Many people aspire to live in Kensington and Chelsea because it’s one of the most prestigious parts of London. There are incredible homes here, some of the world’s best schools, lovely green spaces, and high end shopping options. It’s also home to iconic venues like the Royal Albert Hall. All of this makes it an incredibly attractive place to live. If you’re thinking of investing, we’d love to help. Rely on us for block management in Kensington and Chelsea, guaranteed rent and more.
While it’s not technically in the borough, people in K&C love living close to the Olympia. It’s one of the most incredible exhibition centres in the world, with well over a century of history. Even better, it is celebrating a massive £1.3bn redevelopment. Let’s have a closer look at the changes and what else is still to come.
Origins
Interestingly, the Olympia was originally imagined as a much bigger version of Islington’s Royal Agricultural Hall. The idea was it could host agriculture and military shows on a larger stage. However, as the largest exhibition venue of its type in England at the time (1885), it soon grew to have one of the most diverse calendars in the world.
The Olympia was a significant venue for decades, but the completion of Excel London in 2000 brought big change. Suddenly there was an even larger alternative with modern facilities. Thoughts then began swirling about how to redevelop the West Kensington venue. The aim was to make it a new mixed-use development with better accessibility and a much broader, more dynamic offering. In fact, the idea was it could create a new town centre for the area. Speak to us about guaranteed rent, block management in Kensington and Chelsea, and more.
Redevelopment
The project by Heatherwick and SPPARC, got underway in 2020. While parts of the Olympia have Grade II and Grade II* listings because of their cultural value, other later buildings did not. As a result, many were demolished. This made way for massive changes and also helped open up the site.
Critically, the redevelopment makes the Olympia a wonderful destination for entertainment, culture, hospitality, and more. It retains traditional exhibition space in the three iconic halls, preserving their history and value. In addition, the site is now home to a brand new 3,800 capacity live music venue. There is more public space too, new access routes, and a school.
It doesn’t end there either. Work is still ongoing on other parts of the redevelopment. A significant element is building a new theatre, set to be the largest new one in the city for over 50 years when it opens next year. Plus, there will be two hotels, dozens of restaurants, a new international conference centre, and 550,000sq/ft of office space.
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The Olympia redevelopment is fantastic for West London, including Hammersmith and Fulham, K&C, and other areas. It will make it an even better place to live, and also create new jobs and economic value.
If this inspires you to invest, we have some great services for you. Finefair Ltd is one of the most unique companies in London. We specialise in guaranteed rent, but provide much more. For example, we can manage different assets and portfolios, including HMOs. You can choose a bespoke range of services with us to suit your needs.
So, get in touch today if you want to talk to us about block management in Kensington and Chelsea or anything else. We’d be happy to advise and see how we can give you the best value.
