London’s West End, the ultimate UK town centre and home to hundreds of impressive landmarks and just 65,000 residents, was hit by the pandemic harder than other parts of the capital. But the famous central London area is not just responding to the urgent demands of coronavirus-driven economic rewiring. Since before the pandemic, a set of complex challenges has been calling for a strategic regeneration programme, and now the West End is gearing up for what could be its most significant transformation since the post-war mass rebuilding. Accommodating new urban mobility and regulations, bringing visitors back and persuading them to stay, adopting new landlord-tenant partnership models, reimagining public realm – all these and many other themes will be central to the area’s transformation for years to come.  

This article discusses how a thoughtful redevelopment of some of the West End’s best-known heritage assets will be supporting its economic and social recovery. It also looks at how some of the most high-profile of the already announced projects will be reanimating this glamorous area.

Reimagining the familiar for the West End’s green recovery

Since its emergence as a new city hub after the Great Fire of London in the mid-17th century, the West End has been the beating heart of London. In our era, a unique combination of retail, culture and entertainment along with outstanding architectural heritage make the West End a unique urban eco-system.

And it might be the area’s famous historical assets that can help it out of the recession trap and accelerate the social and economic reset. At least three of its important Georgian garden squares – Hanover Square, Cavendish Square and Grosvenor Square – are set for major makeovers, and a planning application to transform South Molton Triangle into a vibrant mixed-use quarter was submitted in early summer 2020. Mayfair’s landmarks are hardly undiscovered places, but there is tremendous and largely untapped potential to transform them into much more successful and vibrant places with a strong sustainability and community agenda while enhancing their historic appeal.

At Hanover Square, a new BREEAM Excellent mixed-use development scheme by Great Portland Estates is under construction above the new Bond Street Crossrail station. The scheme will bring with it a renewal of the historic square’s public realm and enhanced pedestrian links.

Another ambitious and timely regeneration project will see the replacement of an underground car park under Cavendish Square, with a new, vibrant mixed-use destination below ground level and renovation of Mayfair’s premier public garden square above ground. A £150m project by REEF Group with a core focus on health, wellbeing and sustainability secured planning permission in April 2020.

At the less commercial end of the regeneration spectrum is a long-anticipated makeover of Grosvenor Square. The second-largest garden square in London and a sensation in Georgian times, this 2.5ha public square is arguably not the prettiest or most popular. Ahead of the square’s 300th anniversary, Grosvenor Estates’ ambition as part of its 20-year, £1bn vision for Mayfair and Belgravia is to create London’s most outstanding green space with a strong design and environmental statement.

Design plans by Tonkin Liu unveiled in September feature four distinctive interlocking garden zones with twice the number of trees and an engaging public realm. The design narrates a shared vision by Grosvenor, Londoners and the expert community, and focuses on creating a new place identity as an immersive environmental and horticultural haven in the centre of Mayfair. A full planning application for the square will be submitted in next spring.

Conclusion

While challenges could lie ahead, this first stage of the coronavirus-induced rewiring is showing very positive signs. Many central London landlords, investors and property managers stay true to pre-pandemic commitments to environmental and social sustainability, pre-eminence of inward investment and place advocacy.

And as for the power of historical places to support place recovery, there is no better testimony to it than the sheer number and scale of renovation projects that will help Mayfair keep abreast of evolving needs of both consumers and occupiers. Just like so many of us, I am looking forward to enjoying the many wonders of West End again. And like you, I am waiting to be amazed by what will emerge from this transformation.