Damien Hirst spends £34 million on Regent’s Park property

Damien Hirst will soon be neighbours with the Sultan of Brunei and the US Ambassador when he moves into his new house in Regent’s Park.

The house seen from the garden - Credit: Archant

The building went on the market for £34 million last year but it is believed that the Turner Prize winning artist may have paid well over the asking price for the 14-bedroom, end-of-terrace property.

The white stuccoed house was commissioned by the Prince Regent in 1811 from the celebrated architect John Nash.

The property’s previous owner was Anne Van Lanschot, from a Dutch banking dynasty, who lived there for 45 years and used it to entertain Princess Diana, among other illustrious guests.

Van Lanschot was attracted to the house by its half-acre garden but it is rumoured that Hirst is planning major renovations to the five-storey interior.

The living room, as decorated by the previous owner - Credit: Archant

With a fortune of £215m Hirst is the richest artist in Britain and is even worth £75m more than his original patron, Charles Saatchi.

He already owns a 300-year-old farmhouse in Devon and a 300-room manor house in Gloucestershire but Hirst’s portfolio is set to expand even further when he opens his own art gallery in South London next year. He has also received planning permission to build a new town with 750 homes near Ilfracombe in Devon.