Property prices in the City of Westminster rose by an astonishing 18.3 per cent in the year to August, according to the latest figures from the government Land Registry.

The increase is the highest in the UK by a very long way, and justifies the interest in prime central London that has been shown by investors from around the world through the thick of the global financial crisis.

The growth in Westminster is is stark contrast with the overall figure for England and Wales (for historical reasons, the Land Registry does not cover Scotland) of just 0.7 per cent.

The City of Westminster has within its borders some of the most desirable real estate in the world from Buckingham Palace down, and includes most of Sandfords' home turf in Marylebone, Regent's Park, Primrose Hill and St John's Wood.

All these areas have seen surging prices over the last year despite fears of a double dip recession. The best houses and apartments in these areas now represent a safe and secure place to store funds as well as a base in some of the loveliest areas in the most vibrant, cultured and cosmopolitan city on earth.
Kensington and Chelsea, the borough covering most of the rest of the prime central London market, managed 17.9 per cent.