The Royal College of Art has submitted plans for a new £108 million building in Battersea.

A planning application was submitted to Wandsworth Council this week (November 2) for the new building which will be located at the campus off Battersea Bridge Road.

Dr Paul Thompson, vice-chancellor of the Royal College of Art, said: ‘The RCA is committed to nurturing the next generation of creative entrepreneurs.

"Our new centre in Battersea will embody this vision, helping us to deliver transformational experiences for our students and ensuring that the UK continues to lead the world in art and design.

"Together with our neighbouring business, educational and cultural partners within the borough we will create a range of opportunities for our local community to get real benefit from what we can offer as a centre for postgraduate research and teaching in art and design."

The RCA has consulted its neighbours on the proposals holding two public exhibitions and is committed to continuing dialogue with local residents and groups as the plans progress.

However, not all residents are happy with the proposals and some have concerns about the Parkgate Road building being 'too dark', particularly at night.

Barbara Gorna, co-chair of Battersea Artists Quarter, which was established to voice residents' concerns to the RCA about the building, said: "We are working with the RCA to make the new building more accessible to local residents.

"They have expressed their concerns that the building on Parkgate Road is dark and forbidding particularly at night, and amendments should be made where possible to increase lighting at street level and include retail space for the local community.

"The proposed colour of the brick is very dark and hopes were expressed that this could be looked at and lightened.

The Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron submitted the plans after winning a competition in late 2016 to design the building.

Subject to planning permission, it would be designed in two parts, each with its own function.

One part, The Studio Building, would be made up of several horizontal layers and a continuous strip window to ‘maximise sunlight’ and help provide shade on the upper floors. Its ground floor would have large picture windows to allow passers-by to see inside, and in some places the brickwork would be an ‘open perforated pattern’ to provide natural ventilation.

The other part, The Research Building, would have two separate aspects, with the lower floors made of brickwork to integrate with The Studio Building visually and the upper floors are formed of solar shades.

The new building would join the university’s Dyson, Woo and Sackler buildings, and would include a new café and art materials shop with routes through the site which would all be publicly accessible.