The Heart of London Business Alliance's Redevelopment Plan for London's Iconic West End Shopping District is Exciting

The Heart of London Business Alliance has unveiled a new five-year plan to "reinvigorate" London's famed West End retail sector (HOLBA).

HOLBA, which represents 500 companies in the Piccadilly & St James's and Leicester Square districts, said that the plan comprises over 40 prospective initiatives aimed at preserving and enhancing the central London area's distinctive identity.

It said that five of them are high-priority initiatives.

West End 2027

The project, dubbed West End 2027, intends to revitalise the once-thriving luxury retail district, which has been heavily damaged by the epidemic during the last two years.

The public realm proposals include the establishment of a new Arts Quarter inside the network of minor streets that surround the National Gallery, Leicester Square, and Piccadilly Circus.

According to HOLBA, the Arts Quarter is projected to attract 1 billion pounds in investment when development possibilities arise. 

HOLBA's chief executive, Ros Morgan, affirmed the organisation is dedicated to ensuring the West End recovers even stronger than before the epidemic.

A component of their approach is bringing culture to the streets and integrating art into the physical environment, with the concept that it will be more critical than ever to have areas in the West End that people want to return to, especially as footfall from employees and visitors increases.

Additionally, the plan proposes to convert Green Park into a world-class welcome area for tourists coming through Piccadilly, as well as to transform Charing Cross Road into a tree-lined boulevard to handle the expected 80 percent increase in passengers arriving via the Elizabeth Line.

Additionally, St Martin's Lane and Sackville Street will undergo a transformation to match the area's high-quality companies.