For more than two years, the proposed Battersea Bridge tower has dominated conversation s on both sides of the river, sparking fierce debate over heritage, skyline and the future character of an historical stretch of London’s riverside. 

The Planning Inspector dismissed the appeal to the proposed Glassmill development, bringing an end to one of the most controversial planning battles in recent local memory.

In her ruling, Inspector Joanna Gilbert concluded that while the scheme would deliver some minor public benefits, these were far outweighed by the adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area, alongside harm to surrounding heritage assets.

For residents, the result represents a remarkable community victory. Here, we publish reaction from all sides.

Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said:

“We raised objections to this development as it would have had a huge detrimental effect on our views and on our conservation areas. I am delighted that the planning inspectorate accepted our concerns.

“I especially want to pay tribute to The Chelsea Citizen and to the residents who campaigned with such determination on an issue they care deeply about. This shows the best of local democracy – people making their voices heard, standing up for their community and helping to shape their area.”

Write Rob McGibbon – who led the campaign, first as a resident and then as Editor of The Chelsea Citizen – said: 

“I am relieved and delighted Rockwell’s plans have finally been thrown out. This is a decision for common sense and I applaud the Inspector’s decision. This development was totally wrong for the area in every conceivable way.  It was plain to see that the design and scale of it had more flaws than floors!

‘Rockwell and its directors showed complete disdain for residents and the democratic planning process throughout this lengthy – and expensive – application. Their attitude was unnecessary and regrettable.

’This has been a difficult and exhausting campaign, but at last we have the right outcome. People power has won through and it is proof that it is possible for communities to fight off rapacious property developers when they stand together.”

A spokesperson for Rockwell Property – which is believed to have spent £10m and five years developing the scheme – said:

“We are obviously disappointed with the decision as we firmly believe in this regeneration project. We wanted to see it delivered and made a number of changes to the scheme following feedback from the public. We significantly reduced the height of the building while remaining committed to offering 50% affordable social rented homes – which is rare for any private development in London.

“We did not compromise on quality, using the world-renowned architects, Farrells, so it is disappointing the inspector did not share our view that this would be great addition to London’s skyline. We were going to deliver real community benefits including a free-to-access community hub run by local charities, and significant public realm improvements next to the River Thames. 

“An unprecedented 1,900 people signed up to a letter in support of the project, and we thank them for their support throughout this five-year process.

“There is a dire need for more housing in London; in Wandsworth alone, there are over 7,000 homeless people. The number of private housing starts in London has dived by 84% from 33,782 in 2015 to only 5,547 in 2025, so it is extremely disappointing to see a scheme that would deliver much-needed affordable housing turned down. We will carefully review the inspector’s decision before deciding what to do next. As such, it is premature to speculate about future plans.”

David Waddell – on behalf of The Chelsea Society and the Cheyne Walk Trust – said:

“The Chelsea Society and Cheyne Walk Trust warmly welcome the dismissal of the Appeal against overdevelopment of the Glassmill site. Particularly, we thank amenity societies and residents on the south of the Thames for their hard work and dedication in opposing the Appeal. We note specifically the Inspector’s concerns to protect the integrity of the open river vistas and the conservation areas with their many listed buildings on the Chelsea bank.”

A spokesman for Friends of Battersea Riverside said: 

“We warmly welcome the Inspector’s decision to dismiss this appeal and uphold Wandsworth Council’s unanimous refusal.

“This was never a close call. A 29-storey tower on a site where local policy sets a maximum of six storeys is not a marginal breach — it is a wholesale disregard for the planning framework that this community helped shape. The Inspector has confirmed what residents, local societies, and councillors of all parties said from the outset: this scheme was simply too tall, too massive, and too damaging to the riverside character of Battersea Bridge to be acceptable.

Over 2,000 local people objected. The London Mayor declined to intervene. Wandsworth’s own planning officers found the scheme would cause significant harm. The Inspector has now reached the same conclusion.

We hope this decision sends a clear message: the Local Plan exists to be followed, not circumvented. The Glassmill site has real potential for a development that works with its surroundings. We look forward to engaging constructively on proposals that genuinely reflect the scale and character of this exceptional riverside location.”

Ben Coleman MP said:

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