Historically, London was known for its period houses and mansions. With the ever-changing skyline of London, property development companies are discovering the modern joys of creating high-rise buildings with fantastic sweeping views of the city.

The recent boom in high-rise living has sparked a lot of debate on the impact on local communities, with opposition from local campaign groups. There are concerns of high-rise buildings being built too fast, with many high-rise buildings having been built in very recent years. A high proportion of these new homes are in East London developments, where former industrial space is available for building.

An article in CITY AM focused on the rise in the number of taller buildings undergoing construction in the capital. As a city with architecture dating back several centuries, there has been a reluctance to build ‘up’ but as the population of London is estimated to be growing by around 100,000 each year, high rise buildings seems to be the only solution.

In this article, we take a look at how high-rise living has impacted London and what we may expect in upcoming years.

Change of Perception

Brits are certainly changing their perception of high rise living. While a few decades ago, many were suspicious, they are now embracing it as an attractive option. High-rise living is new to the people of London, however, it is motivated and inspired by overseas buyers from many Asian cities. 

Around ten years ago, high-rise living was not commonly heard of in London. Now, people are beginning to understand the premium attached to high-rise living and the status it has attached to it. This change of perception is the result of forward-thinking developers ensuring that their schemes fully meet the requirements and needs of future residents.

Many have the perception of high-rise apartments being restricted with space and lacking a sense of outdoors. Contrary to popular belief, modern high-rise apartments have been carefully considered and designed. As an example, apartments in the Wardian development benefit from a private balcony garden with a beautiful landscape of greenery. This provides residents with their own personal and spacious expansive outdoor area.

High-rise living provides unobstructed scenic views, along with excellent fresh air away from the street pollution and superb natural ventilation. Surprising to some, but many renters and buyers once favoured to reside towards the lower sections of a high-rise building. Whereas now, this has very much changed, and as a London Estate Agent, we are seeing renters requesting to live on higher floors.

Meeting Demand

London is a superb location to live, with fantastic facilities, landmarks and exciting events to be found almost every day. The reality is, London is now 18 times more overcrowded than the rest of the UK, which means that unfortunately, period houses and mansions are now a thing of the past.

London remains a low-rise city. However, with the ever-growing population and the capital set to be home to around ten million people by 2030, well-designed high-rise buildings will have a key role to play in meeting the challenging demands of the rapidly increasing population.

These buildings provide an excellent choice of housing which Londoners demand. They are making a significant contribution to the local economy and are situated in carefully planned clusters. The buildings resolve issues with housing and the amount of space in the city.

Incredible Standard of Living

Developer Ballymore launched Pan Peninsula in Canary Wharf in 2009, one of the first high-rise residential developments in this part of the city, with amenities that were designed for busy professionals who wanted a stress-free, luxurious standard of living. 

These new-build high-rise apartments are designed with every great detail to pay homage to  landmarks and well-known architectural buildings. High-rise buildings offer a unique presence with a sense of personality. These tall residential buildings are a great opportunity to live in some beautifully designed buildings by world-renowned architects, with the feeling of living ‘on top of the world’.

Since then, other schemes such as 21 Wapping Lane and New Providence Wharf – where JOHNS&CO manages a number of properties –  have capitalised on their success, offering amenities such as swimming pools, gyms and a 24-hour concierge.

High-rise living has the benefit of allowing London workers to switch off and detach from the fast-paced lifestyle of London. It’s also a tremendous way to experience the city’s landmarks and stunning panoramic views with the changing seasons. So there’s no surprise that high-rise developments are highly sought after.

Balance of Luxury and Location

With thousands of commuters travelling each day to London, it becomes more of a reason to relocate to the capital. In fact, short commutes to London workplaces are relatively rare, with the average commute lasting between minimum of 46 minutes and 78 minutes.

With the introduction of high-rise buildings, it has provided commuters with the opportunity to relocate much closer to their office.

When professionals working in London rent their homes nearby, they expect a perfect balance of luxury living and location. Many London residents want to be a stone’s throw away from the office.

Discover the Luxury of High-Rise Living

London high-rise apartments bring a large number of benefits alongside a great location. Our clients, investors, owner-occupiers and tenants relish the opportunity to be part of this lifestyle.

At JOHNS&CO we’re a fast growing, innovative London estate agency with seven offices across the city. We consider it our responsibility to know the London property market inside out, and we’re committed to providing the very best service to everyone we come in contact with. 

We currently have homes for sale at a number of new developments in London that would make for an ideal buy-to-let investment, appealing as they do to reliable and professional tenants. 

Please get in touch with us to find out more.