K1, Knightsbridge

Plans have been approved to transform one of the world’s most prestigious shopping locations. The site is located immediately adjacent to One Hyde Park and Harvey Nichols in the heart of the Knightsbridge International shopping centre. The redevelopment proposals comprised 340,000 square feet of retail floorspace, offices, a rooftop restaurant and 35 apartments. Motion provided extensive pre-planning transport and infrastructure support during a two-year period prior to submission of the planning application. We have subsequently been retained by the developer to design and manage the S278 works.

Among the many constraints to the scheme was the Brompton Road red route that runs along the much of the site frontage and required extensive engagement with Transport for London as well as highways offices at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The scheme involved significant enhancements to the public realm surrounding the site, including the reallocation of road space (including sections of the Brompton Road red route) from vehicular use to pedestrian use through the widening of footways.

Due to the aspiration to attract high end retailers to the retail units, the scheme includes two vehicle lifts providing access to a basement service yard. The lifts also provide access to residential car parking within the basement.

The substantial rooftop restaurant lead to concerns from some of the local residents about the potential for noise late at night when customers leave. These concerns were allayed though a careful analysis of the likely travel habits of the customers.