Construction site around Battersea Power Station, in Battersea, London. Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
The restoration of the Battersea Power Station, one of the most popular landmarks on the London skyline, will begin in October, its owners said today.
The Art Deco 1930s power station and its instantly recognisable concrete chimneys are to be regenerated to form the centre of an £8 billion redevelopment of the 39-acre site on the south bank of the River Thames.
The restoration programme, which will commence 30 years after the power was turned off, will begin with an initial £100 million package of repair works.
Emerald the puppy with her new family Credit: Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
A family from Sittingbourne in Kent have given a new home to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home's 1000th dog of 2013.
The nine-week-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier pup named Emerald arrived at the home along with six of his litter as his owner could no longer care for them.
Emerald the puppy was at the dog's home for just eight days before the Seymour family adopted him.
Father of two, Daniel Seymour said: “Mywife and I have both owned dogs before, but Emerald is our firstfamily dog. He is absolutely gorgeous and we feel so lucky to havehim.
Lord Archer told Nina Hossain that Baroness Thatcher was like "the devil" to work for. But his account of how the Conservatives came to win Battersea in the 1987 general election gives an insight into her tenacious character.
When the sun finally decided to appear today, it was a relief to workers at London attractions like Battersea Park Zoo, who have struggled with unusually low numbers of Easter visitors. Families have stayed away due to the cold, but organisers hope that improving weather will help numbers pick up.
The council described the mess left by protesters as 'squalid' and 'disgusting' Credit: Wandsworth Council
Wandsworth Council has sent these photos of the mess left by squatters at the Battersea Park Adventure Playground.
The protest group was occupying the playground to try to stop workmen moving in to knock it down, which they began to do today.
Wandsworth Council: “They claimed they were occupying the playground for some high moral cause" Credit: Wandsworth Council
In a statement, the council said
"The squatters have vandalised furniture and ransacked the single storey play building within the playground site. A sofa has been spray painted with obscene anti-police messages, while filing cabinets have been emptied and furniture and other fixtures left damaged
Protesters are angry that staff at the adventure playground have been made redundant, and new, less adventurous equipment is being installed Credit: Wandsworth Council
Mess and dirt has been spread over floors. The clean-up operation is an extra burden for local taxpayers who have already been landed with a £30,000 bill as a result of the squatters’ unlawful occupation of the playground."
Workmen took chainsaws to the slide and diggers broke up climbing frames at Battersea Park playground Credit: Nick Thatcher / ITV London
Workmen have begun dismantling Battersea Park Adventure Playground. The site was closed by Wandsworth council last October despite local opposition. The council now plans to install £200,000 worth of new play equipment which will not require staff supervision.
Workmen move in after protesters, who have been occupying the playground, were evicted. Credit: Nick Thatcher / ITV London
Council to take legal action over playground protesters
Wandsworth Council will go to court in a bid to evict a group of protesters from Battersea Park adventure playground.
Campaigners from Occupy London and Wandsworth Against Cuts have been occupying the playground for more than a week in a bid to save it from demolition. It's the second time the demolition has been delayed.
The Mayor's office says that the Northern Line extension will reduce pressure on Vauxhall station and existing Northern Line services, in addition to boosting the area's economy.
It is expected that work on the line could begin by 2015, with services in operation by 2020.
