Belgravia is notable for its immensely expensive residential properties. The district sits to the west of Buckingham Palace and is bounded to the north by Knightsbridge and to the west by Chelsea. Most of the land on which it sits is still owned by the Grosvenor Estate, whose careful management of the area help to maintain its unique character.
The key to Belgravia’s charm is its changes of scale, from minute and charming mews homes in their cobbled cul-de-sacs, through low-storeyed terraces, to the gleaming grandeur of the set pieces of Belgrave Square, Eaton Square and Chester Square.
Despite its unchanging air of confident prosperity, the area has changed considerably in recent years. Almost exclusively residential, following careful management by the Grosvenor Estate, central Belgravia now benefits from some excellent independently owned neighbourhood shops in Elizabeth Street and Motcomb Street (also home to the area’s lone supermarket), which it has developed as retail zones to service the needs of local residents.
Many of the houses around Belgrave Square are home to embassies, and all but a handful of the buildings on Eaton Square have been converted into grand apartments. In pretty Chester Square, by contrast, the majority of the buildings remain as single private residences popular with a global elite. Recent developments such as those in Montrose Place and Belgravia Gate on Grosvenor Crescent are comprised of luxurious apartments with 24-hour concierge, underground parking and leisure facilities.