Hassle-free London apartments with all the bells and whistles.
‘Five years ago, the Kensington market was crying out for high-end, new-build developments with large lateral apartments to satisfy demand not only from international buyers looking to acquire a hassle-free London base with “all the bells and whistles”, plus full security and concierge services, but also from owners of large Kensington houses looking to downsize. We now have four world-class new developments within the Royal Borough: Vicarage Gate House, W8; One Kensington Gardens, W8; Holland Green Place, W8; and—one of last year’s major success stories— Holland Park Villas, W8,’ reveals Sami Robertson of Knight Frank’s Kensington office.
Vicarage Gate House is a prestigious scheme of 13 superb apartments, built by Vicarage Gate Ltd and well-known London developer Northacre, and perfectly situated between High Street Kensington and fashionable Notting Hill, alongside the mansions of Kensington Palace Gardens. The selling agents are Hamptons International Kensington (020–7937 9371).
One Kensington Gardens is an exclusive development of 97 spacious apartments designed by the architect David Chipperfield and located opposite Kensington Palace and Gardens. Residents enjoy access to a 24-hour concierge service, valet parking, a health spa, a 25m (82ft) indoor pool and a private health and fitness centre, in addition to private treatment rooms. Knight Frank (020–7938 4311) and Strutt & Parker (020–7318 4677) are joint selling agents.
Holland Green Place is a state-of- the-art new development built around the new London Design Museum on the site of the former Commonwealth Institute, on the southern edge of Holland Park. It comprises three residential buildings—62 flats in all— and offers a wealth of facilities, including a secure barrier entrance, 24-hour concierge service, secure underground parking with lift access to each building, a 20m (65ft) swimming pool, sauna and steam room, a gym, massage and treatment rooms, a private cinema, a golf simulator, a children’s playroom and a business suite.
Knight Frank quote a guide price of £16.5m for the resale of 51, Holland Green—a spectacular 4,370sq ft, lateral, sixth-floor apartment with vast entertaining space, ceiling heights of 10ft, floor-to-ceiling windows, four bedrooms, four bathrooms and far-reaching views to the west, south and east.
Finally, Holland Park Villas is an exclusive development of 72 private apartments on a two-acre site purchased from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in January 2010, in a joint venture between Native Land and Grosvenor. The scheme will also include 96 affordable homes to be built on three separate sites across the Royal Borough. Due for completion in March 2017, the development is intended to set a new benchmark for ultra-prime proper- ties in central London.
