Tucked away amongst London’s abundance of skyscrapers and stroppy commuters, you’ll actually find a rather impressive number of gorgeous green spaces, too. One of which has been perched proudly in the middle of Mayfair since the 1720s. Grosvenor Square is the capital’s second largest square (after Lincoln Inn Fields), and it’s where you would have found the US embassy between 1912 and 2017.
Nowadays, plenty of office workers and city dwellers flock to the square to soak up some sporadic sunshine on their lunchbreaks in the city. But as of next week, they’ll need to find a new spot to scoff their meal deals, as it’s just been announced that Grosvenor Square will be closing its gates on Sunday (June 8) to undergo a mighty makeover.
In what has been described as ‘the largest private investment in public green space in the West End for a generation’, the redevelopment of the Mayfair square is set to be a pretty hefty job. Work will begin on Monday (June 9) and is set to take around 13 months to complete.
The design plans for the garden‘s glow-up come courtesy of London architectural firm, Tonkin Liu. And the transformation forms part of the land-owners vision to draw more visitors to the space. This will mark Grosvenor Square’s fourth redesign in its 300-year history. But this one is set to be the biggest (and the most biodiverse) yet.
The Grosvenor Square redevelopment
There has long been concerns about the lack of biodiversity in Grosvenor Square, and so a large portion of the square’s regeneration is centred around that. Plans feature around 70,000 new plants, 80,000 new bulbs, 44 new trees, and new wetlands being introduced to the square. In a bid to create a horticultural haven in the heart of the capital, the plans also involve increasing planting across the square from a rather measly 140 square-metres to a whopping 8,000 square-metres.
The design plans honour the square’s original 1720s design, and will see an oval-shaped lawn reintroduced, surrounded by a new footpath and a woodland garden. Extensive decompaction will also be carried out as part of the works, enabling the square to absorb more than 1.4 million litres of rainwater. Which is pretty darn useful, because… well – this is London, after all. The redevelopment will also include the construction of a new education building, that will offer the chance for both children and adults to learn about the likes of biodiversity, climate change and the square’s extensive history.
The Duke of Westminster said: “Our ambition is for Grosvenor Square to once again become a treasured green space for everyone to enjoy and where people of all ages can reconnect with nature in the heart of the city. Building on its long history, this revitalisation will breathe new life into the square for current and future generations. From increasing biodiversity to creating new opportunities for learning and education, the transformation has been shaped by the thousands who shared their ideas and voted on the design. We’re deeply grateful for the community’s support.”
Read more about the redevelopment of Grosvenor Square here.