American singer Harry Styles has at last begun construction on his long-planned £18 million mega-mansion, more than six years after purchasing the first of the properties involved.
The project will transform multiple neighbouring houses into one vast private residence featuring luxury amenities such as four separate dressing rooms in the master suite, a private art gallery and an indoor patio.
The 31-year-old former One Direction singer, whose personal fortune is estimated at £225 million, is combining two substantial houses into a single, expansive home.
In addition to these, he has acquired a neighbouring property to serve as a gatehouse, as well as a fourth house on the same street intended for guests. Together, the purchases will form an exclusive residential compound that is set to become one of the most impressive and valuable private addresses in the capital.
According to Daily Mail, Styles has already spent around £18 million acquiring the various properties.
However, the final cost of the project remains unknown, given the scale of his ambitions and the extensive work planned inside and outside the buildings. His vision includes a lavish master suite with four dressing rooms, dedicated space for displaying art, and a sheltered indoor patio area.
The origins of the project date back to 2019, when Styles bought the first house for £8.8 million. Although planning permission was granted nearly two years ago, visible construction activity only recently began, with scaffolding now erected on site.
Away from London, Styles quietly purchased a home in Rome in early 2024, close to fashion designer and close friend Alessandro Michele. He moved into the Italian property following his split from actress Taylor Russell.
Prior to buying in Rome, Styles often stayed in a five-star London hotel, with some reports claiming he spent as much as £2 million over a couple of years on accommodation costing £2,500 per night.
He is now said to be 'head over heels' in love with actress Zoe Kravitz, and the pair have frequently been seen walking together around Rome. Styles has also spent time in Berlin recently, where he has been working on a new solo album.
Construction on the Hampstead mansion is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, suggesting that Harry’s extended stay abroad – described as his 'Roman Holiday' – is likely to continue for some time.
To address concerns from neighbours, Styles’ team has held three meetings with local residents and distributed leaflets to maintain communication, particularly regarding potential disruption from noise and construction traffic.
As part of the agreement, he has committed to installing 'acoustic enclosures to suppress noisy equipment' and to 'operate plant [machinery] at low speeds and incorporate automatic low speed idling'.
Contractors are also required to prioritise 'electrically driven equipment in preference to internal combustion power' and 'hydraulic power in preference to pneumatic and wheeled in lieu of tracked plant'. In addition, vehicle engines must be switched off whenever they are stationary.
Planning permission to merge the properties into a single mega-mansion was granted in April, on the condition that the development includes measures to support local wildlife. These include creating a wildlife haven with features such as hedgehog boxes and bat boxes.
In a statement submitted to planning officials, his representatives said: 'The proposed development has been carefully crafted to bring the building back as one of the great Hampstead houses.
'It proposes to amalgamate the two houses, along with internal and alterations, extensions to the second, ground and lower ground floors, and extensive landscaping in order to reinstate and provide substantial enhancement to the Grade II listed building.'
They also stated that community engagement events had already taken place and maintained that the plans would not negatively affect light levels for neighbouring homes. One source commented that Harry was 'giving Ed Sheeran a run for his money' when it came to the scale of his building project.
Further conditions require the protection of local wildlife, including the installation of bug hotels and additional bat boxes. Surveys of the area have revealed a rich variety of animal life, including a feral pigeon nest, evidence of bats emerging from the buildings, and a hole used by foxes and other small mammals.
If bats are found to be roosting during the works, construction must stop immediately, and Styles would be required to apply for a bat licence from Natural England before continuing.
The news follows recent speculation that Styles and Kravitz have taken their relationship to a new level. Photographs obtained by The Sun showed Kravitz wearing a chunky gold band on her ring finger while enjoying a romantic walk through Rome with Styles.