8:37am Monday 26th September 2005
By Local London Reporter
The future of Battersea power station's famous four chimneys is to be decided by planning bosses at a meeting next month.
Hong Kong-based firm Parkview International has submitted proposals to demolish the landmarks and replace them with replicas, claiming they cannot be repaired.
The controversial plans have infuriated conservationists desperate to save the historic landmarks.
Parkview International wants to redevelop the power station into a vast leisure, retail and business park. The company claims extensive research has shown the chimneys are beyond repair and it wants the replicas to be the leisure park's recognisable brand.
Ian Rumgay, Parkview's director of communications, said: "We have carried out exhaustive investigations. The overwhelming evidence is that repair is simply not possible.
"To suggest we will knock them down and walk away is not credible. We have spent £100m drawing up these plans.
"The chimneys are the symbols of Battersea and therefore a key part of our brand we could not do without them even if we wanted to."
No one from Battersea Power Station Community Group was available for comment, but founder Brian Barnes is desperate to save the chimneys, claiming that as a historic landmark they should be repaired and restored.
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