The opportunity to live next door to The Queen has arisen in the form of a new development in the heart of St James’s Park.
No 1 Palace Street, in the heart of St James’s Park, was originally constructed as the Palace Hotel for the overflow of Queen Victoria’s guests, built on land formerly surrounded by James I’s mulberry-tree garden and aviary.
Now, it is being turned into 72 apartments, with the redevelopment of the 300,000sq ft building set for completion in 2019.
The building had subsequently been used as office space until it was bought in 2013 by Abu Dhabi Financial Group – they paid £310 million for it, but seem likely to recoup their investment fairly easily. They sold the first apartment for £20 million before construction had even begun – demand is expected to be fierce.
The development company in charge of the project, Northacre, is working with architect Squire & Partners to convert the beautiful Grade II-listed building from offices, using Italian and French Renaissance, Beaux Arts and Queen Anne styles.
Niccoló Barattieri di San Pietro, Northacre’s CEO, believes that the combination of ‘outstanding architecture, high ceilings and contemporary interior design’ will ‘tempt the most discerning of buyers’. Not to mention the wealthiest: prices for the 72 apartments will start at £2,500,000.
What you get for your money, however, is something very special. Residents can expect a full concierge service, valet underground parking, a courtyard garden and a restaurant.
Also on the site will be a 20m pool, a 2,000sq ft gym and a library.
Once complete, it’ll be the only residential property in the capital with views over Buckingham Palace’s gardens.
And on top of that, you never know who might pop round from next door when you throw your housewarming party…
You can find out more about No. 1 Palace Street at Northacre’s website, and you can find more properties within a stone’s throw of St James’s Park here.
How my Buckingham Palace garden party invitation turned sour
Is harsh, stentorian language always unacceptable – no matter who it comes from?
The Garden at Buckingham Palace: An Illustrated History
The garden at Buckingham Palace is the Queen's largest drawing room, writes Roy Strong, but is it a showpiece? Jane
-
You've almost certainly been making cups of tea wrong for yearsWe drink tea every day, but are we doing it correctly? Who decided on the rules and do they really matter? Jonathon Jones reveals all.
-
Myddleton House: The place that 'will help you learn what true gardening is' is open to everyone, and just 30 minutes from central LondonE. A. Bowles created a horticultural playground in the gardens of Myddleton House that was years ahead of its time, and continues to influence even today. Isabel Bannerman takes a look.
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mouldA new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham EstateWith 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back homeAt first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificenceWomersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigreeThe Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central LondonFelmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
-
Magnificent mansions across the Home Counties, from £3 million to £14 million, as seen in Country LifeA waterside dream home and a house and estate with over 1,100 years of history make our round-up this week.
-
Vibrant colours and exquisite taste make this three-bedroom London townhouse singOn Kennington's West Square, this Grade II-listed home is a monument to the discerning eye.
