Grand Designs on Battersea, London

A new vision for Battersea Power Station has been launched that will see power being generated at the iconic London landmark for the first time in 25 years. Developers say that renewable sources of fuel will be used trather than coal.

Work on the £4bn development, subject to planning permission from Wandsworth Council, is due to start in 2012 and will also include retail space, offices, housing and a public park. The developers have set an estimated completion date of 2020.

The striking ‘chimney’ will be the largest solar driven natural ventilation system ever conceived and will eliminate the need for air conditioning for the commercial and ground floor retail spaces.

It will become the single largest development site in central London.

Developers claim more than 3,200 new homes and up to 20,000 new jobs will be created. There are also discussions with Transport for London about building an extension of the Northern Line from Kennington into Battersea.