What you need to know about Kensington and Chelsea
The smallest borough in London and the second smallest district in England, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea contains some of the most affluent areas in the city, such as Knightsbridge, Kensington, South Kensington, Notting Hill and Chelsea, and was formed by the amalgamation of the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea in 1965. Located east of the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and west of the City of Westminster, this area is home to many famous department stores, major universities and museums, as well as some of the most expensive residential properties in the world. Kensington Palace, the British royal residence where Queen Victoria was born, is also located here. It is very easy to understand why this area is one of the most popular places in the city.
On the Chelsea side of the borough, you will find world-class restaurants, high-end shops and a wide range of entertainment venues. For football fans, Stamford Bridge is one of London’s most famous sporting arenas where Chelsea FC play their home games. The region offers many options for those who want to live the experience of a match day. But if you want to avoid crowds and are looking for a moment of relaxation and peace, the Chelsea Physic garden is the perfect place to go. One of the best-kept green secrets in London, the exhibition of over 5,000 plant species from all around the world changes according to the season, perfectly tended by the team of gardeners.
Chelsea has a vibrant art scene, and the famous Saatchi Gallery is the ideal place to explore the latest emerging contemporary artists from the UK and abroad. Located at the top of King’s Road, just off of Sloane Square, this gallery, which became famous during the British art boom in the 90s, continues to present some incredible forward-thinking exhibitions.
Kensington is another location in which you will find the houses of super-rich residents, world-class bars and restaurants and a rich cultural heritage, redolent with the glamour and royal atmosphere of the area. Although the boundaries of this affluent district are not always obvious, to the north lies the district of Notting Hill. A demarcation line occurs in the form of Holland Park Avenue. Hyde Park is set to the east, close to the Royal Park of Kensington Gardens, while the south of Kensington has a border with its neighbour Chelsea.
Kensington High Street, which runs on an east-west axis, is the perfect spot to discover the latest fashion trends with many top brand stores and classy boutiques. South Kensington, on the other hand, is where some of the best museums are located. The Victoria and Albert Museum on Cromwell Road is the largest museum of decorative arts and applied arts in the world, with a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. South Kensington is also home to the Royal Albert Hall, Natural History Museum, Imperial College London, Science Museum and Royal College of Music.
Grand stucco-clad residences are common property types in this neighbourhood. The borough is very well connected, with 12 tube stations on five of the 11 London Underground lines, with the majority of them located in Kensington. The region also has many bus routes, together with stations on the National Rail and Overground lines. The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was extended to the North Circular and South Circular roads in 2021, and covers the borough, which currently has moderate air quality. The crime rate in Kensington and Chelsea is somewhat higher than the average in London.
There are approximately 250 primary schools and 121 secondary schools in the borough, of which 69 are considered Outstanding by Ofsted. Chelsea & Westminster Hospital and St. Charles’ Hospital are some of the main hospitals in the region.
Chelsea, Kensington and Holland Park are the most popular places people search houses for sale in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, while Notting Hill, Earls Court and Ladbroke Grove are some common places tenants look to rent. According to Housing in London 2019, there are 156,197 people living in this borough, with 1.78 people per dwelling. The housing stock in the area has grown 3.6% from 2008 to 2018, with 19,710 affordable homes representing 15% of total stock. The average private rent is £2,427 and the average house price is £1,226,771, according to the same report.
The borough has 26.78% of properties owned outright, 13.44% owned with mortgage or loan, 37.24% private rent and 22.54% social housing, according to the Office of National Statistics. If you would like to rent a house in Kensington & Chelsea, it is estimated that you will need a total annual income of £72,810, according to the rent affordability formula.
