Battersea tower markets UK’s first residential IV drips and rooftop ‘wellness hub’

HiLight, a new riverside development on the former Price’s Candle site, promises a luxury, hotel‑style living experience with a rooftop wellness garden offering saunas, salt‑therapy pods, functional mushroom drinks and on‑demand IV vitamin infusions — a mix that appeals to high‑end buyers even as clinicians warn evidence and safety for some treatments remain limited.

A new riverside apartment tower in Battersea is pitching itself as much more than a place to sleep. The HiLight, being developed on the former Price’s Candle factory site, will include what the developer describes as London’s first residential rooftop dedicated to an array of wellness services — from vitamin C‑infused showers and ice baths to infrared and salt‑therapy sauna pods, functional mushroom drinks, and, strikingly, on‑demand IV vitamin infusions available to order to residents’ flats around the clock. The claims come from the developer’s promotional material and interviews with sales spokespeople. (According to the sales documentation, the rooftop garden has been curated by landscape designers and the scheme is being marketed as a high‑end, hotel‑style residential experience.) Sources: developer and sales literature set out the amenity list, while the project’s launch has been reported in the local press.

The rooftop is presented as a multi‑layered “wellness hub”: Finnish saunas heated to 85–95°C for what the developer calls “maximum therapeutic impact,” a series of dedicated wellness pods for thermal therapy and deep relaxation, a dry spa with chromotherapy lighting, scent‑driven events, and a so‑called grounding area intended for barefoot connection with natural materials. The scheme’s promotional materials and the sales brochure also list a private screening room, sky bar, fitness and co‑working space, 24‑hour concierge and a residents’ club room among the communal facilities. The developer frames these features as designed to support day‑to‑day mental and physical wellbeing rather than occasional indulgence.

The project is squarely aimed at the prime end of the London market. HiLight will deliver 113 one‑ to three‑bedroom apartments with full‑height glazing and terraces; prices are being marketed in the mid‑six‑figure range, with one‑beds quoted from around the mid‑£600,000s and larger three‑beds at up to about £2 million. Sales agents confirm the service charge will be levied annually at roughly £7.15 per square metre. The promotional push sits within a wider narrative that premium developers must add hotel‑style services and distinctive communal offerings to attract buyers to the capital’s pricier neighbourhoods.

The location carries historical cachet: the site was previously occupied by Price’s Candle, once the world’s largest candle manufacturer and a supplier to state occasions. Developers say aspects of the site’s industrial character will be retained even as new riverside residences rise, a point made repeatedly in local coverage of the redevelopment and in the developer’s own materials.

While the headline amenities are eye‑catching, clinicians and consumer‑health commentators urge caution about some of the services being promoted. Investigations into the consumer trend for commercial IV vitamin infusions — a phenomenon widely reported in recent years — show the practice has become popular in spa and lifestyle settings even though robust clinical evidence for many of the claimed benefits is limited. Medical experts quoted in analyses of the trend have warned that, outside of clear clinical indications, such infusions often rest on unsupported claims, and there are sanitation, regulatory and safety considerations that both providers and customers should not ignore.

The rooftop’s offering of “functional mushroom” drinks should also be seen in context. Food‑retail launches and market reports have documented a rapid expansion in mushroom‑infused beverages and supplements — lion’s mane and reishi among the better‑known examples — and brands have made cognitive and calming claims. Yet scientists and regulatory commentators point out that human clinical evidence is still sparse for many of the alleged benefits, and labelling and marketing are tightly constrained by food‑safety rules.

Some of the rooftop’s sensory and “grounding” experiences are positioned on the basis of emerging or preliminary science. Research in controlled animal models has shown that grounding or earthing can alter some stress‑related markers and behaviour in rodents, but researchers caution against extrapolating animal results to humans without further trials; the evidence base for grounding as a broadly therapeutic practice in people remains limited.

That mix of aspiration and uncertainty is reflected in the project’s messaging. “At Ghelamco, we believe wellness should be integrated into everyday life, not an occasional luxury,” Marie‑Julie Gheysens, UK director for the developer, told the press, adding that the rooftop was conceived as “a multi‑dimensional wellness experience… a sanctuary in the sky.” Those are the developer’s aims; independent clinicians, consumer‑safety experts and regulators will be the ones to judge how the proposed services are delivered, overseen and, where necessary, medically supervised.

HiLight is therefore a clear example of how high‑end residential developers are weaving lifestyle and wellbeing into property placemaking to stand out in a competitive market. Prospective buyers should weigh the novelty and convenience of on‑site wellness services alongside the practicalities — service charges, contractual liabilities, and the variable scientific support for some treatments — before signing on to what the developer calls everyday “sensory rejuvenation.”

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Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
7

Notes:
The narrative appears to be original, with no substantial matches found in recent publications. The earliest known publication date of similar content is from 2022, which is over 7 days earlier. The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. However, the presence of the Daily Mail as the source introduces potential concerns regarding the reliability of the information. The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. The presence of the Daily Mail as the source introduces potential concerns regarding the reliability of the information. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/7b3a2c94-36ff-4f26-a238-2028e1731a51?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score:
8

Notes:
The quotes attributed to Marie-Julie Gheysens, UK director for the developer, appear to be original, with no identical matches found in earlier material. This suggests potentially original or exclusive content. However, the Daily Mail’s reputation for sensationalism and potential inaccuracies raises concerns about the authenticity of the quotes. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/7b3a2c94-36ff-4f26-a238-2028e1731a51?utm_source=openai))

Source reliability

Score:
4

Notes:
The narrative originates from the Daily Mail, a publication known for sensationalism and potential inaccuracies. This raises concerns about the reliability of the information presented. The developer’s promotional materials and sales brochures are also cited, which may present a biased perspective. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/7b3a2c94-36ff-4f26-a238-2028e1731a51?utm_source=openai))

Plausability check

Score:
6

Notes:
The claims about the HiLight development offering wellness services such as vitamin C-infused showers, ice baths, infrared and salt-therapy sauna pods, functional mushroom drinks, and on-demand IV vitamin infusions are plausible and align with current wellness trends. However, the Daily Mail’s history of sensationalism and potential inaccuracies raises questions about the accuracy of these claims. The article includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/7b3a2c94-36ff-4f26-a238-2028e1731a51?utm_source=openai))

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary:
The narrative presents plausible claims about the HiLight development’s wellness offerings, but the Daily Mail’s history of sensationalism and potential inaccuracies raises concerns about the reliability of the information. The presence of recycled content and the use of promotional materials as sources further diminish the credibility of the report. Given these factors, the overall assessment is a ‘FAIL’ with medium confidence.