A Western heart to a Prague facade

One of London's most successful property developers, who previously considered Kensington the eastern limit of his territory, is thinking of exporting his expertise to Warsaw and Prague. John Hunter of Northacre has pioneered the concept of developing luxury new flats behind old facades. He is currently completing the rebuilding of an entire terrace in Observatory Gardens, Kensington, which from the outside appears the same as it did 100 years ago. As international businessmen demand Western-style accommodation, he says, Warsaw and Prague have the kind of architecture which lends itself to the concept - and, unlike Kensington, you do not have to compete with 50 other developers to buy it.