Move into the heart of city living
Make a smart international investment or simply live among some of the world’s most famous landmarks
There are certain things non-Londoners take for granted that seem like every-day miracles to those living in the capital.
Walking to work is one of them – the morning commute is inescapable in the Big Smoke.
You can also rule out being able to park within walking distance of a restaurant and you can bet on having to make an arduous journey home after a night out.
But these simple pleasures do exist for the select few who live in central London.
Living alongside a landmark is the new prime property privilege – there’s nothing like a salute to Admiral Nelson to give you purpose at the start of the day.
But this could be a morning ritual for the new inhabitants of The Buckingham Collection, a residential development in the heart of the theatre district.
Situated on Buckingham Street, just off the bustling thoroughfare of The Strand, the open-plan apartments spread across five floors are set above cobbled streets dating back to the 16th century.
An evening’s stroll could take in dinner at the newly-refurbished Savoy Hotel, a show at the Royal Opera House, and a walk through Trafalgar Square on the way back home.
The one, two, and three bedroom flats are set in a 1930s corner building of grand red brick with a Portland stone façade.
If you need to live somewhere with more gravitas, The Courthouse in the heart of political Westminster will be launching its apartments and marketing suite on 6 November, allowing you to live in the seat of power on the site of the old Westminster Magistrates Court in Horseferry Road.
Arranged around the edges of a landscaped courtyard are 129 studio, one, two, and three bedroom apartments and penthouses.
Residents will be located half an hour away from the thriving cultural hub of Sloane Square, shopping on the King’s Road and the view over the Thames from Chelsea Embankment.
Buyers will only be a 10-minute walk away from the Palace of Westminster while the City and Tower Bridge can be reached in a half hour stroll.
Many of the homes also offer magnificent views of the Houses of Parliament from balconies and private terraces.
Gary Patrick, regional sales director at Barratt London, says, “An important part of our strategy has been to invest in significant London locations as well as to enhance the quality and design of our homes.
“The Courthouse is one of our most prestigious sites to date, located on a historic site in the heart of Westminster, surrounded by many of London’s most recognised buildings, including the Palace of Westminster, and close to St James’ Park and Green Park.
“The cosmopolitan boutiques and cafés of Victoria Street and Elizabeth Street are a short walk away, as is the newly-refurbished Tate Britain.”
If living on top of a court is too much for you, try living opposite it. 190 The Strand is set to replace a 1960s office block opposite The Royal Courts of Justice.
The £200m scheme, comprising 206 apartments, sits directly opposite the gothic masterpiece and Christopher Wren’s Grade-I listed St Clement Danes church.
The apartments, only a 10-minute walk from the Bank of England, are the “most significant regeneration of the Strand in 100 years”, according to Paul Vallone, chairman of developers St Edwards.
If you’re after a spectacular view over the city, then penthouses on the 9th, 10th, and 11th floor of Benbow House will catch your eye. Located right on the river in New Globe Walk, you’ll regularly hear all the greatest plays ever written next door at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and you’ll back on to the Tate Modern.
Available from agents Chesterton Humberts for £10.5m, the properties also feature double floor-to-ceiling glass windows, letting in plenty of natural light and surrounding you with that Bankside view in the evening.
A property with a real sense of history is Albert Hall Mansion which is, you guessed it, next door to the Royal Albert Hall, facing Kensington Gardens.
The period building designed by Norman Shaw and built in 1880, is a five bedroom penthouse occupying the top two floors.
Savills Knightsbridge is looking after Albert Hall Mansions until Prince Charming comes along and coughs up £14.25m.
Unsurprisingly, owning a property in the heart of one of the greatest cities in the world will sky-rocket the value of your assets.
Rachel Webster, partner of buying agent Property Vision, says: “Having an address which is an internationally known landmark, such as Covent Garden’s Piazza or Pall Mall, can command a premium of as much as 25 to 30 per cent when compared with properties two or three roads away.
“Apart from the address, it is also the view, especially if this is uninterrupted, which makes a buyer willing to pay more for a similar property just a few streets away.”
• To find out more about The Buckingham Collection, call EA Shaw on 020 7420 3050 or visit eashaw.com
• For The Courthouse, call Barratt London on 0844 811 4334 or visit barratthomes.co.uk/thecourthouse.
• For Benbow House, call Chesterton Humberts on 020 7357 7999 or visit chestertonhumberts.com.
• For Albert Hall Mansions, call Savills Knightsbridge on 020 7590 5065.