The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in partnership with Cadogan, Berkeley Estate Asset Management, Pegasi and Jumeriah, have reached an important milestone in the £47m public realm upgrade of Sloane Street.
Now halfway through this two-year project, works have now completed on the western side of the street and just commenced on the remaining east side.
Visitors to this iconic, luxury, Chelsea street can now get a glimpse of what the finished project will look like when it completes towards the end of 2024. These changes will make it a far more beautiful, cleaner, green boulevard running 1km from Knightsbridge to Sloane Square and include wider, smoother pavements, now surfaced in honey coloured Yorkstone pavers, hand-picked from a quarry near Huddersfield, as well as granite kerb stones and sets, across each road junction.
Stunning, new lighting columns, influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, seen in the nearby Holy Trinity Church, have also been installed, which light both the pavement and carriageway, in a warm, energy efficient, LED glow, creating a far greener and safer journey for pedestrians and vehicles alike.
In addition, low-level, undulating granite planters have been installed all along the street, with a planting scheme by RHS Chelsea Flower Show multiple award-winner, Andy Sturgeon. These feature Amelanchier trees and drought-resistant species from the Mediterranean, such as Grevillea, Salvia, and ornamental grasses, as well as seasonal planting to enhance biodiversity. To add further interest, 100 new lime trees are being planted, interspersed with stunning 1m round cast stone orbs, which have been placed in pairs and again feature sculptural Amelanchiers.
New street features include solid, wrought iron hoops on which to lock bicycles, water fountains and pull-in/drop-off points for visitors arriving by car or taxi.
Alternate road surfaces are aimed at slowing down vehicular traffic and the wider pavements ensure that pedestrians can safely step back to admire the stunning and varied architecture on Sloane Street – from the Henry Holland-designed ‘Pont Street Dutch’ houses to Arne Jacobsen’s Danish Embassy — a modernist masterpiece.
Already a renowned luxury retail destination, the enhancements to Sloane Street aim to make it the first port-of-call for global visitors, attracted to the areas truly stunning, five-star hotels and cultural institutions. In addition to the upgrade of the public realm, landlord Cadogan is also investing in the retail experience, with newly launched services such as Sloane Street Private Shopping, gift card and delivery services. All helping to ensure that for many decades to come, London can continue to hold its head high on the global stage.