London remains one of the coolest cities in the world to live in and to visit.

Unsurprisingly the Capital enjoyed a bumper year in 2012 being ranked #1 in the Trip Advisor Travellers Choice awards, playing host to many of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, not to mention the Summer Olympic Games which saw hotels packed to gunnels and the Tube full to bursting.

But the party is far from over with Belgravia SW1 the super sexy spot to be seen in in 2013. 

Parts of SW1 previously under the radar, are now making the news on a regular basis. This tucked away area of London is rapidly changing with billions of pounds being investing into the infrastructure of Victoria Station and the development of the Victoria Circle, heads are turning to this exclusively fashionable part of town.

The first women-only private members club in London opened its doors in a luxury grade II listing building in Belgravia which set tongues wagging and now the high end international hotel group, Marbella Club has just acquired the historic Tophams Hotel as they continue to target prime areas in the city where they anticipate to see growth and opportunities in the luxury hotel sector. 

Significant investment into a number of streets to smarten them up and attract a wealthier clientele has also been seen in the area. Elizabeth Street for example recently underwent a face lift and is now known as the very centre of sophistication with designer fashion stores such as Philip Treacy, Jenny Packham and Allegra Hicks.

Indeed Belgravia has been home to many government buildings such as New Scotland Yard and City Hall but this area is now attracting many of the UK’s leading private businesses. Companies including Google, Burberry, Tom Ford, Jimmy Choo and Microsoft have selected Belgravia as the location of their headquarters, a real nod to the exclusivity of the area.

From a property perspective, prices across London continue to outstrip the rest of the UK not least boosted by the Euro crisis which has seen increasing numbers of foreign buyers flood into London look for an investment safe haven. The latest Knight Frank figures show that annual growth for the Capital is now 9.4% with prime Central London residential stock 47% higher in November than in the same month in 2011.

The rental market too is equally strong with the average rent in Greater London rising to £1,240 in October 2012 according to an index compiled by HomeLet, up 32% from October 2009 when rents averaged £940 per month.

London Victoria train station too, located in the heart of Belgravia has been blessed with a vast injection of cash. In August 2009, the Secretary of State for Transport granted Transport for London (TFL) planning permission for the redevelopment of Victoria station which will result in 50% additional capacity, 9 new escalators, new interchange tunnels and improved, step free access. The upgrade will relieve congestion which often results in total chaos at the station and will greatly improve links between National Rail, the Tube and Victoria soach station.

The announcement of this vast development incited others to redevelop. Victoria Circle, the island opposite Victoria station, is the biggest project in the area. This £1 billion scheme is set to be delivered in 2 phases and scheduled for completion in 2018, the 6 acre site will include five new buildings providing 910,000 sq ft of residential, retail and office space along with a mix of public amenities.

Actively supporting this redevelopment of SW1 is one of the UK´s leading private equity property investment companies, Oakvest Ltd. This established development company has acquired Grosvenor Gardens House, a stunning 18th century mansion block just across from Victoria Circle.

Oakvest aim is to return this iconic property, reputedly where the Queen Mother was born, to its former glory with planning submitted and set for approval in January 2013. Working with renowned developers Medici they will see the serviced offices which currently occupy the building transformed into 42 luxury apartments, wellness centre and spa, concierge, business meeting areas, a cinema room and underground parking.

For more information contact Oakvest on +44 (0)207 811 3855 or visit www.oakvest.co.uk.