[8] A site was not chosen until June 1810, with a proposal by the hospital's physician that the recently re-acquired Yarborough House could be converted into an infirmary.

Unbeknownst to Soane, his proposed infirmary scheme had already been rendered impossible due to the lease of the site to Colonel Willoughby Gordon for the construction of a villa.

[9] Gordon commissioned Thomas Leverton to design the villa even before the lease was granted, and pulled down an existing pavilion in preparation.

[9] Gordon's villa, designed by the architect Thomas Leverton, is three storeys high, and stands on raised ground that once experienced panoramic views of the River Thames.

[4] Money subsequently raised by the sale has funded the renovation of the living quarters of the residents of the Royal Hospital.

Wherever there is political or economic unease, people instinctively head for the Monopoly board of prime central London addresses".

[5] The purchaser was legally obliged to construct a connecting building to provide underground access from the house as well as a spa and gymnasium complex (including a swimming pool) and bedrooms for four members of staff.

[4] The landscaping of the Gordon House site, designed by Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, was described by the architects as enhancing the "setting to provide the unique prospect of a grand country estate in the heart of Chelsea".