A historic music studio in north London, where legendary artists including The Kinks, Adele, and Sir Paul McCartney have recorded, is under threat of demolition. Battery Studios, located in Willesden, has been a community-led recording space since 1980, hosting a wide array of top performers such as Supergrass, Iron Maiden, and indie rockers Foals. Now, the studio's producers are fighting to save the building from being razed and replaced with nine residential units and three commercial units.
Planning application sparks outcry
Park Investments, the landlord since 2005, submitted a planning application to Brent Council on 26 February. Studio co-manager Mark Ellis, known professionally as Flood, revealed that the business owners were unaware of the application, having signed a new subletting agreement that same month. Thousands have signed a petition urging the council to reject the plans, which have already drawn 23 objections.
Musical heritage at risk
Dave Davies, lead guitarist of The Kinks, who recorded albums such as Lola vs Powerman and the Moneygoround at the studio when it was known as Morgan Studios in the early 1970s, expressed his dismay. “I’m saddened to hear that the future of Battery Studios is in jeopardy,” he said. “The building is an important part of UK’s musical heritage and should remain a recording studio.”
Flood, who has worked with New Order, U2, PJ Harvey, and Foals, described the threat as “devastating” and highlighted a broader crisis facing independent studios across the UK. “This is a bigger thing than just building seven or eight flats here,” he told The Independent. “All across the country, music studios are just getting levelled. It’s a real problem for the recording industry that studios are being obliterated.”
Industry warnings
According to the Music Producers Guild, there are an estimated 500 recording studios in the UK, with 50 per cent at risk of closure due to business rates. Executive director Matt Taylor warned: “Recording studios are the central pillar of the UK music industry. Without studios, artists would have nothing to promote, labels would have nothing to sell, streaming services would have nothing to play, and fans would have nothing to listen to. The Battery Studios case should be a wake-up call for policymakers and the wider music industry.”
Brent Council has acknowledged the studio as a “non-designated heritage asset” and stated that its cultural significance will be considered alongside public objections. A spokesperson said: “The application is under consideration and will be evaluated against policies on affordable housing and cultural venues. A committee hearing date has not yet been set.”
Broader impact
UK Music’s director of campaigns, Olga FitzRoy, emphasised the economic importance: “Recording studios are the backbone of the British music industry, which is worth £8 billion to the economy every year. Battery has hosted countless culturally significant recordings by artists from Joan Armatrading to Ed Sheeran and PinkPantheress. Losing a world-class studio like Battery would be a hammer blow to London’s recording scene.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London added: “The Mayor is committed to supporting London’s music industry. For nearly 50 years, Battery Studios has shown the vital role these venues play. The Culture and Community Spaces at Risk programme is assessing what support can be offered.”
