Everybody needs good neighbours

THE opportunity to live next door to The Queen has arisen in the form of Northacre’s new 300,000sq ft development, due for completion in 2019. No 1 Palace Street (above), 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. In 2013, Abu Dhabi Financial Group (ADFG) paid £310 million for it and, just two years later, an apartment was sold to an unnamed buyer for £20 million, before construction had even begun —demand is expected to be fierce.

Northacre is currently 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. Prices for the 72 ultra-exclusive apartments start at £2,145,000 and, once complete, it’ll be the only residential property in the capital with views over Buckingham Palace’s gardens. Residents can expect a full concierge service, valet underground parking, a courtyard garden and a restaurant, as well as the use of a 20m pool, a 2,000sq ft gym and a library. 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’ (www. northacre.com). Thomas Gordoncolebrooke