John Sisk & Son is close to securing a major £280m contract to deliver the next phase of the Battersea Power Station project in London. The contractor is understood to be the frontrunner for phase 3C, which will comprise the final two buildings designed by Gehry Partners, with the Malaysian-backed development company reportedly nearing agreement.
While the deal has yet to be formally signed, industry sources indicate that Sisk has emerged as the preferred bidder, in what would represent a significant win for the firm in the London residential market. The two buildings will complete the Gehry-designed section of the scheme, recognised for its distinctive undulating façades, and will form the final stretch of Electric Boulevard, the pedestrianised retail and leisure spine at the centre of the wider development.
The project is expected to carry a construction value of between £250m and £280m and will include a substantial basement and podium structure supporting two buildings rising to 15 storeys. Plans outline the delivery of 306 residential units alongside approximately 65,000 sq ft of commercial space, incorporating shops, cafés and restaurants. In addition, the scheme will feature a 15,000 sq ft community hub and a cycle facility with capacity for 600 bicycles.
Sir Robert McAlpine previously acted as construction manager for Prospect Place, the first Gehry-designed building within the development. A start on site for phase 3C is anticipated within the coming months, signalling renewed activity at the scheme following a period of slower progress in London’s residential sector.
Leadership changes are also shaping the next stage of the project. Former Quintain chief executive James Saunders has recently been appointed CEO of the Battersea Power Station development company, where he will oversee delivery of the remaining 16 acres of the 42-acre riverside site. Meanwhile, Studio Egret West is revising the wider masterplan originally developed by Rafael Viñoly, adapting future phases to reflect evolving demand across residential, commercial and leisure uses.
The updated masterplan is expected to unlock up to 3.2 million square feet of additional development across the remaining 40% of the site. Since the acquisition of the derelict power station in 2012 by a Malaysian consortium, approximately £5bn has been invested in the regeneration, delivering more than 2,200 homes, 800,000 sq ft of office space, over 150 retail and leisure units, and the extension of the Northern Line into Battersea.
