Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PLACE AND PUBLIC REALM STRATEGY

June 2025

FOREWORD

MICHAEL WARD Managing Director Harrods and Chair of the Knightsbridge Partnership

Harrods is proud to be a member of the Knightsbridge Partnership and support the Place and Public Realm Strategy which will restore the status of Knightsbridge as the world’s leading luxury destination.

Every year, Harrods welcomes 15 million visitors to our Knightsbridge department store. We are acutely aware that customers, including international visitors, have a wide number of options when it comes to destinations that they can choose to visit.

The customers’ experience outside the store is as important as that inside. Environmental and social credentials of an area and visitors’ overall experience of a destination increasingly influence the attractiveness of destinations.

The Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy reimagines Brompton Road and many of the adjacent streets as safer, more sustainable and enjoyable routes and places for residents and workers, with less congestion, more trees and better air quality. The public realm proposals will contribute to attracting visitors, ensuring Knightsbridge remains a thriving local economy creating employment and opportunities across London and the UK. As such, the Place and Public Realm Strategy contributes to Harrods’ commitment to positive environmental and social change.

FOREWORD

STEVE MEDWAY Chief Executive

Welcome to the Place and Public Realm Strategy for the world-renowned Knightsbridge district of London.

In recent decades, Knightsbridge lost its way, allowing competitor destinations to gain ground and competitive advantage. Together, we have responded by working with residents, community groups, the public sector, local businesses and property owners, to co-create a comprehensive strategy to put Knightsbridge back on the map as the best place globally to live, shop, visit, work and invest.

Our comprehensive five-strand strategy details an ambitious yet achievable flagship public realm scheme, a family of neighbourhood public realm schemes to create better spaces for everyone, detailing how we will harness emerging technologies to achieve a leap forward in the safety and cleansing of public spaces, proposals for an evening economy, amplifying world-class art and experience; and importantly, a compelling investment case and route to securing investment. The main roads through Knightsbridge have the potential to be transformed into elegant tree-lined, green boulevards, with spectacular gateways where the exclusive and luxury experience can be enjoyed from the point of arrival.

The strategy will propel Knightsbridge into being recognised as a leader in sustainability, with over 2000m2 of new planting and rain gardens as well as 170 new trees to support climate adaptation and creating habitats to support biodiversity. Healthy and active travel will be far more appealing with 5000m2 of new footway and safer and new crossings.

In addition, this strategy will enable Knightsbridge to once again compete internationally as a luxury destination. This will also benefit the wider London economy, generating income for hundreds of suppliers to Knightsbridge’s businesses and creating many new jobs.

am personally very grateful to everyone who gave their time, experience and ideas to help shape this strategy and I very much look forward to continuing to work with you in the next stages of design and delivery, so that we can in partnership deliver a revival across Knightsbridge, protecting and enhancing its uniquely British heritage and its global reputation.

Knightsbridge Today

Knightsbridge is celebrated as one of the finest luxury shopping destinations in the world. It is also a place that many people call home. The benchmarking of Knightsbridge against other luxury destinations carried out for this project indicates the appeal of the rich and historic fabric of Knightsbridge, the extraordinary wealth of architecture and stories, whilst in contrast the public realm is blighted by narrow footways, traffic, noise and air pollution.

Knightsbridge is an area of contrasts. Brompton Road’s bustling noise is such that it can overwhelm the senses, yet a mere street away, tranquillity prevails. This contrast underscores a distinct focus: Knightsbridge and Brompton Road serve as hubs for retail and traffic, while side streets offer peaceful retreats for residents, independent shops and local eateries. Knightsbridge currently does not have any green public spaces.

The Knightsbridge Partnership area is covered by three highway and traffic authorities. In the past, this has complicated reaching agreement on delivering the change that Knightsbridge needs in order for it to thrive as a luxury destination and as a place to live. The current imbalance in the place and movement functions sits at the absolute heart of many of the issues and challenges facing Knightsbridge.

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

An International Centre

Knightsbridge is designated as an International Centre in the Mayor’s London Plan. However, in the face of strong international competition for tourists, highnet-worth shoppers and inward investment, Knightsbridge is poised at a crossroads regarding its future: it needs to embrace the change that the Place and Public Realm Strategy can deliver, or risk decline and loss of market to other locations both within London and globally.

Co-creation and Engagement

The Place and Public Realm Strategy for Knightsbridge was co-created in collaboration with residents, representatives from community groups, local property owners, businesses, TfL and the two local authorities.

A range of engagement activities were undertaken, including an online survey (available in nine languages), a drop-in session, walking tours, a focus group for UAE Emirati women, meetings, presentations to community groups and three co-design workshops.

The results revealed that 69% of respondents described their experience of Knightsbridge as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, but 31% said it has worsened. Respondents gave several reasons for this, in particular concerns about traffic dominance, air pollution and crime.

The top priority to improve Knightsbridge (suggested by almost half of all respondents) was adding gardens and other green spaces, and planting trees. Improvements to the pedestrian environment were the next highest priorities: increasing footway widths, repairing pavements and removing street clutter.

The Vision for Knightsbridge

A luxury global destination that rebalances the needs of people and nature, inviting people to spend time in its historic streets and places and to return again and again.

The Place and Public Realm Strategy has eight key objectives to restore Knightsbridge to its premier status as a luxury destination a place to visit, live, work and invest:

1. Delivers a thriving Knightsbridge economy that leads internationally as a luxury destination

2. Celebrates, protects and enhances the Knightsbridge area’s unique character and heritage

3. Transforms Brompton Road and Knightsbridge into Healthy Corridors and Places

4. Creates a safe and welcoming place for all

5. Unlocks the potential of neighbourhood streets as places to dwell and enjoy

6. Improves wayfinding and links to Hyde Park, Mayfair, Chelsea and the West End

7. Creates spectacular gateways

8. Increases green space, trees and biodiversity

A Five-Strand Strategy

The Place and Public Realm Strategy is evidence-based, mission-focused and multidisciplinary, with five key integrated strands:

1. Flagship public realm scheme for Knightsbridge and Brompton Road. This will deliver a transformed Brompton Road and Knightsbridge with widened and de-cluttered pavements and priority crossings. It will feel both exclusive yet also accessible and welcoming to everyone.

2. A family of neighbourhood public realm projects that protect and enhance some of the characterful streets off Brompton Road, providing spaces to dwell with new trees and planting.

3. Placemaking to curate the Knightsbridge offer and visitor experience. This will include:

• Elevating the Knightsbridge visitor experience by making the concierge ‘Knightsbridge Welcome’ a signature aspect of Knightsbridge

• The luxury wellness offer in Knightsbridge will complement its reputation as a Healthy Place with better air quality, new green spaces to relax and better walking and cycling routes, where healthier lifestyles are a natural and easy choice

• Unifying the evening economy to create a distinctive and curated evening experience

• A digital and physical wayfinding strategy in a range of languages, appealing to international visitors and making Knightsbridge feel inclusive and welcoming Occupier curation to amplify the luxury offer and benefit from the investment in world-class public realm Unique experiences that appeal to, and attract, a new generation of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs)

• Investing in new public realm on Brompton Road and Knightsbridge will provide the platform for new ‘insideoutside’ experiences that blur the boundaries between the internal and external spaces across the commercial areas of Knightsbridge

EXECUTIVE

SUMMARY

4. Strategic and proactive place management to ensure:

a. Very high standards of cleansing are achieved and sustained by harnessing new technologies and infrastructure to increase the quality and frequency of cleansing

b. One of the safest luxury destinations in the world with a well-resourced partnership, a data-led approach, harnessing new technologies and having zero tolerance for any crime and antisocial behaviour

c. Green space and ecology management that harvests rainwater and minimises pesticide use with frequent inspection and litter-picking of planted areas

d. Working in partnership to manage commercial vehicles to:

• Reduce the number of vehicle trips

• Remode to zero-emission vehicles

• Retime to outside peak traffic hours

• Reimagine and explore the potential use of robotics to harness AI and autonomous vehicles

5. The Case for Investment and Funding Strategy.

The Place and Public Realm Strategy will deliver the priorities identified during the engagement process, specifically:

Delivery of this Place and Public Realm Strategy will transform key Knightsbridge streets so that they directly contribute to delivering Healthy Streets outcomes, specifically the Mayor of London’s ambition that by 2040, 80% of journeys across London will be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport. Delivery will see The Healthy Streets Score (opposite) increase from a currently low 49 to a robust 77. The strategy will contribute to the sustainable transport, climate emergency and air quality strategies of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Westminster City Council (WCC).

The funding strategy for Knightsbridge will encompass both capital investment and identified revenue streams to ensure that the public realm is maintained to a high standard for decades to come.

The case for a public, private and benefactor investment approach is powerful. The benefits of partnership investment include a thriving Knightsbridge economy that creates jobs across London

supplying the area with goods and services, an uplift in commercial returns, a better, healthier city and endowing Knightsbridge with a setting that is befitting of its heritage and global significance.

Healthy Streets Score

INTRODUCTION

Overview

Knightsbridge is celebrated internationally as one of the finest luxury shopping destinations. It is also a place that many people call home. Defined by a rich and historic fabric, Knightsbridge has an extraordinary wealth of architecture and stories, whilst in contrast the public realm is blighted by traffic, noise and air pollution. Brompton Road lies in one of London’s busiest areas, yet people are confined to narrow and cluttered pavements. It is an unrelentingly hostile environment for anyone who works, visits, or lives in the area.

It is in this context that the Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy has been developed for the Knightsbridge Partnership BID (Business Improvement District) by Attis and their project collaborators. It aims to provide a holistic vision and strategy for change, exploring tangible projects and ‘the art of the possible’; creating a public realm that is safe, attractive, and connected.

Introducing new models for greener, climate-resilient, and more sociable streets and spaces that celebrate the special qualities of Knightsbridge.

Project Team

• The Knightsbridge Partnership, on behalf of the Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy steering group

• Project Lead and Placemaking: Attis

• Public Realm Design: LDA Design

• Traffic Engineering: Norman Rourke Pryme

• Lighting Strategy: Michael Grubb Studio

To attract people… suggests more emphasis on quality of place, including the public realm. London’ s rivals, especially Paris, have taken significant action in this space already.

INTRODUCTION

Highways Context

The Knightsbridge Partnership BID area is covered by three highway and traffic authorities: Transport for London (TfL), Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Westminster City Council (WCC). This complicates reaching agreement on priorities for the design and use of highway space.

The core study area is dominated by the A4 Brompton Road and the A315, which are TfL’s responsibility as part of the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN).

The current imbalance in the place and movement functions sit at the absolute heart of many of the issues and challenges facing the study area. Key to the success of the Place and Public Realm Strategy will be to secure widespread agreement amongst stakeholders for the need to develop and enhance the public realm for residents and visitors, rather than to prioritise the needs of those simply passing through.

TfL has a variety of considerations for how they manage this part of their network, including:

• Aspirations to improve safety and deliver on their ‘Vision Zero’ agenda

• Support their 80% target for modal shift to sustainable modes as set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy

• Maintain the reliability of bus services

• Introduce measures to enhance adaptation to climate change including an uplift in the amount of planting and Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) to mitigate potential future flooding

• Improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions as agreed in London’s Environment Strategy 2018 (currently under review)

All of these aspirations will also need to be balanced by the Network Management Duty to promote safe and expeditious movement of traffic as laid down by the Traffic Management Act 2004. In practice, radical changes to roads that lead to significant delay on vehicular traffic, and in particular buses, are not supported by TfL.

Halving of traffic volumes on Brompton Road since 2000 provides the context to reconsider how road space is allocated, as do changes in travel behaviour brought about as a consequence of the pandemic.

In particular, there is some evidence to suggest that peak traffic flows have reduced, which allows for more ambitious road space reallocation proposals to be explored. In addition, the traffic capacity and associated highway space is not consistent along the corridor and there are opportunities to create space for public realm features where there is excess carriageway capacity.

Policy Context

The Place and Public Realm Strategy is a oncein-a-generation opportunity to define what an International Centre is and deliver this ambition.

Knightsbridge has long been considered the key retail district for London’s wealthiest residents, as well as a destination for shoppers from all over the world – a fact recognised by the London Plan, which designated the area as one of London’s two International Centres for retail, the other being within the West End.

The Knightsbridge Partnership BID area is covered by three statutory development plans –The London Plan, the adopted WCC Plan and the RBKC Local Plan. Each plan (and its supporting and supplementary planning guidance) sets a complex framework of promotional and protective strategic and local planning policy designations of relevance to the future planning, development and place and public realm strategy.

Neighbourhood planning adds an additional layer of local place-specific policy developed with the benefit of local engagement and participation. The Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan has been adopted and looks forward to 2037. The following text provides key extracts from relevant planning policies and guiding documents in relation to the project area outlined in the map.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

International Centres

Knightsbridge is one of only two districts formally designated as an International Centre in the Mayor’s London Plan. In the hierarchy of town centre classifications, the International Centres sit at the top of the Mayor’s five categories.

The Mayor’s London Plan states that the typical range of uses of the International Centres are:

• High-order comparison and specialist retail

• Flagship stores

• Office headquarters

• Government buildings

• International leisure, culture and entertainment destinations

• International tourism functions

The Plan also states that the centres should have the highest architectural quality and excellent levels of public transport.

Where provided, non-retail uses should enhance and sustain, rather than dilute, the centre’s role in retail.

As can be inferred from these points, an International Centre should be comprised of more than just retail. Knightsbridge has the opportunity to enhance its international and luxury offer with complementary attractions such as hospitality, culture and wellness.

Knightsbridge is poised at a crossroads regarding its future; it can either seize the opportunities that the Place and Public Realm Strategy can deliver, or it can risk inaction, leading to decline and loss of market to other London and global destinations.

The Central Activities Zone (CAZ)

Wider trends in consumer expenditure and the emergence of multi-channel retailing present both challenges and opportunities for retailing within the CAZ. Within this context the vitality and viability of the international shopping centres and other CAZ retail clusters should be enhanced, supporting their adaptation and diversification, along with improvements to the quality of the environment and public realm.

*21,246 residents

*61% classed as affluent

*17 luxury restaurants

*10 five-star hotels

*18 million users of Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner stations

*37 million visits to Knightsbridge in 2023

Brompton and Hans Town has a population of 10,218, Knightsbridge & Belgravia has a population of 11,028

Statistics from the Knightsbridge Partnership

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Local Plan, 2022

Knightsbridge Vision

Knightsbridge will maintain its role as one of London’s most exclusive national and international shopping destinationsattracting visitors from across the world. It will also continue its role as an important residential quarter and a service centre for residents in both Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster. These two functions will exist together harmoniously, and the public realm will have been improved to reflect both roles.

Priorities to achieve the vision:

1. Improve the attractiveness and walkability of the centre through investments in the public realm and green space.

2. Take opportunities to create space for, and hold, events and markets.

3. Support the delivery of more accessible community and cultural uses.

4. Support the development of a Knightsbridge BID.

5. Support and promote the importance of Sloane Street as a key connection between Knightsbridge and the King’s Road to encourage footfall between the two.

Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan, 2018

Knightsbridge Vision

The Neighbourhood Plan outlines objectives to achieve the vision for Knightsbridge:

Character

• Enhance the special character of Knightsbridge including its architecture, heritage, townscape and trees while recognising its status internationally as a prime residential neighbourhood and centre for retail, culture and education

• Improve the public realm and enhance and restore heritage features

• Protect and enhance Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens Metropolitan Open Land (MOL)

• Enable development of Hyde Park Barracks land as a strategic housing site

Community

• Promote the sense of community

• Protect and enhance existing residential amenity and mix

Culture and education

• Foster an environment that enables our world-class cultural and educational

institutions to thrive as centres of learning and innovation within a flourishing community

Public spaces and utilities

• Enable active travel and personal mobility

• Encourage superb public transport utilities and communications infrastructure

Healthy environment and healthy people

• Be an exemplar of sustainable city living by complying fully with international laws, standards, guidelines and best practice.

“ Make Knightsbridge the best residential and cultural place

in London in which to

live, work, study

and

visit.”

Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan Vision

WESTMINSTER POLICY

At the heart of Westminster City Council’s policies is the aim to build a Fairer Westminster for all of its communities. The Fairer Westminster strategy has five pillars, of which three are directly relevant to the Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy:

• Fairer communities to reduce inequalities. The Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy will directly contribute to identified Fairer community priorities, in particular improving the health and wellbeing of residents by supporting more physical activity, introducing new CCTV to help tackle anti-social behaviour and working with schools and communities to prevent crime.

• Fairer economy to deliver a strong and sustainable economy, with employment opportunities and inclusive growth. Our integrated strategy for Knightsbridge will deliver new jobs and can be a template for reviving high streets across Westminster.

• Fairer environment. Our strategy will deliver sustainable urban drainage, encourage active and sustainable travel and support the migration to electric vehicles, all of which are Fairer Westminster priorities.

WESTMINSTER POLICY

Westminster’s City Plan (2019 – 2040) aims to improve the health and well-being of the city’s residents and workers and to help ensure Westminster is a place to be proud to hand to successors.

2. Enable job growth across a range of sectors vital to the UK economy, and ensure those from disadvantaged backgrounds benefit from the opportunities this presents.

3. Enhance the West End as London’s primary retail, leisure, and visitor destination, and ensure our town centres and high streets can adapt to the challenges they face.

7. Improve air quality, minimise noise and other polluting impacts, and reduce carbon and water demands by minimising detrimental impacts from development.

8. Promote quality in the design of buildings and public spaces, ensuring that Westminster is attractive and welcoming.

9. Making sure our neighbourhoods continue to thrive.

The City Plan identifies Knightsbridge as one of London’s two International Centres, therefore suitable for growth of retail and complementary commercial uses. The Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy will make a direct contribution to nine (not housing) of the Westminster City Plan’s objectives:

1. Increase the stock of high-quality housing and provide variety in terms of size, type and tenure to meet need and promote mixed and inclusive communities, with a clear focus on affordability and family homes.

4. Broaden the city’s cultural offer, while managing the impacts of clusters of uses, and of the evening and night time economies on existing residential communities.

5. Enhance connections by improving options for cycling, walking, leisure, sport and play, whilst prioritising pedestrians and improving the interchange between transport modes and incorporating innovative solutions to manage the highway network.

6. Improve quality of life, climate resilience and tackle environmental challenges by protecting, enhancing, expanding our valuable network of parks and open spaces.

10. Make the most of our unique heritage and historic environment, while encouraging innovations in building technology and improving a sense of place.

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Healthy Streets

Transport plays a vital role in reducing health inequalities. Along with deteriorating air quality, noise and road casualties, sedentary lifestyles present significant health challenges. To address these issues, by 2041 the Mayor of London wants 80% of journeys to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport. Measures to achieve this target will improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions, revitalise high streets, moderate the unhealthy environment, and aid nature recovery. Taken together, the measures will make London more socially equitable.

The Healthy Streets Framework is adopted by the Mayor of London, TfL and Borough Councils as a way of looking at a street as a place. Whilst it can help facilitate radical, transformational change, it can also be a useful tool for reviewing the potential of tactical changes that, when aggregated, can lead to the delivery of a muchenhanced sense of place.

Transport for London uses the Healthy Streets Framework as a way of both informing and assessing the design of public realm and transport schemes against their key policy outcomes, and for the purposes of prioritising funding allocations across their investment portfolio. The output from a Healthy Streets assessment can help provide a robust narrative for the need for investment and, therefore, provide a useful balance against any impacts arising from proposals on the more traditional traffic movement, which have tended to form the basis of investment decisions in previous years.

Knightsbridge’s streets have a key role to play in delivering the Healthy Streets outcomes. Streets need to become inclusive environments that not only make walking and cycling possible, but they also need to be welcoming and attractive environments, to actively encourage this modal shift.

Climate Change and Carbon Emissions

The Mayor of London, RBKC and Westminster City Council have declared climate emergencies and have strategies for climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience. Similarly, the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Plan and Body of Evidence documents draw attention to the need to deliver carbon reduction in the local built environment. The public realm proposals in this strategy can play a key role in ensuring that Knightsbridge contributes to mitigating carbon emissions and is also resilient and more able to adapt to extreme weather conditions.

Energy Performance and Heat Supply of Buildings

Only 55% of commercial buildings in Knightsbridge have Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of ‘C’ or above. No buildings have an ‘A’ rating, and 16% have a very poor rating of ‘G’ or ‘F’. It’s important to note that, in addition to energy efficiency, the EPC rating also indicates the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from a building.

TfL Healthy Streets Wheel

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Air Quality

Brompton Road was recorded as breaching the hourly legal limit for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) for the whole of 2017 by 18 January of the same year. Whilst pollution levels have reduced in recent years as traffic levels have been impacted by pandemicrelated curbs, there is still cause for concern in the area. World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance released in 2021 calls for significant reductions in pollution, with NO2 not to exceed 25 μg/m3 24hour mean (current legal limit is 40μg/m3). The existing automatic monitoring unit on Knightsbridge (Scotch House Corner) regularly records averages exceeding 35μg/m3 .

In addition to NO2 , levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) are also high and have a negative impact on long-term respiratory health.

Future predictions for NO2 and PM concentrations for 2025 and 2030 indicate that they will exceed the UK and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, indicating further action will be required, which this Place and Public Realm Strategy can contribute towards.

It is important to note that although motor vehicles are a significant source of NO2 emissions, commercial buildings can also contribute to these.

Trees and Flood Risk

Tree coverage enhances the aesthetic of cities and has numerous economic, social and environmental benefits, including providing shade for people during heatwaves, mitigating flood risk, absorbing carbon and supporting biodiversity.

The map demonstrates that there are more trees towards the southern and western sections of Brompton Road. There is a distinct lack of trees on sections of Brompton Road, Knightsbridge and some residential streets.

Trees can also contribute to mitigating against flood risk in Knightsbridge. Although Knightsbridge does not sit within a flood risk zone, there are notable areas in Knightsbridge which are at higher risk of flooding.

A BRIEF LOOK AT A LONG PAST

1825 - Abolition of the century-old turnpike across the east end of Knightsbridge at Hyde Park Corner.

1831 - Founder Benjamin Harvey opens a linen shop on the corner of Knightsbridge and Sloane Street.

1849 - C.D. Harrods relocates his business to the southern side of Knightsbridge.

1862 - Brompton Road undergoes its first significant widening.

1883 - Harrods store burns down, prompting the building of their new store.

1893 to 1908 - The great rebuilding of the whole south side of Brompton Road between Sloane Street and Brompton Place.

1906 - Piccadilly railway opens to Knightsbridge and Brompton Road stations.

Post-1945 - Extensive redevelopment, especially to the northern side of Brompton Road, to large footprint offices and ground floor retail.

A BRIEF LOOK

AT A LONG PAST

Brompton Village - From Nurseries to Draperies

Before 1760, there was minimal development along Brompton’s turnpike road. The area was primarily dedicated to horticulture, much like Kensington, flourishing as nursery grounds with walled gardens and extensive cultivation. Amidst these gardens stood occasional cottages and numerous inns, akin to those seen along London’s main streets.

By the 1800s change had begun. In 1811, a survey documented the emergence of ‘New Brompton,’ just before a surge in construction. An illustration from this survey depicted houses on the north side of Brompton Road with spacious gardens, adorned with trees; few, as yet, were shops. Subsequently, in the boom of the 1820s, construction became denser, and by 1826–1829 ‘New Brompton’ welcomed its own church, Holy Trinity, slightly west of Brompton Square. The district was now distinct in character from its wellknown neighbours and continued to enjoy prosperity.

The first substantial widening of Brompton Road commenced in 1862 to facilitate access to the 1862 International Exhibition. This expansion led to the disappearance of the small front gardens and started to urbanise the feel of the street. Reflecting these alterations, Brompton Road received official recognition as a named road in 1863. After this, commercial interests along the street gathered pace, with Tattersalls, the renowned horse auctioneers, relocating behind Knightsbridge Green in 1864.

Between 1893 and 1908, an extensive reconstruction of the entire south side of Brompton Road, including Harrods, took place. Small local shops still existed such as Spikings the bakers which included a tearoom, but they were increasingly competing with higher-end shops such as drapers like Tudor Brothers, Gooch, Owles, and Beaumont. There were also several arcades near to Knightsbridge - Park Mansions Arcade (1897–1900), Brompton Arcade (1903–4), and Knightsbridge Station Arcade (1903–4) - whose building coincided with the opening of the Piccadilly underground railway in 1906.

This railway, offering stations close to ‘Knightsbridge’ and ‘Brompton Road,’ significantly increased the road’s commercial significance. Formerly accessible only by horse omnibus, the shopping district suddenly became readily reachable. Numerous photographs since 1900 portray bustling pavements and thriving traffic along this segment of Brompton Road during the workweek as the area prospered.

Brompton Road opposite Beauchamp Place, 1952 (a generous footpath with seating nestled among the trees)

Brompton Road with Harrods on the right, 1940 (note the level change detail)

3 Brompton Road with Knightsbridge Green on the left, 1955

4 Harrods store before the fire, mid-1800s

Knightsbridge and Brompton Road Map (1895)

A BRIEF LOOK AT A LONG PAST

Knights Bridge

A Mud-Ridden Hamlet of Old

Before the early 1800s London officially began at the Hyde Park Turnpike, situated until 1825 where Grosvenor Place meets Knightsbridge today; thus, Knightsbridge at that time was not in London.

Knights Bridge was never a parish or a manor, only a small hamlet, known from Saxon times as Kyngesburig, or Knightsbrigg. The bridge in question crossed the Westbourne River, one of London’s “lost rivers”, as it left Hyde Park, where it had been turned into the Serpentine. The Albert Gate of Hyde Park marks the point where it went under the road and William Street follows its line southwards.

If you had ventured this far in the time of the Tudors you would have encountered an appalling road, the “Waye to Reading”, mired so deep in mud that it contributed to the defeat of Sir Thomas Wyatt’s rebel army in the 1500s. Things did not greatly improve for centuries and even as late as 1842 reports describe pavements ankle-deep in mud.

Map from Cecil Aldin’s The Romance of the Road, early 1800s

Knightsbridge with statue of Lord Strathnairn (removed in 1931), 1903

Scotch House Corner, 1959

A BRIEF LOOK AT A LONG PAST

The last highway robbery on Knightsbridge was as late as 1799, after which a light horse patrol was sent out from the barracks to patrol the road, which was one of the earliest to have street lighting. In a “History of Knightsbridge” (1854 by Mr. Davis) it’s recorded that even after the armed patrols were instituted, “pedestrians walked to and from Kensington in bands sufficient to ensure mutual protection, starting their journey only at known intervals, of which a bell gave due warning.”

Cecil Aldin’s map on the previous page provides a snapshot of Knightsbridge at this time. East is at the top and we begin with the Hyde Park Corner tollgate and just before it, at the junction with Grosvenor Place, is St George’s Hospital. That is still there, but is now the Lanesborough Hotel. The Park Tower Hotel sits on the site of a house owned by Mr Lowndes and behind it, where Lowndes Square is now, was a rural pleasure garden. The entrance to Old Barrack Yard was the access to a field behind the roadside waste where the footguards’ barracks was built around 1760. Nearby was Trinity Chapel which functioned

as a hospital for the poor. Traditionally it was said to have taken in plague victims in 1665 and the dead were buried nearby under Knightsbridge Green at the present junction of Knightsbridge, Sloane Street and Brompton Road. This chapel was later moved to its current location further south along Brompton Road. The abolition in 1825 of the century-old turnpike across the east end of Knightsbridge at Hyde Park Corner removed a psychological as well as physical barrier between the hamlet and the rest of London.

Development from the late 1830s moved at an ever-increasing pace. The emphasis on architectural grandeur can be seen in the Italianate terraces of Rutland Gate and Princes Gate, and the mansions of Albert Gate.

By 1857, Knightsbridge could lay claim to some of the most prestigious and soughtafter addresses in London.

Harrods and Harvey

Nichols - Changing the face of Knightsbridge

In 1831, the influx of wealthy West Enders inspired Benjamin Harvey to establish a linen shop in a terraced house on the corner of Knightsbridge and Sloane Street. Mr Nichols was employed by Harvey and was eventually promoted to become a director in 1845. In 1848 he married Harvey’s niece.

Alongside this, between 1860 and 1889, C.D. Harrod was in the process of transforming a small grocer’s shop into a great department store. In 1889 Harvey Nichols & Co. expanded to create the iconic building that can be seen today.

Knightsbridge and Brompton Road, or at least their southern sides, were thus becoming fashionable for shopping. By 1884 Harrods’ custom could be described as ‘world-wide’. Its premises then consisted of motley additions to the original houses built on William Browne’s estate a hundred years earlier. In 1890 the construction of the new Harrods building began, changing the face of Brompton Road.

A BRIEF LOOK AT A LONG PAST

Knightsbridge Green

As the name suggests, once the village green for Knightsbridge, which held cattle markets and May dances, the Knightsbridge Green that can be seen today has been diminished and encroached upon by the surrounding development.

By 1857 the land was sold alongside the Tattersalls plot with plans showing it as apparently treeless, surrounded by a wall and iron railings. Plans by Westminster Vestry to plant the ‘vacant’ ground with trees in 1879 met with an angry response from local traders and cabmen who saw the improvement as likely to interfere with their business and they filled in the holes dug in preparation. By 1908 trees had been planted on the enclosure by Tattersalls. After the Second World War Tattersalls also undertook a restoration of the enclosure, creating a ‘Temple Garden’ with a bronze figure. Intended as a contribution to the 1951 Festival of Britain, this project was carried out by Ralph Hancock & Son, landscape architects of Park Mansions Arcade, under the direction of Tattersalls’ architects, Stone, Toms & Partners.

Today the ‘Green’, as popularly understood – the triangular remnant of open space off Brompton Road – is a nondescript traffic island, occupied by plane trees.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE TODAY 3.0

An Area of Contrasts

A detailed baseline analysis included in the study reveals Knightsbridge as an area of stark contrasts. Brompton Road’s bustling noise is such that it can overwhelm the senses, yet a mere street away, tranquillity prevails. This contrast underscores a distinct focus: Knightsbridge and Brompton Road serve as hubs for retail and traffic, while side streets offer peaceful retreats for residents, independent shops and local eateries.

Knightsbridge today has seven key features which either need to be celebrated or solved.

1. A unique global retail destination that is not fulfilling its international offer, customer experience and growth potential

2. A timeless character, undermined by traffic and management issues

3. A series of locally distinctive uses and places

4. A competition for space

5. A public realm with room for more

6. A dramatically inconsistent pedestrian experience

7. Beautiful architectural lighting, undermined by inadequate or insensitive highways lighting

KNIGHTSBRIDGE TODAY KNIGHTSBRIDGE TODAY

A Unique Global Retail Destination That Is Not Fulfilling

Its International

Offer, Customer Experience And Growth Potential

Attis developed a new framework to identify and appraise the characteristics of luxury destinations related to the needs of high-net-worth consumers. This framework includes a scoring system to understand where a destination is performing well and also to identify areas for improvement. This analysis shows that whilst Knightsbridge performs comparatively well in having a rich and authentic heritage experience for its visitors and residents, it currently underperforms in terms of supporting dwell time and pedestrian comfort.

The Luxury Destination Public Realm appraisal framework (next page) was specially developed for this project, and uses a nine-point criteria system to indicate the strengths of Knightsbridge and where it is underperforming against other luxury destinations.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

A Unique Global Retail Destination That Is Not Fulfilling Its International Offer, Customer Experience And Growth Potential

The luxury land uses map (next page) shows that there are considerable gaps between the luxury offers of Knightsbridge, which contrasts with the experience of visiting places such as Bond Street or Dubai Mall. When this is added to users having to negotiate very crowded footways, heavy traffic, noise and air pollution as well as exposure to risk of crime, Knightsbridge currently fails its visitors and local communities.

Vacant

Cluttered footways with limited spill-out space

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

A Timeless Character

Undermined By Traffic And Management Issues

Knightsbridge has an intrinsically timeless character, a character that’s strengthened by high-quality architecture, historic furniture pieces and shared experiences of its high-end shopping and hotel stays. This character, however, is let down by a number of management issues identified within the Attis Street Services Audit, 2022. In addition to this, the area has poor gateway experiences for both those using vehicular transport (public and private) and those on foot, with many of the gateways either creating left-over spaces or large junctions dominated by heavy traffic.

23 listed buildings within the study area

A Series of Locally Distinctive Uses And Places

Knightsbridge

Luxury Hotels, Leisure and Wellness

To the north of the study area along Knightsbridge, the use is primarily characterised by luxury hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, The Lanesborough and Bulgari. Externally, leisure uses complement these, such as the Grosvenor Casino, whilst internally, the hotels also provide a number of luxury restaurants and spas, such as The HVN.

Knightsbridge Luxury Retail

Along the southern edge of Brompton Road up to Scotch House Corner, luxury retail provides the predominant use. Harrods and Harvey Nichols are the best-known along Brompton Road / Knightsbridge, whilst numerous global brand boutiques are located on Sloane Street.

Brompton Road High Street

To the centre and northern side of Brompton Road the offer moves to more of a typical high street, with a core café offer centred around the northern raised section of Brompton Road and Montpelier Street. The larger footprint units opposite Hans Road are taken up by shops and banks such as Little Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and HSBC.

Beauchamp Place and Walton Street Independent

The side streets of Beauchamp Place and Walton Street with their lower traffic levels and smaller retail footprints provide the perfect spot for a number of highend local and independent shops, cafés and restaurants. At Walton Street near Brompton Road south these start to be interspersed with more global brands, however the overall independent feel is retained.

Brompton Design District

Initiated by South Kensington Estates together with a cluster of design retailers and local cultural institutions, the District was established in 2007 to foster a space where new design can flourish. Aided by the District, the area that stretches from Yeoman’s Row to Fulham Road in the south, and also encompasses the V&A and Natural History Museum, is now a leading international design destination.

Motcomb Street

Motcomb Street is timed traffic-free, with servicing access only in the morning. This has been transformed by Grosvenor into the charming pedestrian street seen today, providing on-street cafés and restaurants as well as independent boutiques and retailers.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

A Competition For Space

With Brompton Road and Knightsbridge being part of the TLRN, there is an inherent competition for space between private cars, taxis, buses, unlicensed pedicabs, HGVs, LGVs, cyclists and pedestrians. Layered over this need for movement space are the retail shops, cafés, restaurants, hotels and pubs that are also vying for outdoor spill-out space, alongside the requirements of every street for good lighting, seating, planting, litter bins, cycle stands and highways features.

Where space is tight this comes to a head when the space isn’t carefully balanced and managed.

A high-level pedestrian comfort assessment was undertaken using the footway pinch-point on each footway block and peak hour footfall from a neutral month. This helps to illustrate where there are either footway clutter issues or footway width issues to resolve.

Air pollution levels exceed WHO guidelines 90% of the time

Dioxide- December 2022-2023 (WHO guideline 10mg/m³)

The study found areas with high levels of footway crowding, which may also contribute to road safety risk and potential for street crime.

Each place and its users will have their unique requirements of public space, highways and kerbside. Knightsbridge has a higher than average number of visitors arriving by chauffeur, taxi or private hire. This strategy and the public realm designs cater for this need, while also delivering better management of these trips for the benefit of visitors and the area as a whole.

Footway Pedestrian Comfort Level

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

A Public Realm With Room For More

The benefits of high-quality public realm in the Knightsbridge area can be seen on Motcomb Street and its adjacent plaza, which provide well-used, pedestrianfriendly spaces.

The green spaces of Knightsbridge generally are either for private residents’ use or owned by institutions. Consequently, there is no public green space within the 22 hectare study area. This absence of open green space is compounded by a lack of trees and planting along key roads, in particular Brompton Road.

Hyde Park sits just to the north of the study area, however the pedestrian links from Knightsbridge and Brompton Road are unclear for those who don’t know the area well.

Other spaces such as Knightsbridge Green have no clearly defined use and are taken up by vehicular movement and parking.

The Hyde Park Corner vehicular underpass has space above that could work harder, contributing to biodiversity net gain while also creating an attractive gateway to Knightsbridge.

No public green space within the study area

Spaces with no clear use (such as Knightsbridge Green)

Limited publicly-accessible spaces

Pockets of high-quality public realmMotcomb Street and Plaza

Lack of planting and tree cover

Double-parking and idling Hire bikes blocking footways

Cluttered bollards on narrow pavement

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

A Dramatically Inconsistent Pedestrian Experience

The area suffers from footpaths which have limited seating opportunities and a range of barriers to pedestrian movement. The level changes to the northern side of Brompton Road create a challenge for accessibility, whilst two-stage and signalised pedestrian crossings prevent priority access across Brompton Road and Knightsbridge, in some cases creating waiting times of over 4 minutes to cross. From Hyde Park Corner to William Street (200m) there are no crossings; when combined with the underpass this creates a feeling of severance. The numerous side streets to the southern side of Brompton Road create regular locations where pedestrians need to stop and wait for queuing traffic to clear or cars to pass, creating an interrupted pedestrian experience.

Only 13 seats within the study area

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Beautiful Architectural Lighting, Undermined By Inadequate Or Insensitive Highways Lighting

In general, the quality of the lit environment along Brompton and Knightsbridge Roads (between Hyde Park Corner and Harrods) is of a high standard, with both ‘public’ and ‘privately-owned’ lighting schemes working in harmony to create a welcoming destination by night. However, there is room for improvement, with some streets, especially within the residential areas, feeling darker in contrast. Additionally, there is inconsistency with the amenity street lighting that needs to be addressed, with some areas feeling warm, while others feel excessively cold. Highway lighting dominates the eastern end of Brompton Road, which in turn creates a flat, uninspiring backdrop that limits economic opportunities after dusk, such as outdoor dining. Similar issues were noted along several of the side streets.

Opportunity to create a ‘welcoming’ meeting point

Opportunity to ‘soften’ backdrop with lighting to trees

Unlit areas create the perception of an unsafe environment

“ Knightsbridge is one of the jewels in London’s real estate crown

– supporting our role as a global city, employing thousands of people and attracting visitors from across the world.

“ Knightsbridge Partnership does vital work to support the area. Their Healthy Streets proposal will help ensure a thriving future, providing Londoners including local residents with a better, safer and cleaner environment, new jobs and new business opportunities, as we work towards a fairer London for everyone.”

“ The Knightsbridge Partnership’s much-needed strategy for the area outlines how it will enhance the public realm for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors while sensitively protecting and restoring the neighbourhood’s architecture and heritage features.”

“ The much-anticipated public realm and sustainable transport proposals for Knightsbridge will play an important role in creating a fairer and more sustainable environment for everyone who visits, works, or lives in Knightsbridge.”

HOWARD DAWBER

Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth

MELVILLE HAGGARD

Chair, The Knightsbridge Association

COUNCILLOR PAUL DIMOLDENBERG Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality,

City Council

CO-DESIGN AND ENGAGEMENT

Engagement Approach

This section summarises the engagement activities and feedback received. The full engagement feedback is provided in Appendix D.

The goal for the Knightsbridge Partnership was to co-create a place and public realm strategy for the Knightsbridge area in collaboration with residents, representatives from community groups, local property owners, businesses, TfL and local authorities.

To do this, the Knightsbridge Partnership hosted a series of engagement activities (outlined below). Working with the Knightsbridge Partnership, the project team identified a wide range of stakeholders and representative groups. Each group was invited to participate in multiple engagement activities and events to ensure that their voices were heard.

10,000 flyers were distributed to residential and commercial properties across the area to promote the engagement activities and ensure that we captured the views of residents and workers alongside businesses and shoppers.

A range of engagement activities were established, including an online survey (available in nine languages), a drop-in session, walking tours, a focus group for UAE Emirati women, meetings, presentations to community groups, the RBKC Youth Council, RBKC Access Disability Group and three co-design workshops.

ENGAGEMENT

ENGAGEMENT

Understanding Our Stakeholders

173 people completed the online survey, 12 people attended the drop-in session, presentations were delivered to 10 community groups and forums, and 46 local stakeholders attended at least one co-design workshop. A wide range of stakeholders were heard from, predominantly people who shop or socialise in the district as well as those who live and work there.

Knightsbridge faces competition from many other shopping destinations both in London and further afield. Chief among these are the King’s Road / Chelsea, Bond Street / Mayfair and Covent Garden areas, due to the range of shops, hospitality and leisure options available, as well as the ease of getting to and around these areas.

The majority of people who completed the online survey either walk to the district (37%) or take the Tube (36%). A minority arrive by car (9%) and taxi (2%).

It is likely that high-net-worth individuals didn’t fill out the survey, their primary mode of travel is by car and private taxi.

How do you usually get to Knightsbridge?

Respondents were asked to choose their main mode of transport.

The majority of people travel sustainably to Knightsbridge.

How People Feel About The Area

Survey respondents were asked to rate Knightsbridge as a place to live, work or visit, and to say whether their view has changed over time. 69% of respondents described the area as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, and only 8% described it as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ (the rest said it was ‘OK’).

Respondents said that they appreciate Knightsbridge’s shops, its overall feeling of safety and cleanliness, with amenities catering well to tourists and international shoppers.

However, when asked to say how the area has changed since they have been living, working or socialising there, 31% said it has worsened (46% said it had stayed the same, and only 24% believe it has improved). They gave many reasons for this, but concerns about traffic dominance, air pollution and crime were frequently shared, particularly by residents.

How would you say Knightsbridge has changed since you have been living in, working in or visiting the area?

No timeframe was specified - this was relative to the respondents.

ENGAGEMENT

Priorities For Change

Survey respondents were asked what they liked and disliked about the district, and their priorities for change. They said that traffic noise and air pollution are serious problems, but they also generally felt that the district is an interesting and enjoyable place in which to spend time.

They were also asked to prioritise a range of interventions to improve the public realm in Knightsbridge. The top priority (suggested by almost half of all respondents) was adding gardens and other green spaces, and planting trees. Improvements to the pedestrian environment were the next highest priorities: increasing footway widths, repairing pavements and removing street clutter. These findings were consistent with earlier research conducted by the Knightsbridge Partnership; greening and planting, followed by pavement improvements, topped the list of priorities for all stakeholders, including residents.

What are the top three things that you think would have the biggest positive impact on the district?

ENGAGEMENT

The top four responses directly relate to improvements that this Place and Public Realm Strategy can deliver, with more green spaces and wider footways as the top improvements requested by survey respondents.

Co-Design Workshops

The Knightsbridge Partnership hosted a series of co-design workshops, attended by representatives of local businesses, residents, community organisations, Transport for London and the boroughs.

The first session highlighted the reasons why people love Knightsbridge and what aspects they appreciate and wish to preserve. These include the district’s unique sense of place and culture, its heritage architecture and the high-quality retail offer.

The second workshop sought to understand the main issues and challenges facing users of the public realm. These included the cluttered streetscape, lack of trees and greenery, poor air quality, traffic and perceptions of crime. Participants were asked to discuss and prioritise the identified issues and consider ways to mitigate them.

In the third workshop, research findings were shared, along with the proposed interventions for Brompton Road /

Knightsbridge and details of the smaller neighbourhood schemes. Participants were invited to share feedback on proposed schemes and indicate which ones they supported. They were overwhelmingly supportive of the proposals also sharing useful feedback to help the design team shape the outline plans for Knightsbridge. The feedback provided at these events has been incorporated into all the interventions proposed in this document.

What was clear from the workshops is that stakeholders are passionate about the district and are keen to safeguard the qualities that give Knightsbridge its unique culture and appeal. However, there is wide agreement that improvement is possible and necessary.

Consistent themes for improvement are:

Aesthetics

Pavement materials, street furniture, clutter

Greening Tree planting and green spaces

Pedestrian experience Wider pavements, safer crossings, lower air pollution

Crime and safety Designing out crime, improved feeling of safety

Inclusive Luxury

The vision for Knightsbridge is in its nature ambitious...

A luxury global destination that rebalances the needs of people and nature, inviting people to spend time in its historic streets and places and to return again and again.

Improves Links

To Hyde Park, Mayfair And The West End

DELIVERS A THRIVING KNIGHTSBRIDGE ECONOMY

Creates Spectacular Gateways Unlocks Neighbourhood Streets Increases Green Space, Trees And Biodiversity TRANSFORMS BROMPTON ROAD AND KNIGHTSBRIDGE INTO A HEALTHY CORRIDOR AND PLACE

CELEBRATES THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE CHARACTER AND HERITAGE

VISION

Objectives

1. Delivers A Thriving Knightsbridge Economy That Leads Internationally As A Luxury Destination

2. Celebrates, Protects and Enhances The Knightsbridge Area’s Unique Character and Heritage Knightsbridge has an instantly recognisable character which should be celebrated and enhanced within the strategy to create a unified scheme which is rooted in place.

4. Creates A Safe and Welcoming Place For All Travelling through and within Knightsbridge and Brompton Road should be enjoyable for all. New designs should seek to design out crime, remove dark spots and create an area that feels safe no matter what the time of day.

3. Transforms Brompton Road and Knightsbridge into a Healthy Corridor and Place Brompton Road will be transformed into a truly world-class destination. Space is reassigned for people and nature to flourish, while traffic continues to flow, creating a welcoming place to stroll through and spend time.

5. Unlocks The Potential of Neighbourhood Streets As Places To Dwell and Enjoy Side streets will complement the uses along Brompton Road and Knightsbridge, and reinforce the overall character of the Knightsbridge area. Supporting existing businesses, increasing greening and providing a contrast to the main shopping streets.

6. Improves Wayfinding and Links To The Park, Mayfair and The West End Hyde Park is to be drawn into the Place Strategy. Green fingers will stretch down passageways into Knightsbridge and beyond. New or relocated pedestrian crossings will enhance access across Knightsbridge and ensure the passageways are welcoming, connecting Knightsbridge to the West End.

7. Creates Spectacular Gateways Create spectacular gateways into Knightsbridge which will provide a clear sense of arrival to a distinctive International Destination. People will know they have arrived in Knightsbridge. 8. Increases Green Space, Trees and Biodiversity More trees and planting will be located sensitively to increase biodiversity and climate resilience within Knightsbridge. Some side streets could be closed to through traffic to provide more space for pedestrians and existing businesses to spill-out.

“ I commend the Knightsbridge Partnership for convening partners and residents to work together, which has resulted in an ambitious and deliverable strategy for the area. The strategy can contribute to sustaining the status of Knightsbridge as a globally significant luxury destination and also as a delightful place to live.”

“ The collaborative approach to design at each stage has engaged residents, amenity societies, the neighbourhood forum, businesses and the area’s two local councils and TfL. This has resulted in a remarkable shared vision and strategy that can create a truly sustainable place to live and ensure Knightsbridge retains its international status as a luxury district.”

CEM KEMAHLI

Cabinet Member for Planning and Public Realm

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

SIMON BIRKETT

Chair, Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum

THE STRATEGY

As other luxury global destinations and centres compete for Ultra High-Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWI) and aspirational markets, Knightsbridge needs to communicate its distinctiveness as the authentic home of luxury. For all audiences, Knightsbridge must remain synonymous with an experience that feels special and varied, a distinct area linked together by its streets and public spaces.

This section sets out the integrated strategy, which complements the public realm proposals, to delight existing and new visitors in a way that reflects the area’s luxury offer, amplifies the area’s distinctive Britishness and high standards, while also addressing some of the built environment challenges of the 21st Century.

The Strategy has been refined into five strands:

FLAGSHIP SCHEME A FAMILY OF PROJECTS PLACEMAKING KNIGHTSBRIDGE PLACE

ILLUSTRATIVE PLAN THE STRATEGY

Flagship Scheme

Brompton Road and Knightsbridge

* Raised crossings with high-quality paving

* Generous arrival space with public art to Hans Crescent

* Introduction of street planting trees and rain gardens

* Widened footways allow for improved spill-out space from adjacent businesses

* Grand crossing at Harrods

* Tree planting to carefully frame western frontage of Harrods

* New seating terrace to northern level change, steps to utilise level change; enhance alfresco dining on upper terrace

* Widen and declutter footpaths

3. Brompton Road Central - Widened footways, new low-level planting, sociable seating and realigned crossings transform the central section of Brompton Road. Connecting south and north to create a cohesive and enjoyable experience

4. Knightsbridge Green - Potential to create a new public square off Brompton Road and restore the historic importance of the space. Timed servicing access provided northbound through the space

5. Scotch House Corner - Better traffic management, additional crossings to improve safety and accessibility, additional public realm and potential for public art

6. Hyde Park Corner Gateway - Gateway public realm with new public art, greening and enhanced pedestrian underpasses (cleansing, lighting, security, art, wayfinding)

A Family of Projects:

Key projects on Brompton Road:

1. South Kensington Gateway - Improved connections with South Kensington through new wayfinding opportunities and improved pedestrian footways

2. Brompton High Pavement - New lowlevel footpath created with widened high pavement allowing increased space for café and restaurant outdoor dining

Key Projects

7. Montpelier Street - Opportunity to relocate the central taxi rank, widen footways and establish new planting and trees to create a garden gateway to Brompton Road

8. Yeoman’s Row - Northern portion of the street could be closed to through-traffic with servicing access only. New space for spill-out, localised seating and planting

Neighbourhood Projects

9. Hans Road - Widened footways, better and increased drop-off for Harrods customers and additional planting

10. Basil Street South - Rationalised parking and potential for new zebra crossings at Hans Road and Walton Street junctions

11. Raphael Street - New neighbourhood street with trees, planting and social seating

12. Pavilion Road - Pedestrian route improvements to Basil Street from Sloane Square

13. Sloane Street - Northern tie-in with Scotch House Corner scheme

14. South Carriage Drive - (Royal Parks scheme) Reopened to provide segregated cycling and one-way eastbound traffic Projects by Partners

15. Beauchamp Place - Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

16. Basil Street North - Knightsbridge Estates

17. Egerton Street - South Kensington Estates

18. Hans Crescent - Knightsbridge Estates and Harrods

THE STRATEGY

Brompton Road and Knightsbridge FLAGSHIP SCHEME

Brompton Road lies in one of London’s busiest areas, yet people are confined to narrow and cluttered pavements. It is an unrelentingly hostile environment for anyone who works, visits or lives in the area.

Existing: The transition from Hyde Park Corner into Knightsbridge is currently overshadowed by the wide carriageways and dominance of motor traffic. This causes severance between Knightsbridge and Belgravia into Hyde Park and beyond; also there is no pedestrian crossing point between Hyde Park Corner and Albert Gate (400m). There is a lack of places for vehicles to stop without obstructing traffic and there are areas with narrow traffic lanes that cause friction.

Also, to the west of Scotch House Corner, the closure of Edinburgh Gate to motor traffic means that the large signalised junction there is not required; this opens up the potential to address the issue of the single eastbound traffic lane and lack of a pedestrian crossing at Knightsbridge Green and Park Close.

Along Brompton Road Central there is a ~17m wide carriageway with congested footways and some of the pedestrian crossings are staggered and awkward to use. This space could be used more efficiently - to either to improve vehicle movement or to provide more space on the footways. There is a large amount of taxi, private hire and chauffeur demand for road space outside Harrods and this can create friction, particularly westbound in the afternoon and evening. The small isolated footway build-out, wide islands, bus stand and tour bus stop exacerbate these issues.

Overarching Proposed: The Place and Public Realm Strategy’s vision re-imagines

Brompton Road as a truly world-class destination. Space is reassigned for people and nature to flourish, while traffic continues to flow, creating an attractive and welcoming place to stroll through and spend time.

The Knightsbridge and Brompton Road corridor should be:

A Thriving Street

A celebration of Knightsbridge that competes internationally to attract and retain visitors. Elegant and stylish, international, yet also quintessentially British.

A Healthy Street

With generous and decluttered pavements and priority crossings. One that feels exclusive yet is accessible and welcomes everyone.

A Sociable Street

With opportunities for incidental seating and alfresco dining, with views to the architecture, nature and people-watching.

A Green and Resilient Street

With biodiverse rain gardens that reinforce a refined elegance. Trees provide a processional grandeur, cleanse and cool the air, offer shade and seasonal colour and climate resilience.

Eltham, London

Champs-Élysées, Paris

Passeig De St Joan Boulevard, Barcelona

George Street, Edinburgh

THE STRATEGY

1. Existing bus stop location retained

2. Single-stage crossing moved westwards to link with Knightsbridge Green

3. Additional greening and trees along northern pavement and barracks walls

4. Scotch House Corner redesign (refer to Gateway Projects), opportunity for new public art within central island that could showcase Tattersall horse statues from 1 Knightsbridge Green

5. Raised crossovers to side streets to provide consistent pedestrian experience

6. Footway widened surrounding Knightsbridge Station entrance and single-stage crossing on Sloane Street 7. Formalised

Knightsbridge Green

Harvey Nichols

15. Knightsbridge Green (refer to Key Projects)

16. Hans Crescent (refer to Projects by Others)

17. Montpelier Street (refer to Key Projects)

18. Beauchamp Place (refer to Projects by Others)

19. Hans Road (refer to Neighbourhood Projects)

20. Yeoman’s Row (refer to Key Projects)

21. Basil Street North (refer to Projects by Others)

22. Widened footway with new trees and sociable seating at higher level

Brompton Road - Then

FLAGSHIP SCHEME THE STRATEGY

Brompton Road - Future

As recently as 1940, Brompton Road enjoyed wide pavements, a smaller carriageway and no street clutter. The northern level change was taken up by a series of steps within the footway, and space was still provided for pick-up and dropoff from adjacent businesses.

1. Elegant detailing: Unifying and celebrating Knightsbridge.

2. Raised terrace: Mitigating level change with raised planters, alfresco dining on the upper level and informal seating steps to dwell and soak up the atmosphere.

3. Widened and decluttered footway: Improving safety and comfort for pedestrians.

4. More crossings: Enhancing ease of movement across Knightsbridge with 10m wide raised crossings.

5. Rationalised carriageway: Better junction, lane and kerbside-use design to reduce congestion with warm-toned surface finish to look less like a road.

6. Ribbons of nature: Establishing resilient and sustainable systems, rain gardens, connected tree canopies and habitats for pollinators and wildlife, with inset loading bays for servicing businesses.

7. Celebrated luxury retail: Supporting the growth of the International Centre with an ecosystem of retail, hospitality and cultural adjacencies.

Historic image of Harrods and Brompton Road, 1940

View looking east towards Harrods

THE STRATEGY

FLAGSHIP SCHEME

South Kensington Gateway

Existing: When travelling east from Thurloe Place and Exhibition Road, the pedestrian experience can be inconsistent. The surrounding architecture is outstanding, with the V&A Museum, London Oratory and The Rembrandt Hotel bordering Thurloe Place. The mature Plane trees also provide a positive feel to the street, however Thurloe Place is 21m wide leading up to Brompton Road, creating an intimidating experience for the pedestrian. This makes the area feel disorientating, with no

clear destinations when looking towards Brompton Road.

Brompton Design District signage during the London Design Festival. Potential to have a strong visual identity year-round that draws people along Thurloe Place and further north along Brompton Road

Proposed: New wayfinding would help to locate visitors and provide a clear direction of travel. The relatively short walking distance between South Kensington Station and Knightsbridge Station should be celebrated, with the transformed Brompton Road providing a more inviting and pedestrian-friendly environment to walk within. Opportunity to integrate lighting into the signage to increase night-time interest and create a more inviting gateway

ThurloePlace

FLAGSHIP SCHEME THE STRATEGY

Brompton Road South & High Pavement

Existing: The High pavement along Brompton Road should celebrate, rather than restrict, the mature Plane trees along its edge. The footpath here is tight, with competition for space between the cafés and restaurants, pedestrians, and trunks of the trees themselves. Access is limited to ramps at either end. The carriageway is wide and while capacity westbound on the approach to junctions is important, the sections in between have excess capacity. The pedestrian crossings are all staggered, which creates severance for people walking in the area; it also means wide islands in the middle of the street limiting footway width at the sides. Along the southern edge there are many priority-controlled side roads which have varying levels of traffic flow, but all pose problems for pedestrians enjoying Brompton Road. Vehicles turning in and out of these are transitioning between strategic roads and neighbourhood streets and the attention is often on vehicles rather than people walking.

Proposed: The level change along the high pavement introduces an opportunity to create a space that provides views across Brompton Road to Harrods. The pavement would be increased in width to provide extra alfresco dining opportunities for the existing businesses whilst ensuring that the footway feels comfortable and inviting. The existing trees would be retained and given extra space at their base to ensure that they continue to thrive. Terraced planters with integrated seating, accessible ramps and steps would enhance the access relationship with the upper pavement to Brompton Road.

Along the southern side of Brompton Road, pedestrian priority would be given at junctions to provide a consistent and continuous footpath. New biodiverse rain gardens and trees would be planted where possible to ensure that the street is responding to climate change and providing increased shading on both sides.

Soft lighting would emanate from the inside of the planters, discreetly accentuating the soft landscape. Along the tree-lined boulevard, lighting would illuminate the tree canopies, casting captivating shadows and enriching the environment with depth. Street lighting would envelop the environment in a warm and welcoming glow, ensuring a positive atmosphere.

Champs-Élysées, Paris

View looking east towards Harrods

Existing

Illustrative design proposal - daytime

Existing

FLAGSHIP SCHEME

Brompton Road Central

Existing: Brompton Road Central is an area of magnificent views towards Harrods, contrasted with poor-quality northern footpaths which suffer from pinch-points, lower-quality façades, large footprint commercial buildings and two-stage staggered crossings over to the south.

Proposed: Brompton Central will be ‘the’ arrival space from Knightsbridge station. Decluttered, high-quality footways would invite people to shop, socialise and soak up the historic surrounding architecture.

THE STRATEGY

FLAGSHIP SCHEME

Knightsbridge Green

Existing: Dating back to the original days of Brompton Road, Knightsbridge Green today reflects little of its interesting history and importance in the area. It is a space dominated by traffic movement and parking on all sides; and the existing Plane trees are restricted rather than celebrated. The historic route north through Knightsbridge Green passageway overwhelms the busy square.

THE STRATEGY

FLAGSHIP SCHEME

Proposed: Knightsbridge Green would be returned to being a green enclave along Brompton Road. A space that provides seating under the shade of the historic Planes, new planting and space for alfresco café seating. The road would be closed and usable for timed deliveries only, removing the queueing traffic and parking within the Green.

Warm lighting is proposed to improve aesthetics, safety and usability, creating a welcoming environment for pedestrians and visitors. Recessed lighting would be implemented in the seating area to highlight and accentuate the benches, as well as framing the surrounding trees. Additionally, decorative lighting would be strategically placed around the tree canopy to draw attention and create a welcoming sense of place after dark.

View looking west towards Harrods showing enhancements to Knightsbridge Green and Brompton Road.

Existing

Illustrative design proposal - evening

Sloane

THE STRATEGY

FLAGSHIP SCHEME

Hyde Park Corner Gateway

Existing: Encompassing Hyde Park Corner, this stretch of Knightsbridge epitomises the historic split between central London and West London. This in-between space is overpowered by the underpass and confusing for pedestrians arriving at Hyde Park Corner. Whilst the northern side is bound by the perimeter of Hyde Park, the southern side is made up of luxury hotels, embassies and high-end healthcare facilities. The central reservation to the underpass is currently under-utilised for such an important gateway into Knightsbridge.

Proposed: Improvements are needed to this gateway to create the luxury experience and welcome when arriving in Knightsbridge; potential opportunities that could be explored further include:

• International competition for worldclass sculpture to reflect and celebrate Knightsbridge

• Opportunity to play with light, colour and typography to create a destination entrance

• Longer-term viability and usefulness of pedestrian underpass could be explored

• Opportunity for increased biodiversity with new planting and trees to enhance the arrival experience

Public street sculpture, Israel

Barbara Grygutis: Dawn’s Silver Lining, Arizona Helaine Blumenfeld: Canary Wharf

Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong: CURRENT, New York

Grey to Green, Sheffield

THE STRATEGY A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Key Project: Montpelier Street

Existing: Montpelier Street is located on the north side of Brompton Road. Its current role is largely to support parking for residents, pay and display, moto/scooters, taxis and hire bicycles. All of this leaves little space for the adjacent businesses to make full use of their shopfronts or for pedestrians to enjoy the space. There is currently a small flower kiosk near to Brompton Road. The architecture surrounding the space is largely intact from the 1900s onwards, providing a sense of place and historic charm.

Montpelier Street

BromptonRoad

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF

PROJECTS

Proposed: The central taxi rank to Montpelier Street would be relocated to Brompton Road. Footways could be widened to create space for alfresco dining, trees and wildflower gardens, enhancing this gateway and celebrating its florist street stall. Accessible parking would be retained, whilst loading bays would ensure adjacent businesses still have their access requirements catered for. New rain gardens and trees would be implemented where possible, along with localised seating opportunities and new lighting to make the street more inviting. It is recommended that the Santander cycle stand be relocated further along the street away from the entrance to Brompton Road to improve visibility.

Warm street lighting would set a cosy tone, while accent lighting in green spaces, like tree areas, would utilise recessed upward lighting to showcase the natural allure of the trees, their shape and texture, enhancing visual intrigue. This lighting would create captivating shadows and contrasts, while also enriching the overall atmosphere. Architectural lighting would delicately highlight design features on facades, improving visual appeal and establishing the unique identity and character of buildings, reinforcing their presence and value within their environment.

Boulevards du Centre, Brussels

Korenmarkt Square, Belgium

Elizabeth Street, London

Increased Biodiversity and Planting

Illustrative design proposal - daytime

Existing

Illustrative design proposal - evening

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Key Project: Yeoman’s Row

Existing: Known largely for ‘The Bunch of Grapes’ pub which sits on its corner with Brompton Road. Yeoman’s Row south is a mainly residential terrace with no vehicular access through to Walton Street. The highend Giovanni and Hawksmoor Knightsbridge restaurants sit near the junction with Egerton Gardens Mews. The surrounding architecture is largely intact from before the 1900s, underpinning the street’s historic character.

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Proposed: By closing the access to through traffic, space would be created for new seating, planting and trees. Spill-out table and chair seating from The Bunch of Grapes pub would enliven the space throughout the day, and with careful licensing ensure that disruption during the night is minimised. Catenary lighting would give an invitational feel to the space and ensure that it feels safe for all to use.

Warm lighting is proposed to improve aesthetics, safety and usability, creating a welcoming environment by night. Recessed lighting would be implemented in the tree areas to highlight them. In addition, decorative lighting has been proposed to give identity to the street and contributing to the overall ambiance of an outdoor space, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for gatherings or events.

Stationstraat, Belgium Blanchedown Road, London

Kampus, Manchester San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

Illustrative design proposal - daytime

Existing

Illustrative design proposal - evening

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Neighbourhood Project: Basil Street South

Existing: Despite Harrods’ global reputation for its luxury shopping experience, the streets that surround it are largely disappointing as a pedestrian experience. The streets are dominated by cars and parking, and do little to celebrate the history and grandeur of their high-profile neighbour. Small luxury boutiques are situated along Hans Road (West), and the popular Harry’s Dolce Vita restaurant sits on Basil Street’s southern corner, opposite an inviting cafe experience at Harrods. The streets also afford a view towards St Saviour’s Church along Walton Street, giving a glimpse into the quintessential residential streets to the south of Brompton Road.

Proposed: These streets serve a vital function as the arrival point to Harrods for many of its visitors. The kerbside would be rearranged to increase space for taxi ranks, chauffeur and private hire drop-off areas. The high-quality paving that exists around Harrods would be extended to enhance the arrival experience and improve the setting to Harrods. There is an opportunity to reduce the width of the corner to Basil Street North and provide an enhanced arrival space at the chauffeur pick-up and dropoff at the southern end of Hans Crescent.

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Existing: Due to the nature of Harrods’ influence, the existing situation along Hans Road is very similar to Basil Street South. There is currently a small enclave of businesses on the corner of the Brompton Road junction whilst the rest of the western side of the street are residential mansion blocks.

Proposed: Taxi ranks and private vehicle dropoff are prioritised along the Harrods side of the street, which would reduce friction and traffic queues across the wider area. Residents’ parking would be retained along Hans Road, whilst some pay and display spaces would be removed to make space for the taxi rank. This would open up the crossing and reduce future conflict between pedestrians and taxis. The street would benefit from widened footways and low-level planting, which ensures views of the surrounding architecture are retained. To the junction with Basil Street new zebra crossings would provide pedestrian priority.

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Neighbourhood Project: Raphael

Street & Lancelot Place

Existing: Raphael Street is a street primarily used for servicing and local access, however there is also a lot of ‘rat-running’ by vehicles moving northbound along Brompton Road. The overpass to Raphael Street makes this area feel uninviting. Hidden gems in the form of the Tattersalls pub, Signor Sassi restaurant, and Nolita Social bar are located along the passageway and to the corner of Raphael Street/ Knightsbridge Green.

Proposed: Raphael Street would be a new neighbourhood street with new low-level planting and trees. New ground floor uses within the future BEAM scheme at 1 Knightsbridge Green and the Criterion scheme would enliven the Green, whilst the removal of the overpass would reconnect the street with Knightsbridge Green. The pedestrian link north to Hyde Park would be emphasised with new trees and shared footway space.

BromptonRoad

THE STRATEGY

Carriage Drive A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Neighbourhood Project: South

Existing: Motor vehicle access to South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park has decreased over recent years prompting a Sunday closure, to a weekend closure, and more recently a full closure. This has helped to create an improved walking and cycling environment through the park but has also increased pressure on the Knightsbridge area traffic network; it has also constrained the potential for improvements.

One of the key reasons for the closure of South Carriage Drive was the conflict between pedestrians and cyclists that was created at the north side of Queen Elizabeth Gate when the Park Lane cycle track was introduced.

Proposed: If South Carriage Drive were to be reopened to one-way motor traffic only, eastbound for example, this would allow for full separation of pedestrians, cyclists and motor traffic at Queen Elizabeth Gate while causing a lower level of impact in the Knightsbridge area. This could potentially be limited to taxis, servicing vehicles, and/or EVs at certain times of day, if desired.

The proposal by the Royal Parks also allows for improved pedestrian crossings and a more continuous and legible provision for people cycling through the area.

THE STRATEGY A FAMILY OF PROJECTS

Existing: Pavilion Road runs parallel to Sloane Street and connects south to Sloane Square station and Chelsea beyond. This previously little-known gem has come to the fore in recent years after the southern portion of the street between Cadogan Gate and Symons Street was successfully pedestrianised in 2021. This area now provides space for independent shopping and cafés to create a ‘village hub’.

Moving north, past the pedestrianisation, there are beautiful pockets of the old mews houses still intact, however the junctions are still busy, with no pedestrian priority.

Proposed: Small interventions at the junctions would make a big difference in making Pavilion Road more walkable and inviting. New raised tables and priority crossings would slow vehicle speeds and improve safety for pedestrians in a residential area. Pavilion Road could provide a quiet, residential connection to Basil Street to complement the shopping experience on Sloane Street.

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS - BY OTHERS

Egerton Street

South Kensington Estates

Exploring the opportunity to create a tranquil public realm and garden space, with seating and wildflowers, and a sustainable transport hub, which could provide electric vehicle charging points and safe cycle parking for the residents of adjacent mansion blocks.

Basil Street North

Knightsbridge Estates

Knightsbridge Estates

Basil Street North between Pavilion

Road and Sloane Street. Knightsbridge Estates and RBKC are delivering public realm improvements including a trafficfree public space and additional greening and seating in this area to improve the link from Sloane Street west.

THE STRATEGY

A FAMILY OF PROJECTS - BY OTHERS

Beauchamp Place

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Beauchamp Place is an iconic street in the heart of Knightsbridge, historically known for its fashion boutiques and antique shops. RBKC has undertaken a consultation exercise to assess a series of interventions that would give the local community and visitors a highquality space to enjoy and provide a pleasant setting for the vibrant collection of shops, restaurants and small businesses. The proposals include widening the pavements, improving the street surface, introducing traffic-calming measures and planting new trees.

Hans Crescent

Knightsbridge Estate and Harrods

Hans Crescent has been redesigned to draw people down into the Crescent, introducing more greenery, making the space feel more welcoming and providing a sense of direction to the retail premises along the Crescent. The scheme should be starting on-site in late 2025.

Hans Crescent visual looking east from Brompton Road (Andy Sturgeon Design)

Beauchamp Place visual (RBKC)

THE STRATEGY

PLACEMAKING KNIGHTSBRIDGE

The ‘Knightsbridge Welcome’ Creating a ‘Wellness District’

The ‘Knightsbridge Welcome’ is the consistent place-based approach to providing excellent customer service and creating memorable experiences for visitors to Knightsbridge. The visitor to the FiveStar hotels of Knightsbridge, or Harrods and other luxury retailers, can currently expect uniformed concierge to welcome them from their car. We aim to elevate the Knightsbridge visitor experience to a new level of bespoke service by making the concierge ‘Knightsbridge Welcome’ a signature aspect of a reimagined Knightsbridge.

The aspiration is for every taxi and private vehicle drop-off area to have its own uniformed concierge team to welcome and assist visitors, becoming a distinctive part of the Knightsbridge brand experience. Concierge staff will also provide additional surveillance and on-street security, contributing to growing Knightsbridge’s reputation as the safest luxury destination visit. While such services can be costly, forecasts show that AI could affect 60% of jobs and deliver business efficiencies which may bring opportunities to invest in additional face-to-face services that enhance the customer experience.

Another opportunity lies in growing consumer (including high-net-worthindividuals) interest in wellness products and services which are emerging as an important specialism in Knightsbridge. The six aspects of wellness services and products - health, fitness, nutrition, appearance, sleep and mindfulness – complement the re-creation of Knightsbridge as a Healthy Place, with better air quality, new green spaces to relax and better walking and cycling routes, where healthier lifestyles are encouraged through the design of the built environment. The global wellness market is estimated to be worth £1.4 trillion and in the UK 87% of consumers cite wellness products as a high priority. Consequently, Knightsbridge could leverage a significant competitive advantage by offering wellness services in the context of a built environment that also supports healthy lives.

THE STRATEGY PLACEMAKING KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Evening and Night-time Economy

A vibrant and internationally competitive Knightsbridge needs an appealing, curated and complementary evening offer of culture, restaurants, cafés, bars, pubs and clubs.

The vision and objectives of this Place and Public Realm Strategy apply equally to the evening as much as they do to the daytime. The evening experience of visitors, workers and residents should be providing luxury alongside an inclusive and safe experience. Its value and contribution to achieving the Knightsbridge vision and objectives needs to be recognised and ought to be realised.

The current evening economy in Knightsbridge seems to be unable to compete with the offer of places such as Mount Street in Mayfair. Some of the evening and night-time economy is luxury, private and discrete, while the more inclusive aspects of the economy lack coherence, curation and geographic clustering, often interspersed with many dark or closed shop fronts. Generally, consumers seem to visit a particular business in Knightsbridge, rather than enjoy a wider Knightsbridge evening economy offer.

This Place and Public Realm Strategy has the potential to unify the evening economy to create a distinctive and curated evening experience to introduce in appropriate locations not only new businesses but also its current offer, which includes:

• Traditional pubs

• Food-led bars, tea rooms, café bars and food-led pubs

• Several nightclubs

• Private membership clubs

• One gallery that is open in the evening

• Over 40 restaurants (plus the 30+ venues in Harrods)

• A casino

• Numerous hotel bars and restaurants

The widening and terracing of the public realm on the northern side of Brompton Road, better-linked, with more and improved single-phase crossings from the southern side, would create an ideal location and opportunity for property owners to create a galleried alfresco food and beverage quarter.

Widened footways and public spaces would create new opportunities for live street music, which in itself would bring vibrancy, increased footfall and potential safety benefits.

Additional taxi and private hire vehicle drop-off areas in prominent locations, accessibility improvements to Knightsbridge station and station gateway management enhancements at Hyde Park Corner station; these will all contribute to making Knightsbridge a more attractive and safer place to visit, with luxury and high levels of customer care experienced upon arrival and throughout the visitors’ time spent in Knightsbridge.

Importantly, Knightsbridge is also a residential area. Improvements to the public realm and the consumer offer in the evening should also benefit residents and respect the quiet enjoyment of residents and residential areas. An improved evening economy will provide more choice and diversity for residents.

THE STRATEGY PLACEMAKING KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Wayfinding

There is a need for a digital and physical wayfinding strategy for the Knightsbridge and South Kensington areas.

This should look to connect the wideranging activities and uses in the area to create a cohesive and attractive series of routes that allow people to explore Knightbridge on foot.

Wayfinding information could be provided in a number of languages, appealing to international visitors and making Knightsbridge feel inclusive and welcoming.

Examples of the destinations, attractions and world-renowned features could include:

• Transport nodes at South Kensington, Knightsbridge and Hyde Park Corner stations

• Culture and travel destinations, such as V&A Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Harrods, Harvey Nichols (and more)

• Recreational activities and walks within southern Hyde Park

• Educational institutions such as Imperial College London

• Hotels and accommodation in the area (five-star hotels)

• Shopping districts

• Food and drink opportunities

THE STRATEGY PLACEMAKING KNIGHTSBRIDGE

Occupier Curation

While Knightsbridge is renowned for luxury, less than 20% of its ground floor offer is classed as luxury. The investment in world-class public realm affords the opportunity to re-think leasing strategies and coordinate with adjacent property owners, in particular on the northern side of Brompton Road, in order to deliver a better offer, attract more footfall and achieve better rental yields.

This could include:

• Development of an integrated shop frontages framework, which coordinates the appearance of Knightsbridge’s commercial frontages, ensuring that its heritage façades are protected, restored and celebrated, and that ground floor premises reflect the quality of the transformed public realm. This would include taking a consistent approach to windows, awnings, canopies and flagpoles; size, design, typography and positioning of signage, lighting and illumination, also material use and colour palettes

• Integration of hospitality from the outset of public realm design, planning for

additional, coordinated and designed outdoor dining spaces to inspire a vibrant Knightsbridge where people promenade and dine alfresco

• Promote occupier businesses with purpose that embrace circular economy principles and foster the sense of community between customers and businesses

• ‘Retailtainment’ – working with the Knightsbridge Partnership, embrace and harness the unique heritage and history of Knightsbridge into a memorable brand experience with events, demonstrations, tastings and social events to complement the retail and food and beverage offers, which encourages more dwell time and return visits

• Adopt a shared aspiration for the quality of the leasing and working with fragment property owners to align with the aspirations for the district

THE STRATEGY

PLACEMAKING KNIGHTSBRIDGE

The Art and Experience Economy

Knightsbridge offers the London Oratory, the Crane Kalman Gallery and the Paradox Museum (from 2024). It is also conveniently near to the Royal Court Theatre, the Saatchi Gallery, South Kensington’s worldrenowned museums and the Serpentine Art Galleries. Perhaps one of Knightsbridge’s strongest and timeless cultural experiences and visitor draws is being able to explore on foot its historic streets, with their many ornate Victorian and Edwardian mansion blocks.

Investing in new public realm on Brompton Road and Knightsbridge, with built-in power sources for activations, provides the platform for new ‘inside-outside’ experiences that blur the boundaries between the internal and external spaces across the commercial areas of Knightsbridge.

Knightsbridge has the potential to provide unique experiences and activities that appeal to, and attract, a new generation of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). The eco-system of luxury retail restaurants and hospitality could be enhanced with exclusive experiences. These may include behind-the-scenes access to exclusive cultural or experiential events or intimatescale Knightsbridge talks with inspiring thought-leaders. Through curating exclusive and customised encounters, the Knightsbridge brand can recaptivate and inspire the hearts and minds of shoppers and visitors.

PLACE

Place Management THE STRATEGY

MANAGEMENT

Delivering and maintaining high standards of street management is a key element of the overall strategy to ensure Knightsbridge’s continued status as an international luxury destination that attracts visitors and investment.

Since the creation of the Knightsbridge Partnership street services, in particular inspection, cleansing and security have improved. The survey of stakeholders identified cleanliness and security as recent improvements. The ambition is to create a level of safety and cleansing that matches the best of the world’s luxury destinations. This section sets out how the Knightsbridge Partnership will, in collaboration, harness new thinking and technologies to deliver the world’s number-one luxury destination.

THE STRATEGY

PLACE MANAGEMENT

Security and Safety

Creating the safest luxury destination in the world will involve a partnership utilising a tailored and targeted strategy of measures which are needed to enhance the vibrancy, vitality and sustainability of Knightsbridge:

• Zero tolerance of crime: even lowlevel crime. Progress prosecutions, in particular for repeat prolific offenders

• Take a data-led approach by focusing on:

- Higher-incidence crimes, specifically theft from property (including businesses), organised street crime, crime against the person (including violence against shop workers) and vehicle theft, and;

- Prioritise hotspot locations

• Visible presence as a deterrent:

- Work with the police to increase their presence and support coordination across the two Safer Neighbourhood Police Teams

- Seek to increase the number and hours of coverage of the Knightsbridge Partnership-funded street team patrols

- The ‘Knightsbridge Welcome’ concierge

service will increase on-street presence, a deterrent and a discrete means of observing and reporting suspicious and criminal behaviours

- Enhanced and Integrated Security Measures to monitor and prevent criminal activities: Implement advanced proactive surveillance systems, use cutting-edge technology including police-operated ‘live’ real-time and retrospective facial recognition. Use facial recognition and AI to prevent internationally organised crime

• Investment in Infrastructure: Improve lighting on key streets (such as Lowndes Square and Trevor Square) and the gateways to Knightsbridge (in particular Hyde Park Corner pedestrian tunnels). Employ a control room-operated interactive CCTV system which allows officers to communicate with people on-street and acoustic CCTV to manage noise.

• Lobby for fair and strict enforcement of laws: including more frontline officer time. Encourage enforcement of strict penalties for criminal behaviour to deter crime. Rigorously progress police

prosecutions and criminal behaviour orders to prevent persistent criminals from visiting Knightsbridge. In parallel, support rehabilitation programmes such as addiction programmes and priority recruitment back to work schemes for offenders

- Encourage government to consider fines based on percentage of perpetrator’s income to act as a serious deterrent

• Prevention coordination:

- Collaborate with the Knightsbridge Partnership’s business members to provide training, implement security measures within their establishments and ensure the safety of their patrons

- Encourage long-term staffing strategies to support retention, so that security staff can build a depth of expertise on safety and security in Knightsbridge

• Visitor safety measures: Implement tourist safety awareness campaigns, provide multilingual assistance and extend the ‘Knightsbridge Welcome’ Concierge Service to more locations to enhance the overall safety experience for visitors

THE STRATEGY

PLACE MANAGEMENT

• Work with strategic partners, including:

- Borough council’s youth and child protection services to disrupt exploitation of minors by criminal gangs, and potentially employ youth outreach workers to positively engage with young people visiting the area in order to identify whether they are vulnerable or being exploited by gangs

- Police, London BIDs and other agencies to collate data on organised gangs, working to disrupt their activity, in particular targeting their ring-leaders and progressing prosecutions

• Community engagement: Foster everstronger relationships between residents, businesses, and the Metropolitan Police to encourage active participation in the placebased crime prevention strategy

• Continuous evaluation and improvement: Regularly assess the effectiveness of implemented strategies through data analysis and feedback from residents and businesses, and adapting accordingly to address emerging safety concerns

THE STRATEGY

PLACE

MANAGEMENT

Cleansing

Taking an integrated approach to maintaining high standards of cleanliness and appearance at all times of day:

• Seek to apply protective sealants to the public realm and its street furniture

• Future-proof Knightsbridge with:

1. An appropriate depth of construction to ensure that the public realm is resilient to heavy vehicle over-run

2. A stock of materials to ensure fast-track repair and replacement

3. Install watering points and potential rain and grey water capture for jet-washing the streets, and power supply for cleansing vehicles and future activations

• New technologies have the potential to increase the frequency of cleansing, while reducing operational costs:

1. Work with the Department for Transport and the local highway authorities to invest in autonomous vehicle footway cleansing. Electric powered vehicles can

increase the level of street cleansing ten-fold, while using only 15% of the energy of conventional approaches. These will be safe, slow-moving vehicles, which can operate on preprogrammed footway and public space routes, using 360-degree sensors to safely detect and navigate objects and people

2. Work with the Department for Transport and the local highway authorities to test integrated jet washing, sweeping and fault identification autonomous vehicles for the roads through Knightsbridge. Autonomous cleansing vehicles have the potential to enhance cleansing and deliver daily operations, such as charging, water filling, waste discharge, vehicle activation and parking, without human intervention

THE STRATEGY PLACE MANAGEMENT

Greenspace Maintenance

The significant increase in planting along Brompton Road and Knightsbridge (both TLRN) will enhance the visitor’s experience of the area and also directly contribute to TfL’s targets by:

• Achieving a 10% biodiversity net gain on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

• Delivering an uplift in biodiversity across its estate

• Providing a further 5000 square metres of sustainable urban drainage

More planting, trees and sustainable urban drainage (SUDs) can contribute to:

• Better retail and hospitality operations and management, improving their performance and appeal to customers

• Providing better spaces and places for people along this key corridor

• Supporting biodiversity with better and more spaces for nature

• Managing water quantity and flooding risk

• Managing water quality, reducing the risk of pollution

• Enhancing the Environmental, Social Governance credentials of participating businesses

The approach to planting maintenance and management will include:

• Management of the greening areas will be an integral strand of the funded management plan

• Minimised use of pesticides

• Conservation of water, with integrated watering systems which harvest rain and grey water from adjacent buildings as part of their rebuild or retrofit

• Selection of a variety of species to ensure disease-resistance and to thrive in the urban highway environment

• Frequent inspections and litter-picking to ensure maintenance of a high standard throughout the year

THE STRATEGY

PLACE MANAGEMENT

Servicing and Freight

The number of motor vehicles on the highway network in central London related to freight, servicing and deliveries (FSD) has been increasing in recent years. Approximately 196,000 individual FSD vehicle trips are made each day in Westminster, of which 37% are made on Westminster’s Strategic Roads, such as Regent Street and Piccadilly; 29% are made on smaller, more local roads and 34% are made on Transport for London Road Network such as Brompton Road and Park Lane. This means that FSD vehicles have a significant impact on traffic congestion, road safety, emissions and conflict with other street uses.

Work commissioned by the Westminster Zero Emissions Group (2023) identified that the majority of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs) on Westminster’s Roads are delivering freight and of these, the largest generator of trips is the office sector (see Table opposite), followed by retail and then hospitality; and all of these sectors are prominent in Knightsbridge.

THE STRATEGY

PLACE MANAGEMENT

Servicing and Freight

Nearly 50% of freight, servicing and deliveries (FSD) trips that arrive and leave central Westminster are servicing only a single location. This demonstrates that there is a considerable opportunity to consolidate these single location FSD trips, greatly reducing the number of vehicles on Westminster Streets. Reducing the number of FSD vehicles would also allow a review of kerbside space, with less demand on this space allowing opportunities for enhanced public realm and improved pedestrian and cycle amenity.

In order to reduce the number and impact of FSD motor vehicles, landowners and building occupiers need to be given the methods, toolkits and opportunities to consolidate FSD activity, and also to understand the benefits to them, and the wider area, of doing this.

The freight reduction strategy will be planned to be delivered across all roads in the Knightsbridge area in order to maximise its impact.

Baseline:

• Seek to understand how FSD is currently being managed, how FSD consolidation is currently operating, identify barriers, and to identify opportunities to reduce, remode, retime or introduce robotics to Knightsbridge

• Identify and develop pilot projects to demonstrate benefits

• Following the piloting stage, rollout an integrated programme

Next steps:

Work with property owners, tenant businesses in the three priority sectors: office, retail and hospitality, and the three highway authorities, to develop an areabased strategy, consisting of four strands:

• Reduce the number of vehicle trips, in particular for deliveries, to Knightsbridge, potentially with consolidation and preferred supplier interventions

• Remode: to zero-emission vehicles

• Retime: identify opportunities for trips to be made outside peak traffic hours

• Robotics: exploring the potential to harness AI and autonomous vehicles to optimise deliveries

FUNDING AND INVESTMENT CASE

This Place and Public Realm Strategy outlines how Knightsbridge can work even better as a destination that looks and feels attractive and safe, encouraging people to enjoy exceptional experiences, everything from a great cup of coffee to a stay at a five-star hotel. The transformed public realm will ensure visitors feel that visiting and exploring Knightsbridge is something special from their arrival and throughout their stay.

Investment in the delivery of this strategy, specifically in the public realm of Knightsbridge, has the potential to deliver significant economic, social and sustainability benefits for the local, regional and wider U.K. economies. The proposals for Knightsbridge outlined in this strategy can contribute to addressing:

• Poor air quality that typically falls below World Health Organisation (WHO) standards for acceptable pollution levels on Brompton Road, to which residents and staff are exposed for extended periods

• The challenges of noise, severance and crowded footways

• Limited provision for cyclists

• Limited green spaces, trees and the threat to biodiversity

• The high number of road traffic collisions and casualties

• Climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience at the neighbourhood level

INVESTMENT CASE

The Healthy Streets assessment for Brompton Road (see diagram to the right), shows a strong improvement across all indicators, resulting from implementation of this strategy. Healthy Streets Check

INVESTMENT CASE

The strategy can also widen Knightsbridge’s audiences, engage aspirational shoppers and attract investors in retail, hospitality, leisure and offices. Importantly, the proposals can contribute to revitalising Knightsbridge, ensuring that it can compete with other luxury destinations and grows its status as an International Centre, renowned for luxury.

Quite simply, revitalising the public realm in Knightsbridge will form a robust and lasting framework that will allow us to build upon the Knightsbridge visitor experience. Some of the many benefits will include an uplift to property values, rental yields and the area’s Gross Value Added (GVA).

Comparable West End public realm projects have increased footfall in their areas, showing what can also be achieved in Knightsbridge:

INVESTMENT CASE

Numerous research studies demonstrate that investing in the public realm delivers significant economic benefits:

Trees in the public realm can increase property values by as much as 18% 3

Public realm interventions can contribute from 5%35% increase in footfall according to global studies 5

Investment in the public realm can increase dwelltime by up to 96% 4

1. Times Square New York - In 2010, the Green Light for Midtown project delivered an 11% increase in footfall. The project delivered new pedestrian plazas in the Times Square and Herald Square areas, along with pedestrian and safety improvements on Broadway

Oxford Circus Diagonal Crossing is attributed with increasing sales in a retailer facing onto the junction by 25% 6

INVESTMENT CASE

A larger uplift in retail rental values equivalent to an additional 7.5% per annum 4

2. The Melbourne Laneways public realm project has increased footfall by 40% and contributed to the number of restaurants increasing from 50 in 1990 to over 600 currently

3. In Copenhagen (Stroget), pedestrianisation increased footfall by 35% in twelve months and saw a 400% increase in dwelltime over the 30 years since its implementation

A decline in retail

vacancy rates leading to a sizable 17% per annum difference between

improved and unimproved street environments 4

People will spend up to 12% more on goods or services in areas with large, wellcared-for trees 4

An uplift in office rental values equivalent to (at least) an additional 4% per annum 4

Analysis, commissioned by the Heart of London Business Alliance, indicates that investment in central London’s public realm can increase Gross Value Added (GVA) by 122%, the number of jobs by 14% and commercial rental yields by 34% 7

Paved with Gold 1 report and CBRE report 2 show that residential property values increase by an average 5.2%

The Kensington High Street public realm scheme increased property prices by 12.9% within a 200m radius of the project 5

The Knightsbridge Partnership is uniquely positioned to convene regional and local government, its members, existing property owners and potential inward investors, in order to assemble the funding to deliver the flagship scheme for Knightsbridge and the family of neighbourhood projects. Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), in particular property BIDs, have been instrumental in securing the funding for public realm projects to be delivered.

A funding strategy for Knightsbridge will encompass both capital investment and identified revenue streams to ensure that the public realm is maintained to a high standard for decades to come.

This will deliver a legacy for London and generate an ongoing return on investment for its potential funders, including the public sector, property owners, occupier businesses, inward investors, philanthropists, benefactors and partner organisations.

The social, environmental and economic benefits present a compelling case for a partnership funding model and this will be further detailed in a full Business Case that accompanies the next design stages.

Paved With Gold, CABE, https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/fileadmin/uploads/dc/ Documents/paved-with-gold_1.pdf

Placemaking Value and the Public Realm, CBRE, https://news.cbre.co.uk/download/381443/ globalplacemakingreport.pdf

https://www.treesforstreets.org/street-trees-worththeir-weight-in-gold/

Street Appeal, The Value of Street Improvements, TfL, UCL, https://content.tfl.gov.uk/street-appeal.pdf

Ideas and Strategies for London’s Future Public Realm, Arup, https://www.arup.com/-/media/arup/files/ publications/l/london-alive_report-arup.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/ file/699295/26.01.18_Healthy _High_Streets_Full_Report_ Final_version_3.pdf

https://www.justeconomics.co.uk/uploads/reports/JustEconomics-Pedestrian-Pound-Living-Streets.pdf

BASELINE MAPPING

BUILT

ENVIRONMENT

Knightsbridge Regeneration

There is a concentration of regeneration opportunities at the northern end of the project boundary where Brompton Road meets Knightsbridge. A number of these are already under construction, such as Park Mansions. These, alongside the recently completed 75 Knightsbridge Gate, are bringing new commercial, hotel and residential opportunities to the area. Sloane Street and William Street public realm projects are bringing to the forefront the need for an improved pedestrian experience.

Whilst The Park Tower development has been granted planning permission, it has gone back into pre-planning design, so the project has the opportunity to be guided by this study. The Knightsbridge Green development is aiming to go to planning in summer 2024, so again can be influenced by the vision identified within this document, working with WSP and Westminster.

The gateways into the area are confusing and hard to pinpoint for pedestrians. There is no clear wayfinding strategy within the area, which is especially highlighted when arriving via Hyde Park Corner. Upon arrival, pedestrians are unsure of which direction to travel when entering and exiting the underpass. Smaller pedestrian-friendly passageways such as Knightsbridge Green are unclear and unmarked.

Knightsbridge has 37 million visitors annually, however there are a number of vacant premises in high-profile locations along Knightsbridge and Brompton Road.

HISTORY

Conservation Areas

The diagram opposite highlights the extent of the Conservation areas within both the WCC and RBKC boundaries. Only small pockets are without a Conservation listing including The Park Tower, Knightsbridge Green development, The Berkeley, The Lanesborough, and the stretch of southern frontage from Brompton Place to Yeoman’s Row.

Mayfair

Hans Town Chelsea

Brompton

Thurloe/ Smith’s City

Knightsbridge

Belgravia

Royal Parks

Albert Gate

Knightsbridge Green

Transport - Private Vehicles, Buses and Taxis

Space is prioritised for movement, often used inefficiently and inconsistent with the Mayor of London’s Healthy Streets approach to the use of highway space.

Sections of Brompton Road have up to eight lanes of traffic and very narrow footways with queues of traffic.

Harrods generates a high demand for taxi, PHV and chauffeur pick-up, drop-off and vehicle waiting activity. There is a relatively large amount of rank space for the London Taxis but the other activity takes place on the side streets in what would otherwise operate as a residential area.

The current provision of resident and visitor parking around the perimeter of Harrods restricts the amount of space available; this then spreads the activity out into a wider area and causes friction and road blockages. Many resident bays in the area are used by other vehicles waiting.

There is the potential to optimise the use of space around Harrods while still ensuring sufficient resident parking availability.

Effective Traffic Lanes MOVEMENT

Generally along the main corridor the carriageway is wide, putting pressure on the footway areas and creating a vehicledominated space. This diagram shows the how the effective number of general traffic lanes varies along the corridor.

This highlights that there are a number of locations where lanes have to merge into a single lane. This creates friction and bottlenecks for traffic and also raises the possibility of a more consistent approach to traffic lanes. This would allow for a reduction in overall carriageway width in some locations.

Similarly, there are locations where taxi and other kerbside activity blocks a lane of traffic. There is the potential to accommodate that activity into a wider footway while retaining the same level of traffic capacity.

MOVEMENT

Parking Restrictions and TLRN Loading Bays

This map provides a more detailed breakdown of parking locations, as well as loading bays and taxi ranks.

The strategic corridors are largely kept clear of kerbside activity but there are some areas where there are some significant friction issues. These are around Harrods and outside some of the hotels.

On the side roads there is generally a mix of resident and visitor parking. There are also some taxi ranks around Harrods, Knightsbridge Green and Raphael St, and taxi stands on Montpelier Street.

Further study will investigate whether the kerbside restrictions can be adjusted to better cater for demand and desire uses on the immediate side streets and around Harrods.

MOVEMENT

Collisions

The map shows five years of road collision data across the study area. This timeframe has been selected to ensure coverage of both pre- and post- pandemic periods.

The analysis shows that collisions are not generally concentrated around where people might perceive road danger to be an issue, such as around Knightsbridge Station and the Scotch House Corner junction. A likely explanation is that road users take more care here because of the obvious and apparent danger.

The density of collisions further south on Brompton Road is higher and there are clusters at Egerton Terrace, Montpelier Street and Hans Road which will be addressed through the design process.

The cluster of cycling collisions at Albert Gate can be assumed to have been addressed by the recent scheme that has been completed there.

MOVEMENT

Cycling

There are existing clusters of dockless e-scooter and bike bays but there are large gaps, particularly around the A4 Brompton Road and Knightsbridge corridor. Bay density is particularly low in the RBKC areas. Additional dedicated bays in wellconsidered locations would help to reduce the number of bikes left obstructing footways and doorways.

Pedestrian Flows MOVEMENT

This pedestrian footfall diagram illustrates the relative flows with thickness of the arrow on each link. The peak time used is a Saturday 5-6pm. There is no data for most of the Knightsbridge corridor.

The map shows that footfall is higher on the southern side of Brompton Road, particularly around Harrods and Knightsbridge Station. This will be considered when allocating footway width, planting areas and street furniture during the design process.

In addition, there is the potential to encourage more footfall on the northern side and help generate activity there. There are a number of developments and opportunities there.

Existing Crossing Provision/ Additional Desire Lines MOVEMENT

A number of good-quality crossings are already in place on Brompton Road. These are the wide, straight across signalised crossings that are positioned where people want to cross – on the “desire line”. However, there are also several missing crossings, staggered crossings, and side roads that provide little assistance for people crossing other than a dropped kerb.

There are a number of opportunities for upgrading the quality of pedestrian crossing provision and providing additional facilities to fill in these gaps.

ENVIRONMENT

Air Pollution

As the map opposite highlights there is a severe build-up of air pollution present along the Brompton Road and Knightsbridge corridor. For the majority of the time this exceeds the World Health Organisation’s annual objectives. Sloane Street and Beauchamp Place are also hot spots for air pollution whilst the surrounding residential streets, whilst still exceeding WHO guidance, are generally registering lower air pollution levels.

ENVIRONMENT

Levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5 , PM10) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) in Knightsbridge are high and can have a negative impact on respiratory health.

Future predictions for NO2 and PM concentrations for 2025 and 2030 forecast they will exceed the UK and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, indicating that further action will be required, which this Place and Public Realm Strategy can contribute towards.

There are particular hot-spots of NO2 and PM emissions on Brompton Road, Knightsbridge and Sloane Street.

Is important to note that although motor vehicles are a significant source of NO2 concentrations, commercial buildings are also a key source of NO2.

ENVIRONMENT

Energy Performance and Heat Supply of Buildings

Less than 50% of commercial buildings in Knightsbridge have relatively good Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of ‘C’ or above (see Pie Chart on right, note that no buildings have an EPC ‘A’ rating).

EPC Rating for the Knightsbridge Partnership Area’s Buildings

ENVIRONMENT

Public versus Private

All of the green space within the study area consists of either private garden squares or privately-owned spaces. Holy Trinity Brompton Green Space and Prince’s Gardens are both usable by the public, however do have usage restrictions.

Hans Crescent and Motcomb Plaza both provide good-quality hard public space, which will be further improved with the upcoming redesign of Hans Crescent which is due to go through the planning process in mid-2024.

Knightsbridge Green is no longer classed as a public space due to the infringement of surrounding traffic lanes.

The only public green space in the vicinity is Hyde Park to the north.

ENVIRONMENT

Tree Cover

The tree cover in the study area is varied. To the south the mature Plane trees provide a consistent one-sided avenue to the northern footpath, however after Montpelier Street, Brompton Road has no tree cover along the carriageway, apart from the two Plane trees at Knightsbridge Green.

New trees are due to be planted to complement the existing trees along Hans Crescent as part of the redesign.

The development of One Hyde Park included the planting of a row of new Plane trees in 2010 along the northern side of Knightsbridge, however the southern side of Knightsbridge remains unplanted up to Hyde Park Corner.

ENVIRONMENT

Places to Sit

Seating provides a vital role in ensuring that a place is accessible, comfortable, sociable and inviting. Across the whole study area there are 13 public benches, with 6 of those benches located along Hans Crescent, and another 6 located along the northern raised footpath to Brompton Road.

ENVIRONMENT

Shading

Due to its south-west alignment, Brompton Road enjoys a relatively sunny aspect, with the largest amount of sun occurring through the afternoon. The southern building edge is a relatively consistent 4 to 5 storey block height, reducing the amount of over-shading to the northern footpath.

APPENDICES

CO-DESIGN AND ENGAGEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ENGAGEMENT APPROACH

• The Knightsbridge Partnership conducted in-person and virtual meetings, walking tours, a drop-in session, three co-design workshops and an online survey

• Findings revealed that the district is much loved, with 69% describing it as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’

• Stakeholders love the area’s distinct heritage, amenities, location and retail offer

• However, 31% of respondents say the area is getting worse

• Crowded footways, lack of trees and green spaces, traffic noise and air pollution are the top issues

• Stakeholders identified opportunities for improvement, particularly:

• widening footways

• more places to cross Brompton Road and Knightsbridge, and;

• increasing trees and green spaces

Our goal was to co-create a place and public realm strategy for the Knightsbridge area in collaboration with residents, representatives from community groups, local property owners, businesses, TfL and local authorities.

To do this, we organised a series of engagement activities (outlined below). The Knightsbridge Partnership identified a wide range of stakeholders and representative groups. Each group was invited to participate in multiple engagement activities and events to ensure that their voices were heard.

We also distributed 10,000 flyers to residential and commercial properties in the area to ensure that we captured the views of residents and workers alongside businesses and shoppers.

ENGAGEMENT

A range of engagement activities were conducted:

• 173 people completed the online survey

• 12 people attended the drop-in session

• We presented at 10 group meetings and forums

• Workshop for UAE Emirati women

• 46 people attended at least one codesign workshop

• Included the findings from the 2023 residents’ survey

• RBKC Youth Group walkabout

• RBKC Access Disability Group online meeting

STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED WITH

We invited representatives from the following organisations to complete the online survey and attend the engagement events:

Community Organisations

• Action Disability

• RBKC Youth Council

• Knightsbridge School

• Hill House School

• More House School

• Friends of Hyde Park

• Westminster Synagogue

• Russian Orthodox Cathedral

• The London Oratory

• Holy Trinity Brompton

• St Columba’s Church

• St Paul’s Knightsbridge

• Deutsche Evangelische Christuskirche

Residents’ Groups

• Knightsbridge Association

• Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum

• The Hyde Park Association

• Belgravia Neighbourhood Forum

• Donne Place Residents Association

• Milner Street Area Residents Association

• Beaufort Gardens Residents Association

• Brompton Association

• Brompton Square Garden Committee

• Chelsea Association of Tenants

• The Chelsea Society

• Egerton Gardens Mews Residents Association

• The Kensington Society

• Knightsbridge Court Residents Company

• Ovington Square Gardens Residents Association

• Princes Gate Mews Association

• Queensgate Residents Association

• St George’s Court Company Ltd

• Thurloe Owners and Leaseholders Association

• Thurloe Residents Association

• Walton Street Association

• The Belgravia Residents Association

• The Belgravia Society

• Knightsbridge and Belgravia Ward Panel

• The Knightsbridge

• 199 Knightsbridge

• Pegasi - Richmond Court

Public Sector

• Transport for London

• Westminster City Council

• Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

• Royal Parks

• Greater London Authority Businesses and Organisations

• Knightsbridge Place Steering Group

• Knightsbridge Partnership members

• Knightsbridge Place Hotels Subgroup

• Criterion Capital

• Grosvenor

• Harrods

• Harvey Nichols

• Inditex

• South Kensington Estates

• Simone de Gale Architects

• Criterion Capital

• London Arabia Forum

• Exhibition Road Cultural Group

• South Ken Zen

• Schroders

• YDF World

• The HVN

• Wasabi

• Park Tower Casino

• Kensington Society (The)

• BEAM

• Olayan

• Royal Albert Hall

• Laser Eye Clinic

• 2-3 Degrees

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY

FEEDBACK

We received written submissions from members of the Knightsbridge Partnership Place Steering Group, the Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum, local businesses, landowners and community organisations. Three submissions sought to reopen South Carriage Drive (which is subject to a different consultation by The Royal Parks) to traffic, alongside general measures to increase traffic volumes and speeds.

One submission expressed concerns about air pollution, congestion, vehicle noise and road safety.

We presented early proposals to Action Disability Kensington & Chelsea, a local service provision, advocacy and campaigning organisation. We incorporated their feedback, summarised below, into subsequent plans.

• Paving materials and maintenance are fundamental to making the area accessible for people with mobility challenges; cobbled streets are extremely problematic

• Signs must be mounted high enough so that blind people do not walk into them

• Technology interventions, like mobile apps, Bluetooth beacons and NaviLens codes can be useful for wayfinding and discovery by people with visual impairments

• Place activations and cultural events should ensure representation by artists with accessibility needs

• E-Scooters and dockless bikes are dangerous to people with accessibility needs, especially when used or parked on pavements

Feedback from engagement events

We ran three co-design workshops, two walking tours, a drop-in session and attended various meetings with the councils, TfL and resident and amenity societies. We also commissioned a focus group for UAE Emirati women, as this is a key stakeholder group for Knightsbridge shops and services. We sought and captured feedback from attendees at all these events. 46 people attended at least one co-design workshop. 12 people attended the drop-in session. 12 people joined a walking tour. We presented at 10 group meetings and forums.

Feedback from walking tours

The area feels busy, and safe during the day as a result, but not very welcoming –especially to young people and those on low incomes. Footways could be made wider to make walking a more enjoyable and comfortable experience. There is a lot of street clutter, especially dockless hire bicycles. Space for street performers and public art would make the area more appealing, particularly those who cannot

afford the retail offer. There are not enough benches or litter bins. The area felt less safe at night, particularly the Hyde Park Underpass, which is poorly maintained, has poor lighting and is subject to flooding. Junctions and crossings feel dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists and clearly prioritise vehicle traffic.

Feedback from UAE Emirati women

They like Knightsbridge and see it as the top global destination for wealthy people. However, they believe there is potential to improve the district to increase the frequency of their visits and the amount of time/money they spend when doing so. Some described Knightsbridge as being stuffy and not very dynamic; regular refreshes for events like Christmas (which is very popular among this group), cobranded events with fashion and music brands, and new and exciting coffee shops were all noted as ways to improve this perception. Safety is a high priority: they generally feel safe in Knightsbridge, though perceptions of street crime could be improved. In contrast, they told us they do not usually visit Oxford Street, unless

driven directly to Selfridges, due to safety concerns. They typically visit at least annually and stay in hotels in the district when they come.

Westminster after dark stakeholder assembly feedback

Knightsbridge is not perceived as a destination to visit and dwell but a place where iconic businesses operate. Traffic levels has a significant impact on this perception. Poor air quality impacts the desire to dwell in the area. Visitors struggle to find the entertainment and night-time economy venues. In particular the pubs were mentioned as not being clear on their location. There is a lack of CCTV in the Westminster side of the district; residents would welcome more CCTV on the Brompton Road and in Knightsbridge. There are vehicle crime hotspots in the area. There is an opportunity to introduce public art into the area. Pedestrian safety, and crossing in particular, are seen as priorities for improvement. The public realm is not currently very accessible, particularly given the narrow footways.

ONLINE SURVEY

The survey ran from 19 January to 15 March 2024: it was available in nine languages. A total of 173 people completed the survey, of which 167 did so in English, and two each in Arabic, Italian and Russian. The completion rate was 56%.

ONLINE SURVEY

Relationship with Knightsbridge

Respondents could select as many categories as they felt applied to them. ‘Socialise’ includes visiting bars, restaurants, the gym, theatre, cultural activities, leisure, etc. ‘Study’ may include the child of the respondent.

Additional shopping locations

This question was only shown to respondents who selected ‘I shop in Knightsbridge’ in answer to the previous question. Those who selected ‘elsewhere in the UK’ noted Kensington High Street (three respondents), Spitalfields and online shopping.

Positives of other shopping destinations

This question was only shown to respondents who selected ‘I shop in Knightsbridge’ in answer to the previous question. Respondents could tick all that applied.

Modes of transport to the district

Respondents were asked to select their main mode of transport. The majority of respondents travel sustainably to Knightsbridge.

ONLINE SURVEY

Overall views on Knightsbridge as a place to live, work or visit

• Respondents appreciate its businesses, overall feeling of safety and cleanliness, with amenities catering to tourists and international shoppers

• Concerns about traffic dominance, air pollution and crime are prevalent among residents

• The area is described as:

• having poor pedestrian infrastructure (specifically on Brompton Road and Knightsbridge)

• feeling overcrowded (with many tourists) and

• having lost some of its charm

• Despite these mixed opinions, respondents say Knightsbridge remains a vibrant and convenient area, with a diverse range of shops, restaurants and cultural attractions.

ONLINE SURVEY

Has Knightsbridge changed?

(No timeframe was specified – this was relative to the respondents)

‘It has improved’ responses:

• Investment in shops, offices, homes and public infrastructure

• Increased availability of restaurants and overall increase in the diversity and appeal of stores

• Improvements in overall aesthetic and exclusivity, e.g. presence of high-end brands like Burberry

• Development projects leading to better retail and dining options

• Enhanced cleanliness

• Improved street security, giving a sense of safety and support for residents and visitors

• Improved public transport routes

• Accessibility improvements and underground access enhancements

• Specific improvements in areas like Sloane Street

• Ongoing public realm enhancements contributing to a nicer neighbourhood

• Positive changes in streetscape design over the past few years

‘It has worsened’ responses:

• Crime - crime rates, perception of unsafety, lack of police, intimidation from non-residents, rough sleeping, behaviour of cyclists, illegal parking and antisocial behaviour

• Place - traffic congestion, overcrowded footways due to tourism, noise pollution, road works and construction activity, dirtiness

• Commercial offer – monocultural high street shops, presence of coffee shops, loss of exclusivity, elegance and variety of shops and restaurants

• Community – loss of a communal atmosphere, limited appeal to locals, declining quality of the area, limited local attractions and limited availability of public spaces

ONLINE SURVEY

ONLINE SURVEY

Creating healthy streets

We asked respondents how they felt about 10 aspects of the public realm, based on the Healthy Streets framework.

TfL requires a Healthy Streets assessment for any significant highways and public realm improvement scheme.

The impact of traffic was identified as the most serious problem to tackle but with respondents saying they still enjoy Knightsbridge as a place to visit and spend time. Net scores are shown in brackets.

What would have the top three biggest positive impacts on the district?

The top four responses directly relate to improvements that this Place and Public Realm Strategy can deliver, with more green spaces and wider footways as the top improvements requested by survey respondents.

Favourite streets and places in Knightsbridge

Locations mentioned three or more times are shown to the right. Additional locations, chosen by one or two respondents each, were: Hans Crescent to Sloane Square, Montpelier Square, Exhibition Road, Cadogan Gardens, Elizabeth Street, Chelsea Green, Duke of York Square, Cadogan Square, Montpelier Walk, Rutland Street, Hyde Park Corner, Old Brompton Road, Basil Street, Knightsbridge Village and Pont Street.

What is attractive about these places?

• Pedestrian-Friendly Spaces: Pavilion Road and Cadogan Gardens are enjoyed for their pedestrianised environments

• Tranquillity and Escape: Hyde Park and Montpelier Square are appreciated for their peaceful atmospheres, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle

• Shopping Opportunities: Brompton Road and Harrods are mentioned frequently for their high-end shopping options

• Local Feel and Charm: Beauchamp Place and Motcomb Street are praised for their cosy, community-oriented feel

• Cultural Attractions: People mentioning the museums highlight the appeal of cultural institutions

• Unique Dining Experiences: Walton Street and Elizabeth Street have a diverse range of restaurants and cafés

• Historical Significance: Sloane Street and Exhibition Road are valued for their heritage buildings

• Residential Appeal: Hans Crescent to Sloane Square and the various mews streets are appreciated for their residential charm and tranquillity

• Connected: Hyde Park Corner and Pont Street are close to amenities and transport links

• Unique Features: Basil Street and Knightsbridge Village are notable for their unique characteristics, suggesting that they hold special appeal to those who appreciate distinctiveness

ONLINE SURVEY

Least favourite places in Knightsbridge

Respondents identified Knightsbridge and Brompton Road as the places most in need of improvement, largely due to being unwelcoming and uncomfortable.

• Knightsbridge and Brompton Road (mentioned by more than sixty respondents): too crowded, too much traffic, busy, noisy, unsafe and polluted

• Beauchamp Place (six respondents): Dirty and many shops closed

• Sloane Street and Kings Road (five respondents): Soulless

• Hans Crescent (five respondents): Too crowded and chaotic

• Montpelier Street (four respondents): Lost British or local character

• Hyde Park Corner (three respondents): Congested and noisy

Ten respondents said there are no areas in the district they do not like.

ONLINE SURVEY

Respondent demographics

Age

Six respondents declined to answer.

Gender

Six respondents declined to answer.

Man

Prefer not to say Non-binary

ONLINE SURVEY

Ethnicity

Of those respondents choosing ‘other’, three described themselves as White Irish/ European/Other, two were Iranian, two Chinese, and one Eurasian.

ONLINE SURVEY

We asked respondents for the first part of their postcode, or their country if not the UK. Two were from outside the UK (one Ireland, one the United States). The remainder lived in the UK, and most of these were in London. The number of people who said they live in Knightsbridge aligned with the number of people choosing a Knightsbridge postcode.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PARTNERSHIP

COMMONPLACE SURVEY

The Knightsbridge Partnership BID also ran a survey, from September 2023 to February 2024, with a number of questions about the public realm.

Greening, tree-planting, air quality and pavement improvements were the top priorities among all stakeholders, including residents.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PARTNERSHIP

COMMONPLACE SURVEY

KNIGHTSBRIDGE PARTNERSHIP

COMMONPLACE SURVEY

CO-DESIGN WORKSHOPS

The Knightsbridge Partnership hosted a series of co-design workshops, attended by representatives of local businesses, residents, community organisations, Transport for London and the boroughs.

Co-design Workshop #1: Session 1

The first session highlighted the reasons why people love Knightsbridge, and what aspects they appreciate and wish to preserve. These include:

• A unique offer, including hidden gems and a cosmopolitan atmosphere

• Distinct architecture and strong historical heritage

• High levels of local investment and top-notch hotels and restaurants

• A sense of community, particularly evident in places like Motcomb Street

• Convenient access to shops, excellent transport connections and proximity to central London

• Quietness relative to other central London areas, with easy access to Hyde Park

• A balance between refinement and convenience, with a quaint atmosphere and easy walkability and cycling routes

• Iconic landmarks such as Harrods and views of the London skyline

Overall, while attendees appreciated the unique character and accessibility of Knightsbridge, they also recognised the need for improvements to enhance its appeal for all stakeholders.

Co-design Workshop #1: Session 2

The second session sought to understand the main issues and challenges facing users of the public realm:

• Aesthetics: use of inconsistent materials; insufficient greenery and trees; presence of dockless hire bicycles and street clutter, utilities boxes and masts

• Environment: air quality and traffic-related pollution; lack of trees and greening; traffic congestion and vehicle ‘rat-running’, concerns about changes to traffic flow

• Crime/safety: high levels of theft and perceptions of crime affecting investment in the area, especially motor vehicle theft

• Walking and cycling: poor pedestrian experience due to narrow footways, limited crossings and level changes; road safety issues, particularly for cyclists; unsafe junctions and difficulty accessing side streets; gateway areas are unwelcoming and unclear, with inadequate wayfinding

Overall, the discussion highlighted various infrastructure, environmental, safety, and management challenges that need to be addressed in order to improve the quality and usability of public spaces in Knightsbridge.

Co-design Workshop #1: Session 3

The third session asked participants to consider opportunities for improvement. They noted several district-wide interventions:

• Creative marketing to draw visitors to the area

• Curated events and activations to keep the area vibrant all-year round

• Better footway materials to ensure more uniformity and consistency

• Better maintenance and repairs to improve the public realm

Participants also noted dozens of specific interventions, particularly focused on Hyde Park Corner and Brompton Road, but with opportunities throughout the district.

CO-DESIGN WORKSHOPS

Co-design Workshop #2: Session 1

The first session asked participants to prioritise possible interventions on Brompton Road and Knightsbridge, summarised as follows:

• Public Realm:

• Enhance green spaces and accessibility

• Restore shopfront awnings and add greenery

• Create lively public spaces with consistent identity

• Increase dwell times and improve accessibility

• Address space needs for residents, tourists and workers, as well as shoppers

• Environment:

• Incorporate climate resilience and manage green spaces effectively

• Enhance pedestrian and cycle safety, mitigate noise and address traffic congestion

• Gateways:

• Improve side roads, pedestrian links and wildlife corridors

• Explore technological solutions for navigation

Street Clutter and Waste Management:

• Manage dockless bikes and street clutter

• Improve street maintenance and waste management Crime and Personal Safety:

• Address antisocial behaviour, increase lighting, and enhance security

Co-design Workshop #2: Session 2

The second session asked participants to consider interventions in other parts of the district, summarised as follows:

• Hans Road / Basil Street: address conflicts with vehicles and taxis around Harrods; create more space for pedestrians and consider reducing residential parking; develop a dedicated carriage drop-off area and a distinctive food and beverage quarter; explore options to manage traffic flow and reduce clutter, including relocating taxi ranks and cycle docks

• Lennox Gardens: widen footpaths and implement traffic orders for safety; consider one-way street options and pedestrian-friendly cycling routes

• Yeoman’s Row: transform car parking into sustainable urban drainage; implement timed parking and improve pedestrian crossings

• Montpelier Street: tackle crime; consider noise impacts and management plans for table and chair licenses; improve cycling lanes and visibility

• Knightsbridge Green / Raphael Place: establish micro-consolidation hubs and enhance wayfinding to Hyde Park; pedestrianise some areas, enhance green spaces, and activate ground floors; incorporating water features, lighting and Instagrammable installations; explore opportunities for market stalls

CO-DESIGN WORKSHOPS

Co-design Workshop #3

In the third workshop, we shared the research findings, the proposed interventions for Brompton Road / Knightsbridge and details of the smaller neighbourhood schemes. Participants were invited to share feedback on the proposed schemes and identify which ones they supported. They were overwhelmingly supportive of the proposals and also shared useful feedback to help the team shape the plans.

• There is a wide group of stakeholders with an interest in the district, including residents, businesses, shoppers, workers and tourists. They have a diverse range of views and goals, but there are several areas on which they are aligned

• There is a strong desire to protect and enhance the district’s assets: iconic and world-class retail, outstanding architecture, heritage features and a unique culture

• There is also recognition that the area is underperforming and could deliver a better experience for all stakeholders. Particular problem areas

are: the pedestrian experience; lack of green spaces and trees; noise and air pollution; overcrowding; street clutter; crime and feelings of safety

• Opportunities on which most stakeholders are aligned are: footway widening; improved junctions and pedestrian crossings; tree planting and provision of green space; decluttering and rationalising materials; enhancements to gateways, wayfinding and priority streets to increase footfall and dwell time; reducing crime and increasing feelings of safety and security

APPENDICES

TRAFFIC DESIGN STUDY

KNIGHTSBRIDGE

CORNER EXISTING

SCOTCH HOUSE CORNER

Knightsbridge

SCOTCH HOUSE CORNER - PROPOSAL

Continuous 2 lane eastbound approach with better aligned crossing

All crossings straight across in a single green phase

Westbound capacity enhanced by reducing friction from stopped vehicles

Improved coordination between linked junctions achievable due to 3 stage operation

New controlled crossing over Sloane Street Sloane Street

Knightsbridge

Brompton Road

BROMPTON ROAD - EAST

BROMPTON ROAD - EAST: OPTION A

BROMPTON ROAD - EAST: OPTION B

Carriageway narrowed such that traffic islands can be removed. This generates a significant amount of additional road space

All crossings straight across in a single green phase

Greater level of carriageway space retained over option A illustrating that sufficient footway widening can still be achieved – Traffic capacity increased westbound over existing

crossings straight across in a single green phase

BROMPTON ROAD: WEST - OPTION A

BROMPTON ROAD: WEST - OPTION B

Egerteron Terrace

Egerteron Terrace Brompton Square

High Quality Lighting Design

Diagram

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Night-time Thoughts

Night-time Thoughts

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Night-time Thoughts

Night-time Thoughts