Sloane Street transformation boulevard, Cadogan Belgravia buildings design news
Sloane Street Masterplan
Streetscape / buildings masterplan in Belgravia design by John McAslan + Partners, southwest London, UK.
13 February 2025
Sloane Street Transformation Complete
Today marks the completion of one of the world’s leading luxury destinations into an elegant 1km ‘green boulevard’
Masterplan Design: John McAslan + Partners
picture courtesy of Cadogan / John McAslan + Partners architects practice
13th of February 2025, London – Sloane Street today marks the completion of a grand transformation that further reinforces its position as one of the world’s leading luxury destinations. The most significant streetscape improvements in almost 250 years, since it was originally commissioned by the 1st Earl Cadogan in the 18th century, the project – funded by Cadogan and delivered in partnership with Kensington and Chelsea Council – has created a stunning green 1km long boulevard spanning from Knightsbridge to Sloane Square.
Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council and Lord Cadogan:
The £46million investment includes significant widening of the Street’s pavements, along with a magnificent planting scheme, elegant street furniture and enhanced lighting to create a more welcoming environment for pedestrians.
After more than a decade of planning and extensive public consultation, it was formally completed at a ceremony today as Lord Cadogan and Councillor Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, laid the final commemorative stone.
Hugh Seaborn, Andy Sturgeon, John McAslan, Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Lord Cadogan:
Hugh Seaborn, Chief Executive of Cadogan, comments:
“This project marks a new era for Sloane Street, enhancing its elegance and timeless appeal as the epitome of a luxury destination that is equally ‘global yet local’ and will entice new visitors, while enriching the experience for the local community.
The ‘new’ Sloane Street is defined by tradition and innovation, amplifying its inherent craftmanship, creativity and heritage. It seamlessly connects the experience created by the world’s most iconic fashion houses in-store out into the public realm. Every aspect has been meticulously considered, including the exact hue of Yorkstone that ensures the Street feels warm and welcomes everyone, residents and visitors alike.”
Councillor Elizabeth Campbell and Lord Cadogan:
Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, said:
“As we aim to make and keep our borough’s streets the best in London, the new and improved Sloane Street is the standout example in our amazing spaces programme. This corner of Chelsea has always been very special – with a shopping experience to rival Paris and New York. Now it is even better, with spacious pavements and beautiful greenery creating a street that makes you want to stick around and enjoy the area. We are fortunate to have Cadogan as a partner, working with the Council to make these improvements happen.”
John McAslan, Chair of John McAslan + Partners, adds:
“Transforming this iconic street has been an exhilarating urban design endeavour. Sloane Street’s generous width and architectural asymmetry allowed us to craft a grand boulevard with a dynamic, people-centric vision. Blending contextual sensitivity with bold creativity, we have enhanced well-being, increased dwell time, strengthened security, and eased traffic impact. Green infrastructure and a horticulturally driven design enrich biodiversity and ensure a lasting environmental legacy. The result is a dramatically elevated public realm – offering residents, visitors, and businesses an exceptional experience, now rivalling the grandeur of Avenue Montaigne in Paris and Via Condotti in Rome”.
image courtesy of Cadogan / John McAslan + Partners architects practice
Finest materials and heritage craftsmanship
Blending timeless elegance and heritage craftsmanship with modern functionality and a contemporary sensibility, the masterplan was overseen by John McAslan + Partners. A bespoke palette of materials provides the street with a unified identity.
Traditional honey-hued Yorkstone (cut from a new seam in the quarry to ensure uniformity the full length of the Street) brings warmth to the pavements which have been expanded by 23%, while luxurious silver-grey granite and bespoke brass studs demarcate reconfigured parking and loading bays. As well as offering informal inbuilt seating, striking handcrafted granite planters act as a physical buffer between traffic and pedestrians while serving as a discreet security measure.
Artisan ironworkers designed the dual-height lighting columns, with cast-iron embellishment inspired by ‘temple to the arts and crafts’ Holy Trinity Church on Sloane Street. The enhanced lighting scheme by Spiers Major complements the distinctive architecture (spanning Georgian to Pont Street Dutch and mid-century modern) and offers both functional lighting and aesthetic harmony for traffic and pedestrians, with the design reflecting the neighbourhood’s character.
Sustainability is at the heart of the scheme, with UK sourced stone providing the majority of hardscape materials and a palette of drought-resistant plants used in the greening strategy. State of the art LED lighting technology will reduce energy consumption while creating a safer night-time environment for residents and pedestrians. Active travel is supported through widened pavements and raised tables at side-streets which improves north-south pedestrian movement. Traffic calming measures, beautifully engraved wayfinding stones and increased crossing points have been introduced to support navigation and improve the pedestrian experience, while in-depth traffic modelling has ensured that vehicular flow will not be impacted. Significant new infrastructure has been installed to improve and future-proof digital connectivity for the neighbourhood.
photo courtesy of Cadogan / John McAslan + Partners architects practice
Enhancing Chelsea’s horticultural heritage
Conceived by multiple Chelsea Flower Show winner Andy Sturgeon, a magnificent, layered greening scheme has introduced more than 100 new trees, extending the beauty of the private seven acres of Cadogan Place Gardens at the heart of the Street along the pavements, connecting the natural and urban landscapes.
The planting follows a ‘royal’ colour palette of rich maroons, reds, purples and blues for the diverse and climate resilient mix of flowers, shrubs and other drought-resistant species from Mediterranean climates, and will offer year-round splendour with spring flowers, summer berries, autumn colour and a sculptural branch structure in winter.
Luxury retail and hospitality investment
Recently, a spate of new openings include British brand Temperley London, a spectacular new townhouse from Valentino and significantly upsized new stores for Brunello Cucinelli, Dior, Bottega Venetta and Saint Laurent. Luxury design and fragrance brand L’Objet opens their only UK store on Sloane Street this week and cult brand Zimmerman are due to open in Spring, alongside a fresh new direction for Harvey Nichols as an anchor at the North end of the Street. Walpole, the body representing British luxury, relocated and opened their ‘Townhouse’ steps from Sloane Street last year.
This complements Cadogan’s focus on enticing new places to eat, drink and stay which includes recent partnerships with Belmond, Beaverbrook, Jean-Louis Costes and Iconic Luxury Hotels to manage properties on the Street or close by, as well as the creation of extensive new restaurant space including openings from the famed Italian winemaking Antinori family, David Yeo and Jason Atherton.
The ceremony today marks the start of a consumer launch programme, a series of events and cultural partnerships that will bring the newly transformed Street to life throughout 2025 and beyond.
Cadogan
Cadogan is a family business, property manager, investor and developer – with a 300-year history that informs its dynamic estate management approach today. As proud custodians of over 90 acres of Chelsea and Knightsbridge, their long-term stewardship aims to enrich the area’s unique character, while safeguarding its future vitality. ‘Chelsea 2030’ is the Group’s commitment to making a positive contribution towards a sustainable environment, protecting its heritage, and supporting a thriving community.
www.cadogan.co.uk
John McAslan + Partners Architects
Sloane Street transformation, Belgravia boulevard design image / information received 130225
Sloane Street Development
Design: John McAslan + Partners
Sloane Street Masterplan
Location: Sloane Street London, London, England, United Kingdom.
Sloane Street London Property
Sloane Street London Property Designs – key selection from e-architect:
Buns From Home, Sloane Square, Belgravia Conservation Area
Architects: Studio XM
Buns From Home, Sloane Square, London
Royal Danish Embassy Building, 55 Sloane St, London SW1
Design: Arne Jacobsen / Dissing + Weitling
photograph © Adrian Welch
Royal Danish Embassy
KXU Wellness Hub, 131 Sloane Street, London, England
Architects: Stiff + Trevillion
KXU Wellness Hub in Sloane Street
Cadogan Hall
Cadogan Hall Belgravia
Marni Store, 26 Sloane St
Design: Sybarite
Marni Sloane Street, London Shop
Boodles Sloane Street
Design: Eva Jiricna Architects
Boodles Sloane Street
++
++
London Buildings
Contemporary London Architecture Designs
London Architecture Designs – chronological list
London Architecture Tours by e-architect
+++
Peter Jones Store
Peter Jones Sloane Square
Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square
One Sloane Hotel
One Sloane Hotel, Chelsea
Nell Gwynn House
Nell Gwynn House, Sloane Avenue Flats, Chelsea
The Lucan Building, Chelsea, Southwest London
Renewal design: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates
The Lucan Chelsea, London building
Powerhouse Chelsea Waterfront
Renewal design: Farrells
Powerhouse Chelsea Waterfront, London
+++
Sloane Street London
Sloane Street was originally laid out to plans by architect Henry Holland in 1777.
Funded by Cadogan and implemented by the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea as part of the Council’s amazing spaces programme which aims to transform public realm across the borough, the scheme demonstrates Cadogan’s continued commitment to the health and vitality of the neighbourhood and the value it places on public realm.
A 13% reduction in embodied carbon emissions has been achieved by investigating and implementing alternative material uses for the project. The resulting embodied carbon intensity of the project was around 27.5kgCO2/m2, in line with best practice figures assessed and reported by UKGBC.
The scheme has created 100 construction jobs, resulted in a £7million increase in economic activity and facilitated an estimated 100 additional retail jobs.
John McAslan + Partners was appointed by Cadogan following an international design competition to develop a transformative vision for the kilometre long street and is a world leader of turning ‘old into new’ with a focus on public good. It has received over 200 global awards for design excellence.
Andy Sturgeon is a leading landscaper and gardener. Among other accolades, he has been awarded nine Gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. Species planted on Sloane Street include Amelanchier trees, alongside drought-resistant planting such as Grevillea, Salvia and ornamental grasses.
Comments / photos for the Sloane Street transformation, Belgravia boulevard design by John McAslan + Partners UK, England, UK, page welcome.
