Major Milestones Advance London’s New Arts Quarter

Two landmark announcements are accelerating delivery of HOLBA’s vision for a future Arts Quarter for London – a network of small and characterful streets, connecting Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly and Haymarket, bringing them to life with art and culture. The National Gallery has confirmed funding to transform St Vincent House into a new wing, while Westminster City Council (WCC) has appointed a delivery partner for the redevelopment of Huguenot House.

Alongside other landmark schemes, such as The Crown Estate and WCC’s major redevelopment plans for Regent Street, Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus, these schemes reimagine underused sites to create a connected and inclusive cultural destination spanning Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly and Haymarket.

Expansion at the National Gallery

Announced last week, the development of the National Gallery’s St Vincent House into a new wing, between Orange Street and Whitcomb Street, will provide world-class new facilities for the Gallery, while also significantly improving the public realm between Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square. Key features include:

• A welcoming new route between two of London’s most iconic squares, designed to be green, inclusive and active.
• Outstanding architecture that adds to the Gallery’s historic canon while meeting contemporary needs.
• New permanent and flexible galleries, seamlessly connected to the existing Sainsbury Wing and North Wing.
• A permeable ground floor, engaging directly with the public realm.

This project will not only strengthen the Gallery’s ability to tell compelling stories about painting to contemporary audiences, but also create a building of outstanding architectural merit at the heart of the Arts Quarter.

Transforming Huguenot House

Westminster City Council have also announced Altius Real Estate as their development partner for the major redevelopment of Huguenot House– a major development that sits between Orange, Panton, Whitcomb and Oxendon Streets. It will be a mixed-use scheme that balances housing, leisure, culture and community benefit. Alongside homes, office space and a hotel, key features include:

• Cinema space maintaining and re-providing cultural and commercial uses.
• Social enterprise space, with community café and garden.
• New retail and leisure frontages, including rooftop uses, reimagining the streetscape.
• Green space and landscaping, enhancing the public realm.
• Net zero carbon in operation, alongside commitments to local employment, training and skills opportunities.

This comprehensive redevelopment aims to transform the site into a vibrant, mixed community hub, complementing the cultural and commercial aims of the Arts Quarter.

Momentum is building

The Arts Quarter is already anticipated to unlock £1 billion of investment, generate £420 million in GVA and increase jobs by 30%. In the past three years, we have seen consistent progress:

• November 2022: Launch of the Arts Quarter proposals
• January 2023: Consultation and investor engagement begins
• June 2023: National Portrait Gallery opens new entrance on Orange Street
• February 2025: National Gallery’s new Learning Centre opens
• July 2025: The Crown Estate and Westminster City Council set out regeneration plans for Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus and Haymarket
• July 2025: Westminster City Council appoints delivery partner for Huguenot House
• September 2025: National Gallery confirms funding to transform St Vincent House into a new wing

Mark Williams, Deputy Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance said: “These milestones mark a real acceleration in bringing the Arts Quarter vision to life. By reimagining underused sites and weaving culture into the fabric of our streets, we are creating a destination that is not only globally significant but locally enriching – one that connects Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly and Haymarket with new opportunities for culture, community and commerce.”

A shared vision

By maximising underused space, improving public realm, delivering cultural infrastructure and ensuring inclusive growth, we can collectively strengthen for foundation of the cultural heart of London.