Grosvenor Ambitions to Transform Its London Estate in Response to the Capital’s Growth

Grosvenor Britain & Ireland ('Grosvenor') has just published a 20 year vision to transform its London estate and tackle the pressures facing the capital.

With London's rapid growth, Grosvenor wants its estate in Mayfair and Belgravia to work harder for its communities and all Londoners by adapting - with better streets, greener spaces and more active and enterprising places that appeal to the many, not just to the few.

It called for new partnerships between public and private sectors, and with those who live and work on the estate, to bring about this change.

Underlining its early commitment to this vision, Grosvenor announced two plans to improve this part of the West End:

• Residents, visitors and businesses will benefit from new superfast and ultrafast broadband connections, in many places where none exists now, across almost three quarters of the estate this year; a free, public Wi-Fi service to be piloted this year with the potential to cover half a square mile in the next 3 years; and new 4G mobile connections to deliver a step change improvement in coverage. This part of London will move from being in the 5% worst performing in the country for digital connections, to being in the top 5%.

Over the next year Grosvenor will invest in one of London's largest 'single estate' upgrades in broadband, wi-fi and mobile connections, in partnership with Openreach, Ventura Next, WiFi SPARK and the planning authorities.

• Grosvenor will be given back responsibility for managing Grosvenor Square from Royal Parks, in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Grosvenor will invest in the square alongside surrounding businesses. Later this year it will open a public call for ideas to make this green space - larger than Trafalgar Square - 'a great garden square for Londoners' fit for the 21st century.

Craig McWilliam, Chief Executive, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, said: “For centuries this great London estate has adapted to changes in the city around it. The big challenges facing London today require that the estate responds. We want Mayfair and Belgravia to be more flexible, more open and more appealing to all. They need to work harder for London if they're to flourish.

“We can plan for the long-term with this 20 year vision for our London estate, but there is little here we can deliver alone. So this is our call for the partners we need to secure these great districts at the heart of a successful, growing city.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Grosvenor's London estate is in the heart of our city and includes some of the most historic and popular areas. The estate's plans demonstrate how developers can provide high-quality public space in a rapidly growing city. I welcome the steps being taken to upgrade the estate and ensure it is fit for future generations of Londoners and visitors.”

Cllr Nickie Aiken, Leader of Westminster City Council, said: “The unique mix of global reach, national significance and local character defines the City of Westminster as a very special place. We welcome Grosvenor's vision to support these distinctive neighbourhoods. If they continue to flourish in the heart of the capital, they will help ensure Westminster remains successful, confident and inclusive, where residents, businesses and partners all feel they have a shared stake in its future.”

Clive Selley, Chief Executive, Openreach, said: “The delivery of this exciting project involves vision, collaboration and commitment from stakeholders who share a common objective to realise Grosvenor's aspiration to be a digital champion. Our next generation broadband network will provide a future-proof foundation to support Grosvenor's economic, social and cultural aims.

“Thousands of homes and businesses in the area will have access to our superfast FTTC and ultrafast FTTP networks - which is the largest of its kind in the UK, and part of our continuing drive to make faster internet access as widely available as possible.”