A penthouse apartment on one of the most expensive residential streets in Britain is up for sale, priced at £16.95 million ($22.7 million).
Actress and singer Ariana Grande rented the property on the so-called Billionaires’ Row while she was in London for the filming of Wicked.
Buxmead, on The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, north London, is less than 16km from Elstree Studios.
The 9,677-square-foot apartment's private gym and leisure facilities within the building provided a discreet environment for rehearsals.
Designer Harrison Varma developed the property with security in mind for clients who require discretion, providing a uniformed security team within the one-hectare private gardens.
It was one of 11 apartments originally bought in 2019 by Dean Main, founder of development and investment company Henigman.
As the flagship of the super-prime rental portfolio, the property has undergone a three-year refit to include five bedrooms and six bathrooms. It also has a 360-degree wraparound terrace and lift to a six-car private garage. Features within the building include a cinema, games room, swimming pool and treatment areas.
Status address
The Bishops Avenue is known for its status mansions set in palatial grounds. It has been home to the urban elite since the early 20th century, with business leaders, film stars, royalty and presidents basing themselves on the sloping road, only a stone’s throw from Hampstead Heath.
To the chagrin of nearby residents, many of the properties are rarely occupied and several have been empty for years, sometimes decades, gaining value but reducing available residential space. In 2014, an inquiry found 16 of the 66 properties on the street were derelict, while others were valued at more than £60 million.
Several of the plots have been divided into multiple-occupancy homes, with luxury apartments replacing the monolithic mansions.
Prime property
Becky Fatemi, executive partner at UK Sotheby’s International Realty, said the Buxmead penthouse “understands exactly what today’s ultra-prime buyer is looking for”.
“It has quietly become known as London’s residential Fort Knox and that level of security and discretion is incredibly difficult to replicate,” she said. “It attracts global individuals, who want to live well without being seen, and that is reflected in every detail of the development.”
Prime luxury estate agent Alexander Main described it as “the best penthouse currently available in north-west London”, which is “completely private and secluded from the outside world”.
