The Indian businessman behind a clothing empire has bought a house in London’s Notting Hill district for 21 million pounds (US$27 million), one of Britain’s biggest home transactions this year despite a general slump in luxury home sales.
Harish Ahuja, who owns and runs Shahi Exports, bought the eight-story convent-style home in July, according to British documents. His son Anand Ahuja and daughter-in-law, Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor, plan to use part of the sprawling site as a marital residence after redevelopment and convert another section of the building into an apartment, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing the family’s plans.
The more than 20,000-square-foot property, a short walk from Kensington Gardens, was previously owned by a UK-registered charity and a religious organization, according to a brochure seen by Bloomberg News.
Shahi Exports’ media team and the company’s secretary did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Mr Ahuja’s home is one of a handful that have sold for more than £20 million this year, including a £27 million Mayfair mansion sold at a 33% discount by art collectors and oil tycoons Fatima and Eskandar Maleki.But the proportion of prime central London homes bought by Indians is set to rise 3% between 2019 and 2023, the fastest growth of any nationality over that period, according to data from estate agent Hamptons International.
