From Nurul Hanis Izmir
LONDON, Oct 13 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has officiated the opening ceremony of the Malaysian-owned Battersea Power Station in Central London, ahead of its public launch this Friday.
His Majesty was accompanied by Queen Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
Also present at the event were Malaysian Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, UK Minister for Investment, Dominic Johnson, UK Minister for Trade Policy, Greg Hands.
The King officiated the opening of the Battersea Power Station by symbolically turning the power back on in Turbine Hall A — which had laid dormant for over 40 years and will now house part of the Power Station’s retail offering.
He then unveiled a plaque commemorating the visit — 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 on Friday, Oct 14.
Once a coal-fired power station, it is now set to become one of London’s most exciting retail and leisure destinations.
Under the 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 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 Bhd (PNB) and EPF became long-term commercial asset holders securing the future of the landmark for many generations to come.
Malaysian High Commissioner to the UK Zakri Jaafar 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, economic and investment ties between Malaysia and the UK,” he said.
Chairman of Battersea Project Holding Company (BPHC) and senior independent non-executive director of Sime Darby Property, Jagan Sabapathy said through the enduring strength of the Malaysia-UK relationship and the extensive experience of the shareholders, the consortium has revitalised the London icon.
“Not only has a new destination been created from reviving a disused power station, but a thriving community has already been established since the opening of the first phase of the project, Circus West Village,” he said.
In a press conference with Malaysian media, Jagan said BPHC expects to achieve full completion of its £9 billion gross development value (£1=RM5.20) Battersea Power Station by 2033, creating a new cultural destination for locals and visitors from around the world.
He said the project, which is developed in seven key phases, has reached 60 per cent completion with £5 billion out of the total gross development value realised.
The project, he said, is a creation of a mixed-use destination offering a community of homes, shops, restaurants, offices, culture and leisure venues, as well as 7.689 hectares of public space all linked by an extension to the London Underground Northern line.
“About three-and-a-half to four phases of the project are currently operating and with the heavy lifting done, it is expected to take roughly another 10 more years to be fully completed,” he said.
— NNN-BERNAMA
