Chronology

 
1926       Site and 1st power station mooted.
1927       Plans approved by Electricity Commissioners.
1929       Construction of steelwork started.
1930       Sir Giles Gilbert Scott brought into the scheme.
1933       Exterior of Battersea 'A' completed.
1939       A survey by Architectural Magazine found Power Station 
           to be 2nd most popular modern building.
1944       Work begins on Battersea 'B'.
1955       Fourth and last chimney added.
1975       Battersea 'A' shut down.
1978       BBC Nationwide programme
1980 Oct.  Given Grade 2 Listed Building status.
           SAVE Pamphlet
           SAVE Planning Application approved Oct 1981.
1983       Battersea 'B' closed down
May        Wandsworth Council prepares and presents planning brief.
Oct.       CEGB launches its competition.
Oct 20:    Exhibition at Arts Centre.
Oct 26:    First meeting of a group concerned with the future of 
           the Power Station.
Oct 31:    Closure of Power Station
Nov 17:    Battersea Power Station Community Group formed.
 
1984
March 19:  First Public Meeting - Battersea County.
April:     Exhibition of competition entrees.  Survey.
June  30:  Winner announced.
Nov   28:  2nd Public Meeting.
Oct:       Bulletin No. 1.
 
1985   
Jan  29:   Meeting with Cooper and developer.
July:      Bulletin No. 2  'Trick or Treat".
July 24:   Public consultation launched. Acrimonious meeting with 
           developers, Power Station group and officers.  Chaired by 
           Peter Pendleton.  New Planning application - Battersea Leisure.
July 29:   Public consultation meeting.  Town Hall.
Sept 19:   2nd Public consultation meeting at Battersea County 
           (over 200 people given thumbs down to plan; meeting publicised 
           and well attended).  
           Bulletin No. 3 on 'traffic'.

Meetings with developers

1984 July: After Press Conference Broome promises regular meetings.
 
1985
Jan. 29:   Meeting with Cooper.  He said:-
           1.  New drawings would be made available by Feb. 11.
           2.  Global entrance changed; lower entry fees and charging 
               for each ride.
           3.  Still maximum of 20 weeks (June) before planning permission.
           4.  Changes in consortium.  Mr Broome in charge.  Roche gone, 
               as well as James Lang Wooten and architects Legge.
           5.  £40-50 million will be needed after application approved.
           6.  Rail-link a real possibility.
 
           CONSULTATION: We were upset that promises of regular consultions 
           at 6 weekly intervals never happened and we had still not seen 
           drawings nor met designers.  Mr Cooper expressed views that 
           consultation time longer than usual and still.
 
Dec. 1:    Meeting at Westminster College with over 300 people.  Speakers: 
           John Broome,and Amercan Michael Jenkins from Dallas (designers).  
           For BPSCG: Brian Barnes and Ernest Rodker.  Chaired by 
           Cllr. Martin Johnson. Meeting voted against Broome scheme.
Dec, 3:    At Technical Services Committee Meeting: Planning Permission 
           granted with conditions.  Costs now estimated at £60 million.
 
1986
 
Jan:       Bulletin No. 4 concentrates on jobs,
March:     Local groups call on DoE minister Baker for Planning Inquiry 
           into site and its development.
April:     In the last few days of April, Government announces its refusal 
           to hold a Public Inquiry.
May 7:     Day before local council elections, Wandsworth Council grants 
           Section 52 permission to John Broome. Includes 30 clauses amongst 
           which is a proposal for a £3-4 million rail link with Victoria: to 
           be called Bullet. 2730 car parking spaces and 10000 sq ft for a 
           community centre.
May 8:     Tory council is returned with a majority of 3.
July:      Local community paper Pavement reports Broome has now hired 
           Saatchi & Saatchi.
Sept:      Broome reported to be having trouble finding money for his scheme; 
           now said to be costing over £90 million.  At the same time BPSCG's 
           plans received approval from both Lambeth's Planning Committee and 
           Wandsworth's Technical Services Committee.
 
1987
 
Feb:       Broome receives CBE.
March:     Battersea Leisure finally buys site for £1.5 million from CEGB.
Nov:       The Bank of Toronto Dominion pulls out backing Broome to the 
           tune of £135 million. Parts of Listed Building demolished without 
           permission.
Dec:       Battersea Leisure signs deal with Security Pacific Bank for about 
           £200 million (?) funding.  Development to start in new Year. 
           Completion of asbestos removal and turbine halls cleared.  
           Imminent  demolition of west wall - it isn't!
 
1988
 
June 6:    Evening Standard produces a double page spread on John Broome 
           titled 'The Man who would be Disney'.  Written by Bryl Downing it 
           is typical pro-Broome media.  A total piece of hype;mis-informed, 
           lazy and sycophantic. None of its predictions happen.
June 8:    Mrs Thatcher comes to the Power Station. to fire the world's 
           largest Laser Gun to reveal 'The Battersea' - Broome's scheme.  
           It is to open on May 21 1990 at 2.30pm precisely. Broome makes 
           his now famous declaration, "Get there at 2.35pm and you will 
           miss it." The firing of the laser gun makes such a noise that it 
           attracts the emergency services who think a bomb has gone off 
           and Thatcher is in danger!!
 
1989       Roof and West Wall removed at the start of 1989.
March 17:  Evening Standard reports:  Work at the Power Station has come 
           to a halt. (Actually stopped in February)  More cash to be raised; 
           no more building work to be done until May.  Only skeleton staff 
           on site.  Difficulties with foundations given as reasons for delay.
May:       Observer announces Broome has made £600 million financial deal with 
           Paul Bloomfield to raise cash for continuing development of Power 
           Station: company to be called Alton International.  Broome 
           declares he has purchased the Zygo-Folis Park in Nice.  Locally, 
           no-one believes the story!
June:      In the name of the Alton group, John Broome announces he has 
           acquired the neighbouring Battersea Wharf site for over £250m.  
           Press carry story locally. No-one believes it! It turns out that 
           both stories are untrue. Spring 1991 is said to be new date for 
           opening - one year late.
Aug:       BPSCG produces and flyposted all over Battersea and Wandsworth 
           showing naked Broome under the legend:  Like the Emperors New 
           Clothes, there's nothing there.
Sept:      Paul Bloomfield puts in for £150m conference centre on site with 
           2,000,000 sq ft of offices. It is rumoured that Broome is not 
           amused.
Oct:       Two months of heavy press attention, most of it highly critical 
           and sceptical about Broome's future.
Nov:       BPSCG complains to local government ombudsman about Wandsworth 
           Council. 
           BPSCG makes and then organises hanging of a banner 35 metres long on 
           West face of the Power Station.  It says 'Save the Power Station'.  
           Gets good press and TV coverage.
Dec:       Deadline for rebuilding of west wall is passed.  Wandsworth Council 
           takes no action.
           Consultants and contractors distance themselves from blaming 
           structural problems for the stoppage of work - point towards 
           the real problem which is shortage of money.
           Rumour that Broome is trying to sell some of the site to finance 
           leisure development.
 
1990
 
Jan:       Wandsworth Council decides not to start a legal action against 
           Broome for failing to meet the costs of processing the planning 
           procedures.Sam Morris and his CIL group responsible for Islington's 
           new Business Design Centre appears on the scene with an application  
           for an exhibition and trade centre. Max Hutchinson, architect and 
           president of RIBA is involved with the project.

Feb 25    BPSCG stages The Battersea Power Station Forum, a Saturday conference on the future of the building

April     Egbert Kossak.  First meeting.

June      Egbert Kossak.  Second meeting.

April    BPSCG web site launched at www.batterseapowerstation.com

April 26  BPSCG web site www.batterseapowerstation.com suspended by Netlink Ltd, following receipt of a solicitor's letter.

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