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Belgravia
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Belgravia is a district in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its very expensive residential properties and is one of the wealthiest districts in the world. Much of it, known as the Grosvenor Estate, is still owned by a family property company, the Duke of Westminster's Grosvenor Group. Owing to the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, the estate has been forced to sell many freeholds to its erstwhile tenants.
The district lies mostly to the south-west of Buckingham Palace, and is bounded notionally by Knightsbridge (the road) to the north, Grosvenor Place and Buckingham Palace Road to the east, Pimlico Road to the south, and Sloane Street to the west.
The area takes its name from one of the Duke of Westminster's subsidiary titles, Viscount Belgrave. The village of Belgrave (beautiful grove), Cheshire is two miles (3 km) from the Grosvenor family's main country seat of Eaton Hall.
Most of the area was originally owned by Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster, who had it developed from the 1820s. Thomas Cubitt was the main contractor. Belgravia is characterised by grand terraces of white stucco houses, and is focused on Belgrave Square and Eaton Square. It was one of London's most fashionable residential districts from its beginnings. Fashion design houses that have their retail flagship stores and studios within the area include Philip Treacy, Donna Ida, Jenny Packham and HEMYCA. On the southern edge of Belgravia is Pimlico Road, renowned for its quirky antique shops and high-end furniture and interiors showrooms housing established brands such as Arthur Brett. It is a relatively quiet district in the heart of London, contrasting with neighbouring districts, which have far more busy shops, large modern office buildings, hotels and entertainment venues. Many embassies are located in the area, especially in Belgrave Square.
After the Second World War, some of the largest houses ceased to be used as residences, or townhouses for the country gentry and aristocracy, but the new uses were restricted to certain categories, including embassies, charity headquarters and professional institutions. In the early 21st century, some of these houses are being reconverted to residential use, because offices in old houses are no longer as desirable as they were in the post-war decades, while the number of super-rich in London is at a high level not seen since at least 1939. Many houses in Belgravia are among the most expensive anywhere in the world.
As of 2013, many residential properties in Belgravia were owned by wealthy foreigners who have other luxury residences worldwide in exclusive locations or in their countries of origin; thus many Belgravia properties are unoccupied because their owners were at other properties. This phenomenon has diminished social relations in the neighbourhood.
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