Planning chiefs are hoping to end 27 years of uncertainty by giving the go-ahead to the £4bn redevelopment of Battersea Power Station.

At present, all indicators point towards Wandsworth Council’s planning applications committee approving various plans, which would see the site become home to accommodation and business, cultural and conference facilities.

The applications include the demolition of other buildings and development of the land surrounding the 81-year-old station to ensure space for retail, restaurants, bars and cafes, community and cultural space and some of the 3,700 proposed homes.

Labour group leader, Councillor Tony Belton, pledged to argue for a deferral of the decision - but admitted there was no chance of blocking Conservative councillors from giving Real Estate Opportunities’ (REO) applications the thumbs up.

He said: “It will be impossible to consider this in the timescale concerned.

“I think the council should have said: ‘Look this is so big we need a three-day public hearing to consider this properly’.”

The committee agreed to meet at 7pm on Thursday - half an hour earlier than usual - to consider the 312-page report by planning officers, which covers four separate applications for the site.

It also includes details about a possible £663m Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station - £203m would come from REO under the current proposals - which is deemed to be crucial to the redevelopment of Nine Elms.

Coun Belton added he did not believe either the Government or Boris Johnson would do anything to halt the existing plan for the station, which closed in 1983.

Meanwhile, Brian Barnes, chair of Battersea Power Station Community Group, this week reiterated his objection to the scheme for the station.

He said: “If it were ever built, the power station would be obscured by massive blocks of luxury flats and hotels.

“The station will be altered with changes that will spoil the Grade II*-listed building, with windows in the side walls, the 1950s control room dismantled, new false ceilings in the main turbine hall, pods for penthouses covering the roofs and chimneys demolished and replaced by replicas.

“Out of 3,700 flats only about 500 are to be part buy/part let - so called affordable. The grade 2 Battersea water pumping station will be destroyed completely.”

Both Wandsworth Council and REO declined to comment ahead of any formal decision.

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