Anything but flat

The appetite for apartment living is on the up. Here are some of the capital's best new-builds

- James Fisher

BY seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show,' opined Dr Johnson, although I prefer the somewhat more anonymous quote made famous by William Sansom: 'London is a bad habit one hates to lose.' It doesn't seem as if the habit of London is one that is likely to be kicked any time soon. As the market goes through a somewhat 'cool' patch (political instability, inflation, interest rates, all of the above), the London market, especially at the prime and super-prime end of things, marches on unfazed and unrattled.

To those of us who live here, that seems hardly surprising. Scarce a corner can be turned without being greeted by a crane or scaffolding. Since 2008, development has skyrocketed and shows no signs of slowing down. Although the allure of blue skies and green grass post-covid may have driven people out of town, many still want to keep an apartment in the capital, unwilling or unable to kick the habit of metropolitan living (much like the mother who hides that packet of Silk Cuts behind the Aga). At the same time, demand is boosted by the international buyer who, thanks to a certain former prime minister, is benefiting from very favourable exchange rates.

"The pull of London as a global city remains strong and we have seen international buyers return to the prime London market,' says Genevieve Mayoh, international residential development consultant at Savills. The limited pipeline for high-profile new-build schemes means they continue to be in demand to those international and domestic buyers looking for the best in class.'