Delayed Sloane Street transformation to start, will see £46m spend

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 30, 2023

London’s Sloane Street is to be transformed into a greener and even more appealing shopping destination in a partnership between landlord/developer Caodgan and the local authority, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

With architects John McAslan + Partners and Chelsea Flower Show-winning garden designer Andy Sturgeon on board, a £46 million investment will make the street more visually appealing and pedestrian-friendly. It’s the first time in its history that the entire street will have been refurbished in this way.

The plan — which we first reported on in 2019, but which was interrupted by the events since then — will take two years to complete. But change on the retail front is already happening with new retailers moving onto the thoroughfare and existing tenants planning to upgrade.

That will include Dior moving to a new 9,000 sq ft unit at number 196-198 this summer, with the LVMH-owned brand doubling its space compared to its current store.

Valentino will also upgrade to a large townhouse at 185-186 next year, while Louis Vuitton is adding more store space at 190-192, Bottega Veneta is expanding at number 33, and Kiton will open a new store at number 49 in May.

The historic street was laid out in the 18th century and is a stone’s throw from key retailers such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Stores on the street today include Tom Ford, Armani, Gucci, Chanel and Emilia Wickstead.

The pedestrian-friendly nature of the redevelopment plans includes wider pavements in high-end stone, street furniture and lighting upgrades, more crossing points and seating, enhanced planting and a tree canopy — with a low-carbon approach being key throughout.

Despite the absence of a VAT-free shopping scheme for tourists, London’s luxury fashion market remains buoyant and last year, Sloane Street spending was up 7% against pre-pandemic 2019. 

Hugh Seaborn, CEO of Cadogan, said the plan will strengthen the street’s position as a “global destination for luxury retail and create an even more desirable environment for local residents and businesses — creating a more beautiful, inspiring, greener, cleaner and better-connected environment.

He said Cadogan has “a dedicated objective and responsibility – to protect the area’s historical significance but also ensure it is one of the world’s most elegant and desirable luxury shopping destinations.”