theme park and a football stadium for Chelsea FC.

The 42-acre site is gradually reopening in phases as a mixed-use development, with the first part, comprised of accommodation, bars, restaurants, and leisure facilities, including a cinema and theatre, opening in 2017.

The whole development is even served by a new tube station which opened in late 2021.

The second stage, the part actually housed in the former power station, ultimately reopened in October 2022.

The flagship building is primarily a shopping, leisure, and entertainment venue. It also features 254 homes, with the first residents moving in in 2021.

It is home to stores including Uniqlo, Superdry, Levi, Adidas, Nike, Sweaty Betty, and Lululemon.

I was surprised by how many of the shops were yet to open, though.

There was also a store dedicated to local businesses ...

... but compared to the vast size of the site, this area seemed very small.

The design of the site honed in on its industrial past.

There was a bar called the Control Room ...

... and some pieces of old machinery dotted about. This is a circuit breaker dating from around 1955.

There was also an exhibition with information about the site's history and redevelopment.

In the future, you'll also be able to get a lift to top of one of the chimneys and enjoy panoramic views of the city.

Overall, the building is light and airy.

It seems to seamlessly mix the old and the new.

The power station is a Grade II listed building, with Historic England describing it as being "of outstanding interest on architectural grounds as a monumental example of an inter-war utilities building, designed by a leading architect of his day."

Outside of the flagship power station building, the site is split across different levels.

This area is known as Electric Boulevard ...

... and features luxury apartments on top of stores including Zara. There's also a parking lot underground.

People who already own property in the new neighborhood include Sting, Bear Grylls, and Gordon Ramsay, The Evening Standard reported.

Apple and 1,400 staff are also moving in next year, with the company locating its new 500,000-square-foot London campus across six floors of the old boiler room.

Battersea's developers say that by the time the whole project is completed, the 42-acre site will have around 25,000 people living and working there, and it will be one of London's largest office, retail, leisure, and cultural quarters.

Battersea said that more than 250,000 people visited during its opening weekend in mid-October. One bar alone sold more than 7,000 cocktails.