Extraordinary Kensington penthouse with 'garden in the sky' on sale for £15m
A penthouse with its own “garden in the sky” could provide the perfect bolthole to escape London’s hustle and bustle (or even US President Donald Trump’s America) — if you have a spare £15 million.
The two-storey apartment has gone on sale this week and boasts 5,029 square feet at the top of Campden House in Sheffield Terrace near Kensington Palace.
As well as five bedrooms — including three en-suite — a spacious kitchen, dining area and an executive marble-tiled bathroom, the luxury flat even has space for a library.
However, the real highlight is the rooftop terrace, featuring a unique garden curated at the request of a former owner’s horticulturist wife. According to estate agents Savills, she had hoped for a house with a back garden to plant flowers, but her husband compromised by securing the only direct-access communal garden in W8.
The garden in the sky would be an ideal retreat for a Londoner looking for a private oasis. However, it might also provide the ultimate escape for one of the rising number of US buyers keen to put down roots in an exclusive royal borough.
Actress America Ferrera was rumoured to be looking at schools in south-west London and a study of 1,000 US citizens reported that 25 per cent are considering moving abroad. The UK-based Immigration Advice Service reported a 500 per cent surge in US traffic to its website following Mr Trump’s inauguration in January.
The £15m price tag might quash dreams of snapping up this recently renovated Kensington penthouse. However, if more Hollywood A-listers come calling, its air conditioning, his-and-hers dressing room, and quick access to Notting Hill Gate and High Street Kensington Tube stations could prove tempting.
There are no known famous former owners, although Agatha Christie once lived on the same road and Bridget Jones called nearby Holland Park home — at least in Helen Fielding’s books.
Stephen Holmes, a director at Savills Kensington, said the property's elevated position — one of the highest points in the borough — makes it an ideal setting for hosting a party.
“This is an exceptional penthouse apartment at Campden House and arguably one of the most remarkable lateral homes in Kensington,” he said.
“Meticulously renovated by its current owners, it offers a first-class standard of living in a beautiful Victorian period building with the only direct access communal garden in W8.
“Described as a garden in the sky, the apartment offers a beautiful private terrace overlooking the London skyline.”
