Heron Tower (110 Bishopsgate) is apparently now officially taller than Tower 42's 183m. It will eventually reach 246m into the sky, taller even than 1 Canada Square.

Technorati Tags: architecture, development, London, property, real estate

This counts as "news", in my book. The Barbican boasts 69 new apartments, after a conversion of City University business school offices in residential use. Okay... you could argue that these aren't "original"... they might provide living inside a visionary 60s block, but they're not the 60s vision of living. Doesn't seem to be putting off the buyers, apparently, some of whom are said to be trading sideways from inside the Barbican. But check out the prices:

Expect to pay £380,000 for a studio with a flip-down bed, and up to £1.87 million for a three-bedroom duplex.

Now check out the apartments.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

£4.5m buys an abandoned church tower in St Pauls, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, re-envisioned as something radical and residential, over 12 floors, with some original stone staircase retained, and a balcony around the tower with unique views. Particulars - and some great photographs - here.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

A little-known regional index (no, not house prices) was published by the Communities and Local Government Department a couple of days ago. It's the happiness index... how happy are you living where you do. The City came out tops, with a 92.4% swellness rating, narrowly beating Richmond upon Thames into second place. Richmond - clearly taking this kind of crap far too seriously - has fought back... calling the City "statistically insignificant" because of its sub-10,000 population, and proclaiming itself the swellest place in the country. Incidentally, the least swell place in the country was also in London... sorry, Barking and Dagenham (56.6%).

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

Regeneration of Stepney's crumbling Ocean Estate has been discussed, put out to tender, promised, fudged, kicked under the carpet time and time again during the New Labour years. Now, Tower Hamlets Council is said to be going straight to the Homes & Communities Agency to seek the £160plusm shortfall needed to make the housing civilised. And they're hopeful? Why? What's changed?

The council is keen to get the project done and dusted before the 2012 Olympics, when marathon stars including Britain’s Paula Radcliffe pass along the Mile End Road on the way to the Games at Stratford.

Some "previous" on the estate, from the BBC and the Independent, here and here.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

And that somebody is Stephen Lakey, an IT manager who, until now, has been living in a council flat supporting his unemployed parents, but now holds the keys to a one-bedroom Whitechapel party palace with Jacuzzi and steam room. Goodbye oldies, hello dancing girls. He paid £50 for a ticket, attracted by the fact that money was being donated to the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. These property raffles have something of a checkered history. The usual scam involves some small print stating that if the value of the property isn't made up in ticket sales, a cash prize minus expenses is awarded instead. Recently, there's been some question about the legality of the process, since non-charity private lotteries are forbidden. In this case, it appears the question was hard enough to make the prize draw qualify as a game of skill. If you like the sound of this, there are nine further apartments up for grabs.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

Thanks to the Rat and Mouse reader who drew my attention to this. Keira Knightley has apparently spent £2.3m on a Shoreditch townhouse.

“Keira was fed-up of West London. She wanted to move somewhere more bohemian and arty."

Really? Is Shoreditch still bohemian?

Technorati Tags: celebrity, London, property, real estate

Towering over the neighbouring buildings, the Barbican stands as the ultimate symbol of London’s postwar urban planning.

It certainly does; and here at the Rat and Mouse we love it. Time Out has put together a little guide to one of the city's residential landmarks, and it makes for interesting Friday afternoon reading.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

... makes me reflect on research that came out several years ago about the young professional classes being attracted to more culturally mixed areas, attracted by their ethnic diversity and vibrancy... A visit to London's Hoxton and Shoreditch over the weekend confirmed this view. The run down streets were full of 20 somethings seeking pleasure and experiences all attracted by the places slightly edgy feel... These areas can often provide landlords with some great letting opportunities as properties tend to be cheaper than in more established areas but rents are strong and there is always the potential for more rapid capital appreciation as a result of gentrification.

Something tells me PropertyHawk's not from 'round here... but if he can find some of those cheap Hoxton or Shoreditch properties, I'm all-ears. (Not literally, obviously.)

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

A disused underground network of tunnels, running a mile under central London, from Chancery Lane tube station, is for sale with Farebrother. It was built in the 40s as a bomb shelter, but came into its own during the Cold War, where it housed secure telephone communications.

Particulars (pdf), here.

If these walls could talk... Women in Love edition [October 6, 2008]

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate