KUALA LUMPUR: Battersea Power Station, the iconic former coal-fired power station in central London, which opened in October 2022, has been named one of the 20 "Best Cultural Spots" around the globe for exciting, meaningful, and one-of-a-kind travel experiences in National Geographic's BEST OF THE WORLD 2024 series.
The only UK destination to feature on the culture list, the £9 billion power station, has been restored and transformed into a mixed-use destination by a consortium of companies comprising Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), Sime Darby Property, S P Setia Bhd, and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
The development will see more food, beverage, leisure, and retail brands opening in the riverfront neighbourhood this year.
The office offering will grow even more with the opening of 50 Electric Boulevard, a brand-new, Foster + Partners-designed, 200,000-square-foot office building, and the completion of Koa at Electric Boulevard, a new apartment complex with 204 units.
Upon completion, the 42-acre riverfront neighbourhood will include about 4,000 new residences, 3.5 million square feet of mixed commercial space, 19 acres of public space, and 20,000 jobs.
"In restoring Battersea Power Station, our hope was always to create a world-class destination that brought this iconic landmark into public use for the first time in history, to be enjoyed by the local community, Londoners, and visitors from around the globe," said Tan Sri Jagan Sabapathy, chairman of Battersea Project Holding Company.
Nearly 40 years after it was decommissioned, Battersea recorded over 11.2 million visitors in 2023.
One of the highlights is Lift 109, the Power Station's unique chimney lift experience, which ascended the building's north-west chimney 21,500 times in 2023, offering visitors a spectacular 360-degree view of the London skyline.
The Grade II* listed Power Station is also home to 565,000 sq ft of office space, including Apple's new 500,000 sq ft UK headquarters and 254 apartments.
Sabapathy said in a statement that the recognition by National Geographic on their 'Best of the World' list is a source of enormous pride for the shareholders and all who have been involved in delivering this special project.
"We look forward to welcoming millions more visitors to Battersea Power Station in 2024 and beyond, as the neighbourhood continues to grow with new experiences, store openings, and events for all to look forward to," he said.