The King Of Malaysia Officiates Opening Ceremony Of Battersea Power Station
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah returns to Battersea Power Station to turn the ‘power back on’ to mark the opening of the restored Grade II* listed landmark, ahead of the public launch on Friday 14th October.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah officiated the opening ceremony of the Malaysian-owned Battersea Power Station in Central London, ahead of its public launch on Friday, 14th October 2022. His Majesty was accompanied by The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, along with the Malaysian High Commissioner, H.E. Dato’ Zakri Jaafar to witness the defining moment of this historic redevelopment project in London.
Under the admirable custodianship of its shareholders, Sime Darby Property, S P Setia and the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) since 2012, the Grade II* listed iconic landmark has been expertly restored to its former glory, and the wider area has been transformed into a vibrant community. In 2019, Malaysia’s leading fund management companies Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) and EPF became the long-term commercial asset holders securing the future of the landmark for many generations to come.
On Their Majesties’ visit to Battersea Power Station, they were welcomed by Tun Arifin Zakaria, Group Chairman of Permodalan Nasional Berhad; YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; H.E. Dato’ Zakri Jaafar, High Commissioner of Malaysia to the UK; Dominic Johnson CBE, Minister for Investment, UK; Greg Hands MP, Minister for Trade Policy, UK, and MP for Chelsea and Fulham, as well as the distinguished representatives of the Battersea Power Station shareholders.
As part of Their Majesties’ officiation, The Yang di-Pertuan Agong symbolically turned the power back on in Turbine Hall A, which had lay dormant for over 40 years and will now house part of the Power Station’s retail offering. He then unveiled a plaque commemorating their visit, and the engraving will be a permanent reminder of the strong ties between Malaysia and the United Kingdom.
Almost four decades after its closure, the restored Grade II* listed landmark opens to the public for the first time in history on Friday 14th October. Once a coal fired power station, it is now set to become one of London’s most exciting retail and leisure destinations. The first shops, restaurants and bars will open alongside unique events and leisure spaces, including Lift 109, a glass elevator experience, which transports visitors 109 metres to the top of the building’s northwest chimney, offering spectacular 360-degree views of London.
Electric Boulevard, a new pedestrianised high street, which runs from the south of the Power Station, between Frank Gehry’s Prospect Place and Foster + Partners’ Battersea Roof Gardens to the new Battersea Power Station Zone 1 Underground station, will also open on Friday 14th October 2022. The new high street will be home to a mix of office space, shops, bars and restaurants, a park, and an exciting new 164 room hotel from art’otel®, the brand’s first hotel to open in London.
H.E. Dato’ Zakri Jaafar, High Commissioner of Malaysia to the UK, said:
“The reopening of the Battersea Power Station is a testament of Malaysia’s capability in undertaking major development projects here in the UK. I am confident that we will see more of this endeavour in the future. I congratulate PNB, Sime Darby Property, S P Setia and EPF for all of their efforts in rehabilitating and redeveloping Battersea Power Station. This is an outstanding achievement and represents the close bilateral, and close economic and investment ties between Malaysia and the UK.”
Dato’ Jagan Sabapathy, Chairman of Battersea Project Holding Company (BPHC) and Senior Independent Non-Executive Director of Sime Darby Property, said:
“On behalf of the shareholders, we are honoured to welcome Their Majesties to Battersea Power Station to officiate the opening ceremony of the Grade II* listed building following its restoration. Through the enduring strength of the Malaysian-UK relationship, the extensive experience of the shareholders, and the unrelenting ambition of the Malaysian people to deliver excellence across the globe, we have reached this tremendous milestone to bring this London icon back to life. Not only has a new destination been created from reviving a disused power station but a thriving community has already been established since opening the first phase of the project, Circus West Village, that we are committed to nurturing for years to come.”
Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn, President and Group Chief Executive of PNB, said:
“The Malaysian partners in this project are keenly aware of the special place and meaning that this power station has in the hearts of all Londoners. The preservation of the building’s industrial past, of its heritage and of its history, have been a key factor in how it has been restored.”
Dato’ Azmir Merican, Group Managing Director of Sime Darby Property, said:
“We are extremely proud to witness the completion of Battersea Power Station which is testament to the years of passion and commitment put into redeveloping what was once a derelict building into a flourishing community. We reimagined the project and repurposed its reasons for existence, and now we have before us the exemplary result of the largest redevelopment project in London, which is one of the most successful in the world.”
Datuk Choong Kai Wai, President & CEO of S P Setia, said:
“In 2012, S P Setia, together with Sime Darby Property and Employees’ Provident Fund board formed a consortium which successfully won the bid to redevelop the iconic Battersea Power Station, beating other international bidders. We had a vision to regenerate this site into a vibrant and sustained integrated development that will revivify south-west central London. Today, a decade later, we can proudly say that we have turned this vision into reality. As one of the leading property developers in Malaysia, we are truly proud of this achievement which has benefitted stakeholders and we are thankful for the support and trust given to us to see this through.”
Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Chief Executive Officer of EPF, said:
“The transformation of what was once a coal-fired power station into a holistic residential, retail and leisure destination that is also capable of supplying sustainable energy has marked a very important milestone in London’s property development history. The true benefit of this feat will continue to serve the surrounding community and visitors for years to come. As a long-term institutional investor, we look forward to witnessing Battersea Power Station flourish as a sustainable community and business hub in the next phase of its existence.”
Their Majesties previously visited Battersea Power Station in September 2021 to witness the momentous progress being made on the regeneration project, and to unveil a plaque at Malaysia Square, a public square at the heart of the development.
Since the consortium of Malaysian companies purchased Battersea Power Station in 2012, the site has been transformed into a new ’15-minute’ live, work, play neighbourhood with community at its core. Key milestones include the opening of Circus West Village in 2017, which is now home to over 1,800 residents and welcomes over three million visitors a year to its vibrant mix of restaurants, leisure venues and annual events programme, with highlights including The Light Festival and Summer Showtime, an outdoor cinema experience.
In May 2021, the first residents began moving into the Grade II* listed Power Station and residents have now moved into Gehry Partners’ Prospect Place and Foster + Partner’s Battersea Roof Gardens, bringing two of the world’s most prestigious architects to Battersea Power Station.
In September 2021, the Northern Line Extension opened, the first major extension to the London Underground this century, providing Battersea Power Station with its very own Zone 1 Underground station and putting the neighbourhood within 15 minutes of the West End and the City. Battersea Power Station is also easily accessible on foot, by train, bus, bike and the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers river bus service.
Following extensive and highly skilled conservation work to bring Battersea Power Station back to its former glory and futureproof it for generations to come, the building was also removed from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register in November 2021, and practically completed in July 2022.
Follow @BatterseaPwrStn to keep up with the latest news and events at Battersea Power Station and visit batterseapowerstation.co.uk to find out more.