Victoria's secret

The key to Victoria has always been its variety

Consider some of London's famous districts and immediate associations spring to mind. The City stands for finance. Soho is the media village. The South Bank is the artistic hub. 

But what about Victoria? It's one of London's most visited areas, yet no single association readily comes to mind. SW1 spans the political village of Westminster and Downing Street, the elegant squares of Belgravia, the Georgian terraces of Pimlico, the riverbank and Tate Britain, Buckingham Palace and three Royal Parks. Then there is the transport hub itself, through which over 115 million people pass every year. Maybe this is why most people think of Victoria as a place you pass through, rather than a destination in its own right.

That perception is already changing. As you exit Victoria Station and look across towards the corner of Bressenden Place and Victoria Street, you will now see the spectacular entrance to Cardinal Place| – one of the most significant developments in Victoria for decades. It is home to companies from sectors seldom seen in this area before, including Microsoft, 3i and Experian. Meanwhile, 24 new retail and restaurant brands have arrived, including a Marks & Spencer anchor store. Then there is the SW1 Gallery|, opening onto an attractive roof garden, enjoyed by the public as well as residents in 124 refurbished apartments (one of which used to be home to Frank Sinatra).

The success of Cardinal Place| is a signal to the future of Victoria – one that builds on its defining trait of variety. By combining diverse businesses with leading retail and leisure brands, mixing in cultural and residential elements, and opening up new spaces and thoroughfares for the public, we aim to turn Victoria into a definitive destination for leisure and business.

The next stage is the redevelopment of 62 Buckingham Gate| (formerly Selborne House) and Wellington House|, which begins in 2010. The latter marks a significant new chapter in the Land Securities story, as we extend our reputation for commercial and retail developments into the residential sector. In the longer term, our plans for Victoria Transport Interchange 2 (VTI2)| will have a transformational effect on the area, leading to a vast increase in public space across an 81,800-square-metre site right opposite the station. Again, it will embrace a diversity of retail, residential and office space, along with a four-storey library to serve the local community.

Taken together, these developments are having a ripple effect across our Victoria portfolio, which also includes Westminster City Hall|, Kingsgate House|, Wilton Plaza|, Bressenden Place|, Queen Anne's Gate|, Eland House|, 123 Victoria Street| (formerly Ashdown House), and Portland House|.

Of all the areas in our portfolio, Victoria could be the one set to change most radically over the next decade. The only constant is the sense of variety at its heart.