Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea. It's starting to happen...

Here at The Pint of Mlik Test, we've written extensively on the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area. In short it will be 16,000 new homes and 25,000 new jobs across 195 hectares; an extension to the Northern line and a linear park (inspired by New York's high line) running from Vauxhall to a redeveloped Battersea Power Station. See here, here and here.

With that in mind, I went along to an excellent and informative NLA on location event last week in order to find out how the project is progressing. The 'Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea - Development update' was kicked off by Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Planning at the GLA) and had a number of speakers from developers, local authorities, architects as well as TfL (for the all important infrastructure news).

The big overriding story to come through from the day was that from the borough perspectives most of the work is done. This is in the sense that planning policy is in place, most of the sites with development potential have come forward and are in the most, consented. Along with that another key point made by most speakers was the collaborative effort being made. With 13 different landowners this is obviously imperative. Edward Lister stated a "true partnership/cooperation model has been created" which will be replicated across the capital and so therefore is vitally important for replication.

Most agree that the potential benefit of this area is huge. However the realisation of the whole masterplan is somewhat dependant on the Northern Line Extension. Alex Williams from TfL confirmed that the next round of consultation starts today in fact, where 40,000 households will be consulted, with much more detail than previously. An application for the NLE is expected to be submitted early next year after it goes to the respective borough cabinets in January.

The total infrastructure cost across the VNEB area equals £1.059bn, 70% of which is the NLE. This will come in two main sources, the combined S106/CIL revenue as well as the new EZ status, which is supported in principle by government and needs to be agreed by April 2013. The total amount of S106 revenue confirmed thus far is £381,053,763 which will of course come through in stages. Meeting the infrastructure needs is the main challenge for the VNEB Partnership with some works being delayed further down the line which aren't thought as vital as others.

And whilst we're on the subject of infrastructure, here's the first of it under way with Ponton Road having moved around 100m to the south in order for the American Embassy to be built (which opens 4th July 2017). Works are currently on going and should be complete for Ballymore's Embassy Gardens to kick off early next year. Also notice Riverlight by St James, in the right of the picture with the first two phases racing out of the ground.