The 39th floor penthouse at Southbank Tower
(Picture: JLL)A stellar array of properties are currently available on the London property market, from a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper flat in Hackney to a mansion in leafy Barnet.
ES Home and Property has trawled London’s 32 boroughs to find the top property in each district. The results reveal the huge variety available in the top end of the market, from city centre apartments to huge family homes.
Highlights include a renovated Victorian townhouse in upmarket Islington compelte with Turkish Hammam, a Grade II listed home in Bexley and a dome-shaped property by north London’s Hampstead Heath.
Barnet: Grovelands, Totteridge Green, N20, £19,995,00
Average borough house price: £577,000 (CBRE data)
This luxury mansion in Barnet has 11 bedrooms, its own outdoor swimming pool and lush grounds. The arched front door opens into a dark-floored exhibition space with sculptures displayed on plinths.
Other rooms of note in this vast mansion are the multi-level cinema with crushed velvet seats and two bronze statues of armoured kings either side of the screen, and the dazzlingly-white bowling alley.
There’s a bar, of course, and a bowling alley. A tiled mosaic of Audrey Hepburn watches you in the shower and the polished spiral stair bannister was made for sliding.
Kensington and Chelsea: Chelsea Barracks, £58,000,000
Average borough house price: £1,425,000
On the border of Belgravia and Kensington & Chelsea is the former Chelsea Barracks, now one of the world’s most exclusive addresses – an enclave of apartments, townhouses and a mews house.
The largest of the townhouses (one of 13) is also the most expensive property on the market (as of April 2022). The seven-bedroom home has its own spa with a 12 metre swimming pool and in-house treatment rooms.
There’s a cinema, a private garden and a roof terrace, a private garage, passenger and service lifts, a study and at the end of the garden a separate luxury house for guests or a rather indulged teenager.
Westminster: Mayfair mansion, £54,000,000
Average borough house price: £1,004,000
At 14,510 sq ft this property was just pipped to the post by the Chelsea Barracks townhouse as the most expensive and the biggest central London home on the market.
It is a Grade II-listed townhouse in arguably the best address in town – Upper Grosvenor Street, off Mayfair’s Grosvenor Square.
Built in 1732 it was then extensively renovated in 1908. It has a formal dining room with seating for 20 people, a spa and swimming pool and a terrace, while the heart of the home is the immaculate and sleek statement kitchen. There is a “dirty kitchen” too where the actual cooking is done!
Brent: Former aircraft factory into stylish living-working pad for £6,500,000
Average borough house price: £495,000
For those torn between working-from-home and returning to the office, entrepreneurs can set up their own company headquarters in this old aircraft factory which covers 12,689 sq ft.
There is a landscaped garden and roof terraces with industrial units and a split level apartment.
Lambeth: Southbank apartment for £17,000,000
Average borough house price: £543,000
For those who love to be right in the thick of it, the Southbank Place development overlooks Westminster and the Thames, and is right by the London Eye.
This apartment on the 10th floor covers 3,862 sq ft with a 427 sq ft terrace, four bedrooms, four bathrooms and access to the leisure facilities in the building.
There is a 24-hour concierge service, naturally. This is on the market with Knight Frank.
Camden: Hampstead dome-shaped property for £40,000,000
Average borough house price: £801,000
On the eastern side of Hampstead Heath near the Ladies and Gents Bathing Ponds, is a 13,000 sq ft dome-shaped home with a glass lift to all three floors.
Heathfield House was featured on the Britain’s Most Expensive Houses TV series, and was the most expensive publicly listed property on the market at the time. Views from the study, encased in the top floor glass pod, stretch across the Heath.
The property sits in two acres of land, and has a spa and gym on the ground floor with a swimming pool that opens out into the garden. There is also a billiards room and a tennis court.
Bromley: An Art Deco mansion for £14,000,000
Average borough house price: £480,000
This price tag is not quite a record for Bromley. Langford Russell sold another mansion in Keston Park for £15 million recently.
This cluster of trophy homes are hidden behind electric gates on a private residential estate, between the historic Holwood House and ground, Padmall Wood and South Park.
Built in the roaring ‘20s, the homes were inspired by gated parkside enclaves in the US. The interiors of this particular property are a nod to private members’ clubs from the era with polished marble flooring, a long walnut bar and an Art Deco cinema.
In the garden is a football pitch and a children’s climbing frame. There’s a games room, cinema and spa.
Greenwich: A Georgian townhouse for £2,750,000
Average borough house price: £423,000
This elegant Grade II listed Georgian townhouse is a few minutes’ walk away from Greenwich Park and town centre.
It has five bedrooms and three bathrooms and a self-contained flat on the lower ground floor with a bedroom, kitchen and living area and a bathroom, perfect for an older child or a nanny.
The five-storey home has been totally renovated but makes much of the original period features, such as the floor to ceiling sash windows and wooden shutters. On sale with Hamptons.
Hackney: A penthouse on the 48th floor of a skyscraper in the City for £9,500,00
Average borough house price: £552,000
Principal Tower, designed by the architects Foster + Partners, was completed in 2019 and comprises 298 apartments over 50 floors.
Just five minutes north of Liverpool Street station is sits between the City and Shoreditch with views over both – the perfect spot for a hipster financier, if such a thing exists.
In the tower is a swimming pool, spa, gym, cinema and residents’ lounge. Underneath is the bike store. One of the penthouses is on sale but its not for those with a fear of heights.
Kingston-upon-Thames: The mobile Tudor mansion that was moved 90 miles is on sale for £12,950,000
Average borough house price: £543,000
This Grade II listed mansion, rumoured to have been once occupied by Catherine Parr, was dismantled and moved brick-by-brick from Essex to Kingston.
Once dubbed the “Lego house” the Tudor features such as the timber beams, narrow corridors, stained glass and plaster hunting motifs have been preserved. It is on the market with Rokstone.
Wandsworth: A 12th floor penthouse in Battersea Power Station for £18,000,000
Average borough house price: £634,000
It costs a cool £18 million to buy a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom penthouse in the Battersea Power Station conversion.
This river-facing apartment is on the 11th and 12th floors and accessible by glass light in a corner of the rescued building called Boiler Square.
City of London: A home-office for £8,000,00
Average borough house price: £806,000
Between the Barbican and Smithfield Market, this refurbished period property is right in a financier’s sweet spot.
For those who want to continue working from home but need to be near the office, maybe this is the answer.
The 10,620 sq ft building has three floors of office space, alongside a small apartment and a 1,000 sq ft roof terrace for entertaining friends or clients.
A word of warning to the work alcoholic, with bookshelves and cabinetry built into the kitchen-living-study area and a desk there too, it’s hard to work out where the office ends and the apartment begins.
Richmond-upon-Thames: A Stucco-fronted mansion in Barnes for £6,000,000
Average borough house price: £776,000
Barnes is a celeb-haven with famous residents including Holly Willoughby and Stanley Tucci. Lonsdale Road is in nestled in the bend of the river, close to Hammersmith Bridge which gives access to great pubs on the other side of the Thames such as the Dove.
The stucco fronted white Victorian detached villa is celeb-worthy with five bedrooms and covers nearly 4,000 sq ft.
A huge kitchen that runs the length of the house opens onto the back garden. Winkworth is selling this home.
Islington: Renovated Victorian townhouse with Turkish Hammam for £5,995,000
Average borough house price: £712,000
Award-winning architect Phil Coffey is behind the remodelling of this Victorian townhouse on Englefield Road between Highbury & Islington and Dalston Junction.
It was overhauled in 2018 when two extra floors were added. There is now a gym, marble-clad bathrooms and an outdoor seating area on top of a huge, glazed garden floor which allows light down into the basement level.
There are six bedrooms and five bathrooms and a spa with what every family home needs – a Turkish Hammam. It is being sold by Knight Frank.
Bexley: A Grade II listed home round the corner from Road Dahl’s flint cottage for £1.1m
Average borough house price: £383,000
Bexley often ranks highly as one of the best places in the capital to live. Nearly 40 per cent of the borough is green space, there are nine outstanding primary schools and three outstanding state schools.
More importantly, it is the birthplace of Kate Bush and Roald Dahl often stayed in the only flint cottage in Bexley village with friends.
Around the corner, also in the village, is the most expensive home on sale in the area.
The Grade II listed, four-bedroom detached house has a long back garden, a paddock and two stables for a horsey family who want to stay in the capital.
Croydon: The perfect home for those who love golf (and bathrooms) for £3,500,000
Average borough house price: £397,000
In Shirley – the posh bit of Croydon (not a misnomer) – is this 10,333 sq ft family home with more bathrooms (seven) than bedrooms (five).
It’s nestled in golf course country between Addington hills park and Addington Golf Club. The new kitchen has a built-in spirits cabinet and wine fridge with multi-coloured glass pendant lights hanging over the island.
There’s a separate complex in the garden which houses the swimming pool and gym.
Hammersmith & Fulham: Mansion next to the Hurlingham Club with a wine wall for £15,000,000
Average borough house price: £814,000
This six-bedroom mansion is conveniently located right next to the Hurlingham Club and park – although the three-storey home has all the amenities one could desire, apart from a polo pitch.
It is set across three floors with a landscaped garden and an outdoor kitchen, a cinema room, 12 metre long swimming pool and gym, a temperature controlled wine wall and staff quarters.
There are crystal chandeliers imported from Belgium and Chesney fireplaces.
Harrow: No ball games allowed at this £8,000,00 country pile
Average borough house price: £499,000
Priory Drive overlooks Bentley Priory Nature Reserve and sits between Hartsbourne Country Club and Stanmore Golf Club.
It’s probably best to go to one of the many local parks rather than put leather to willow in the immaculately landscaped back garden of this six-bedroom, seven-bathroom house with its circular and arched windows.
The show piece of the property is the master bedroom suite with his and hers’ bathrooms and a Juliet balcony overlooking the lawn. There’s a modern timber studio / gym in the back garden.
Haringey: A ‘stepford wives’ mansion with cinema room room and indoor pool for £10,000,000
Average borough house price: £616,000
In the heart of Highgate Village and next to Highgate Golf Club, is this newly built mansion with a pillared porch.
Currently it’s a shell of a building but plans portray an immaculate modern home over 8,900 sq ft house with a kitchen, a formal dining room and living room, a terrace and seven bedrooms.
There will also be a cinema room and glazed spiral stairs wind down into a large indoor swimming pool, with jacuzzi and a landscaped garden. It’s on the market with Knight Frank.
Merton: For a Womble with deep pockets and £7,700,000
Average borough house price: £577,000
This seven-bedroom detached house is on one of the most desirable roads in Wimbledon.
It’s tucked away off the eastern side of Wimbledon Common, very close to the All England Tennis Club and Wimbledon Village.
With six bathrooms it is more than 7,500 sq ft with a swimming pool, a cinema room, a playroom and dressing rooms off the main bedrooms – plenty of room for all seven of the main Wombles. This home is being sold by Fine & Country.
Newham: Wannabe developer? Turn this £1,500,000 semi-detached house into flats
Average borough house price: £384,000
Just north of West Ham Park and in the heart of Forest Gate is the priciest home in Newham.
Despite the shortage of family-sized homes in the capital, this semi-detached house (spread over three floors including the attic) is being marketed as a development opportunity to be cut up into two separate homes by Douglas Allen.
Havering: Start your own riding school on the edge of London for £2,950,000
Average borough house price: £406,000
This rural property on the outskirts of Upminster sits on the edge of Greater London, within reach of the M25, as the capital’s green outer ring turns into Essex countryside.
It’s one for horsey types and tennis fans. The five-bedroom home covers 2,491 sq ft while the outbuildings stretch to 23,000 sq ft over 21 acres.
There is an indoor swimming pool in a purpose-built cabin, stables, and indoor riding arena and a Astro-turf tennis court.
Hounslow: “The largest house in Chiswick (possibly)” for £7,500,000
Average borough house price: £436,000
Just a road back from the Thames and a few minutes’ walk to Chiswick overground station is what the estate agent is describing as “possibly the largest single house in Chiswick.”
The sprawling property built between the wars covers 10,214 sq ft with 10 bedrooms, eight bathrooms and four reception rooms.
It has a 100ft garden and a swimming pool. Above the grand staircase is a dome with curved stained glass. It’s on sale with Thackerays.
Redbridge: Weird plot or golden development opportunity? £2,999,950
Average borough house price: £482,000
This nine-bedroom house in South Woodford has seven bathrooms and covers 4,856 sq ft.
It is set back on a t-shaped site which could be divided up into several different plots for a budding developer or to be sold to those who want to take on a self-build project.
The existing house has a large playroom, garage and store room.
Southwark: A penthouse with views of St Paul’s and the Shard for £10,750,000
Average borough house price: £521,000
On the 38th floor of Southwark Tower is a five-bedroom, four-bathroom penthouse apartment with panoramic views of London which take in the City and the Thames, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Shard.
There is a 24-hour concierge service, a gym, spa and swimming pool and a communal sky garden on the 10th floor.
Enfield: A modern mansion on the edge of Hertforshire countryside for £7,000,000
Average borough house price: £425,000
On edge of green parkland including Hadley Wood Golf Club, Covert Local Nature Reserve and Monken Hadley Common, this part of north London turns quickly into the Hertforshire countryside.
This 10,000 sq ft modern mansion has the amenities of central London with a cinema, pool and gym and outside area curated for al fresco entertaining.
Sutton: Living on the only private gated road in South Cheam for £4,250,000
Average borough house price: £418,000
This is an address for a golf nut – the sport is even referenced in the road name.
The 7,700 sq ft home is on Golf Side, the only private gated road in South Cheam, backing directly onto the Cuddington Golf Course.
There are seven bedrooms, a gym and music room and the 40ft long kitchen faces the southwesterly garden. Christies is marketing this property.
Tower Hamlets: A waterside house in St Katherine’s Docks at £4,750,000
Average borough house price: £418,000
There’s a six-bedroom end-of-terrace house for sale in St Katherine’s Docks, overlooking the water.
The entrance leads into a large drawing room with a study for working from home on the left next to the wine store – which doesn’t bode well for getting that paperwork done.
The lower ground floor is home to the kitchen and breakfast room and open plan dining-and-reception room. There’s a roof terrace on the second floor.
Waltham Forest: Two Victorian homes become one large family house for £1,750,000
Average borough house price: £508,000
Estate agent Neil King is selling this seven-bedroom double-fronted home on Colworth Road in Upper Leytonstone.
It is just 0.3 miles to the station and 0.6 miles to the high road. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the open space of Leyton Flats and Hollow Pond.
What were two Victorian houses is being used as one large family home. There is loft storage, two cellars and a fully networked log cabin office in the garden.
Ealing: A four-storey townhouse on Ealing Common for £3,995,000
Average borough house price: £427,000
A six-bedroom, four-bathroom end-of-terrace townhouse over four storeys sits overlooking Ealing Common in a borough which has 44 parks and commons.
It has a west-facing garden and room for seven cars in the drive. It is on the market with Grimshaw Homes.
Lewisham: A family home with views of the City from the garden
Average borough house price: £463,000
This eight-bedroom, four-bathroom family home is on the leafy road between Dulwich and Honor Oak Road and close to the Horniman Museum and Gardens.
The property is elevated from the the garden there are views stretching all the way across to the City.
Barking & Dagenham: A colourful family home in Barking & Dagenham for £1.1m
Average borough house price: £336,000
There is only one home for sale in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham with a price tag of more than £1 million.
The four-bedroom detached house is in Barking town not Dagenham, on the leafy Longridge Road which runs alongside Barking Park and it is only 0.4 miles from Barking station.
It may need redecorating, given the current owners have liberally applied colour in different rooms.
The kitchen cabinetry is a bright ink blue, there’s a mustard yellow in the living room and a lime green bedroom. A bright red carpet runs up the stairs and landing and there are tartan curtains in another bedroom.
