Reimagining the Future of Knightsbridge

  • Knightsbridge Today

    Welcome to the Knightsbridge Place and Public Realm Strategy for the world-renowned Knightsbridge district of London. Knightsbridge is celebrated as one of the finest shopping destinations in the world and is also a place that many people call home.

    Our benchmarking of Knightsbridge against other luxury destinations highlights the appeal of its rich historic fabric, extraordinary architecture, and unique stories.

  • However, its public realm must be transformed for Knightsbridge to thrive both as a luxury destination and as a place to live.

    Knightsbridge is designated as an International Centre in the Mayor’s London Plan, yet in the face of strong international competition for tourists, high net-worth shoppers, and inward investment, it stands at a crossroads. To secure its future, Knightsbridge must embrace the change the Place and Public Realm Strategy can deliver, or risk decline and the loss of market share to other locations both within London and across the globe.

Co-Creation and Engagement to develop the Place Strategy

Knightsbridge Partnership co-created the Place and Public Realm Strategy in collaboration with residents, community group representatives, local property owners, businesses, Transport for London, Westminster City Council, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, with the aim of putting Knightsbridge back on the map as the best place globally to live, shop, visit, work, and invest.

Shared Vision for Knightsbridge

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.

Strategic Approach

The Place and Public Realm Strategy is an evidence-based and multi-disciplinary integrated approach.

  • Brompton Road

    Knightsbridge Green

  • 1. Flagship public realm scheme for Knightsbridge and Brompton Road

    The mile long project 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

    These projects will protect and enhance many of the characterful streets off Brompton Road, providing spaces to dwell with new trees and planting.

  • Brompton Road

    Knightsbridge

  • 3. Placemaking to curate the Knightsbridge offer and visitor experience

    These projects will protect and enhance many of the characterful streets off Brompton Road, providing spaces to dwell with new trees and planting.

    4. Strategic and proactive place management

    This harnesses new technologies to ensure the highest standards of cleansing, safety, green space and ecology management, and commercial vehicle management.

  • Brompton Road

    Knightsbridge

The public realm proposals will transform Brompton Road, Knightsbridge and eleven adjoining streets

  • Restore Knightsbridge to its premier status as a world-leading luxury destination and as an outstanding place to visit, live, work, and invest.

  • Deliver a thriving Knightsbridge day and evening economy which also provides growth opportunities for the London and UK economies.

  • Create Healthy Streets which support cycling and walking, and increase biodiversity – improve the TfL Healthy Streets assessment score from 49 to 77 points.

  • Reduce congestion through Knightsbridge and make it easier to visit Knightsbridge with an uplift in taxi and drop-off spaces.

  • Celebrate, protect, and enhance the Knightsbridge area’s unique character and heritage.

  • Attract people to spend time in its historic streets and places and invite people to return again and again.

  • Contribute to improving local air quality.

  • Contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation.

  • Create a safe and welcoming place for all.

Reimagining the Future of Knightsbridge

Return on Investment

An independent team of economists has developed a compelling investment case, which indicates the public realm improvements will deliver significant social benefits and return on investment.

Key Impacts:

  • Increase of up to 4.3m visitors a year, which equates to up to an additional 43m in footfall over a 10-year period.
  • Up to £2.8bn in additional spending over 10 years, which is a 16% increase vs the baseline.

What Happens Next

The public realm proposals are at RIBA Stage 3. This stage develops the proposals to a level of detail that Transport for London can be assured that traffic on Brompton Road will continue to flow and proposed improvements can be delivered. This stage will take until early summer 2026.

The next steps include securing funding, developing the detail of the design proposals and finally implementing the proposed improvements.

Community engagement will continue at every stage to ensure that the strategy meets the needs and expectations of all stakeholders.

  • 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.

    Howard Dawber Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth

  • 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.

    Melville Haggard Chair, The Knightsbridge Association

  • 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.

    Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg Lord Mayor of Westminster

  • 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.

    Councillor Cem Kemahli Lead Member for Finance, Digital, and Efficiency, Royal Borough Kensington and Chelsea

  • 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.

    Simon Birkett Chair, Knightsbridge Neighbourhood Forum