The


The Crown Estate has a 10-year masterplan to breathe new life


into London’s St James’s. We spoke to Anthea Harries about the plans, the progress to date – and the pelicans.


Tourists who gather to see the pelicans being fed each day in St James’s Park may not realise that they are watching some of the area’s longest continuous residents having their lunch.


In 1664, the Russian Ambassador presented King Charles II with a pair of pelicans and there has been a colony of the birds in the park ever since. It has become something of a tradition to present pelicans to the English monarch ever since. Only last year the City of Prague gifted three Great White Pelicans to the park and the six- strong colony is thriving.


Through history the pelican has been used as a symbol of protection and guardianship. So it is very appropriate that three years into its 10-year £500m St James’s investment plan, The Crown Estate is using a pelican logo to badge the exciting plans it has for its holdings in the area.


One of the ultimate long-term holders of property, The Crown owns more than 170 properties in St James’s which equates to 4 million sq ft of space. It has bought assiduously during the past decade and now owns more than 50% of the area’s buildings by value.


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