John McAslan + Partners has led a significant upgrade of the public realm along Sloane Street, a significant retail and residential thoroughfare linking Sloane Square with Knightsbridge
The ecologically driven project for landowner Cadogan was carried out in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in support of its Climate Emergency Action Plan. McAslans worked with landscape architect and garden designer Andy Sturgeon Design.
The scheme represents the most significant upgrade to Sloane Street’s public realm since it was first laid out in the 18th century. It aims to strengthen the street’s identity, character and pedestrian experience, while incorporating a comprehensive greening strategy made possible through a reduction in the width of the carriageway and a corresponding increase in the width of pavement areas by more than 20 per cent.
This has  contributed to a 17 per cent increase in Urban Greening Factor and a 175 per cent increase in biodiversity net gain, significantly increasing water retention and carbon sequestration.
New planting and street furniture – in particular robust handcrafted granite planters with integrated seating – act as a physical and visual buffer between traffic and pedestrians.
The widened pavements use Yorkstone paving in pedestrian areas with brass pavement studs and silver-grey granite demarcating reconfigured parking and loading bays. The pavements are intended to provide space for outdoor activities, including new pavement cafés and annual events, such as Christmas markets and Chelsea in Bloom.
Alongside the planting are new dual-height lighting columns, their detailing handcrafted by ironworkers, including intricate cast-iron horticultural motifs inspired by the nearby Arts and Crafts-era Holy Trinity Church.
Architect’s view
Sloane Street has been transformed into one of London’s most elegant and people-focused urban boulevards. The new design rebalances its proportions, narrowing the carriageway and widening pavements by over 20 per cent to prioritise pedestrians, safety and overall experience. This shift has created space for generous pedestrian movement, outdoor cafés, events and art installations, fostering a sociable, flexible environment where people can linger, enjoy greenery and engage with the street’s collection of globally renowned luxury fashion houses.
In many ways, Sloane Street redefines what a 21st-century urban boulevard can be. It exemplifies a broader shift in London’s streetscape strategy away from vehicle dominance toward greener, people-centred design, providing a tangible demonstration of how investment in the public realm can support both environmental and economic wellbeing.
A landscape-led approach places nature at the heart of the scheme. Over 100 Lime and Juneberry trees, along with more than 60 granite planters, bring shade, texture and seasonal colour to the street. Inspired by nearby Cadogan Place Gardens and the horticultural legacy of the Chelsea Physic Garden, the planting enhances biodiversity, mitigates urban heat and supports mental wellbeing – a calm, sensory counterpoint to the city’s intensity. The handcrafted planters also serve as informal seating and discreet security barriers, blending functionality with civic elegance.
A cohesive palette of Yorkstone paving, brass detailing and Arts-and-Crafts-inspired lighting gives the street a distinctive identity rooted in craft and heritage. Beneath the surface, extensive co-ordination of utilities and basement structures has enabled the delivery of a consistent public realm vision – an invisible but vital act of urban repair and reorganisation within a complex urban setting.
The project was shaped through extensive consultation with residents and retailers to ensure the design met both local and global expectations. Cadogan’s long-term commitment to maintaining the planting, lighting and materials secures the scheme’s enduring quality and exemplifies responsible public/private stewardship of the public realm.
These changes deliver tangible social and economic benefits. Retailers gain greater visibility and footfall, and residents enjoy quieter, safer streets. The street’s rhythm of granite, greenery and ambient lighting reinforces both comfort and civic character.
Andy Harris, director, landscape and public realm, John McAslan + Partners
Client’s view
This project marks a new era for Sloane Street as it approaches its 250th anniversary. It enhances its elegance and timeless appeal as the epitome of a luxury destination that is equally ‘global yet local’ and will entice new visitors, while enriching the experience for the local community.
The ‘new’ Sloane Street is defined by tradition and innovation, amplifying its inherent craftsmanship, creativity and heritage. Every aspect has been meticulously considered, including the exact hue of Yorkstone that ensures the street feels warm and welcomes residents and visitors alike.
The beautiful green boulevard now seamlessly connects the experience created by the world’s most iconic fashion houses in-store out into the public realm. It also contributes to London’s status as one of the world’s greenest cities, with extensive new planting seeing improved biodiversity and air quality to ensure a lasting environmental legacy for future generations.
Hugh Seaborn, chief executive, Cadogan
Project data
Start on site January 2023
Completion date March 2025
Site area 3ha
Procurement route Direct appointment
Construction cost £46 million
Construction cost per m2£1,500
Architect John McAslan + Partners
Masterplanner John McAslan + Partners
Client Cadogan
Structural engineer WSP
Public realm civil engineer WSP
M&E consultant WSP
Quantity surveyor Gardiner & Theobald
Landscape consultant John McAslan + Partners with Andy Sturgeon Design
Planting Andy Sturgeon Design
Lighting consultant LAPD Lighting
Project manager Gardiner & Theobald
Lead consultant/architect John McAslan + Partners
Specialist cleaning/restoration or other expert Bespoke Ironworks by Ironworks Studio
Main contractor Conways
CAD software used AutoCAD / Rhino
