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Over 35,000 prime homes are set to be built in London over the next decade, a rise of 40% compared to 2014, new research shows. The combined sales value of these properties is estimated at over £77 billion, and when combined the total floor space of these homes comes in at over 40 million square feet, far greater than the area of the whole of the City of London at 30.7 million square feet. These new homes, well out of the affordable range, will be built on 196 sites that span the breadth of the city, according to a report from global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets Arcadis. It says that this ‘significant growth’ on the previous year demonstrates the extent to which the capital’s high end residential market is still viewed favourably in spite of the rapidly evolving UK housing market. The report also says that rising construction costs and growing land values have seen input costs rise, while a softening in demand due to successive stamp duty reform combined with economic slowdown in countries such as China has seen buyer interest ease. As a consequence, some investors may eventually reposition these assets away from prime housing and into premium office space, mixed use or even a greater number of smaller homes as they look to markets that offer a greater margin, it suggests. In terms of location, it is Chelsea and Fulham that have seen the greatest level of investment, followed by the Southbank and around the City, and the report says that this is evidence that the prime London property market is not confined to the West End but is now widely diffused across the capital. Some 10,914 homes are due to be built in Chelsea and Fulham, followed by 8,863 in Southbank, 5,898 in City and Fringe, 1,960 in Victoria and Pimlico, 1,754 in Midtown, 1,600 in Docklands, 1,104 in Kensington, 933 in Bayswater and Paddington, 589 in Mayfair and 427 in St John’s Wood. The total sales value of the homes to be built in Chelsea and Fulham is estimated at £20 billion, in City and Fringe at £7.3 billion, in Mayfair at £6 billion, in Belgravia at 5.6 billion, in Victoria and Pimlico at £5.1 billion, in Midtown at £4.7 billion, in St John’s Wood at £4 billion, in Kensington at 3.7 billion and in Knightsbridge at £2.4 billion. ‘Since around 2009, the value of prime residential property in central London has seen dramatic rises, making it one of the hottest markets in recent memory. So, it is hardly surprising that we have seen ongoing interest from investors all over the world,’ said Mark Cleverly, Arcadis head of commercial development. ‘What is interesting, though, is the continuous geographical spread we are seeing. Prime housing is springing up around regeneration areas and on the outskirts of the financial district, suggesting the days of the West End… Continue reading →