The people who own the UK

The total wealth of the 250 wealthiest property investors in Britain is £218.3bn – that’s more than Facebook’s market capital, the value of mobile commerce by 2019 and the total amount Britain’s biggest businesses will invest in the UK by 2016.

According to Estates Gazette’s Property Rich List, the richest property tycoons saw a 35% increase on the total wealth in 2013.

1. Amancio Ortega

Fortune: £35.8bn

 Property investments in London: Ortega boasts a £4bn global property empire including a £660m chunk of London real estate. He also owns Devonshire House opposite the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly - the former residence of the Dukes of Devonshire in the 18th and 19th centuries.

2. Joseph Safra

Fortune: £9.39bn

 Property investments in London: Brazilian billionaire Joesph Safra bought the Gherkin last month for a cool £726m. His company also owns buildings in New Bond Street. According to the BBC, the group manages assets worth more than $200bn.

3. Ernesto & Kirsty Bertarelli & family

Fortune: £9.37bn

 Property investments in London: Owners of Cross Tree Real Estate, the Bertarellis’ property portfolio includes three London sites worth £220m - this includes 1-3 Berkeley Street worth £150m and the £83.5m property at 48 Dover Street.

4. Henry Cheng Kar-Shun  & family

Fortune: £9.3bn

 Property investments in London: This Hong Kong family heads the Knight Dragon/New World Development which recently put up for sale the first 200 residential units at its Greenwich Peninsula scheme at prices starting from £250,000. This was part of the 10,000 units they expect to sell in the next few years.

5. David & Simon Reuben

Fortune: £9bn

 Property investments in London: The Reuben brothers are best-known for their plans to turn the derelict In & Out Club at Piccadilly into Britain’s most expensive home. They also own London Oxford airport and have permission for a 350-room development in Hoxton.

6. Wang Jianlin, owner Dalian Wanda

Fortune: £8.7bn

 Property investments in London: Jianlin’s Dalian Wanda is behind the One Nine Elms scheme in Vauxhall. The scheme will boast two skyscrapers with 45 and 60 storeys. Back in 2012, he also bought the Sunseeker luxury yacht business in Poole for £320m.

7. The Duke of Westminster

Fortune: £8.4bn

 Property investments in London: The Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor Estate sold off £240m of prime central London properties in April. According to EG, Grosvenor Estates holds 300 acres of Belgravia, Mayfair and Oxford Street.

8. Ananda Krishnan

Fortune: £5.4bn

 Property investments in London: Malaysian oil magnate Krishnan invested £102m in the ExCel London exhibition centre in 2008. He also bought the 5.5-acre St John’s Wood barracks for $390m and plans to make luxury flats there.

9. Nathan Kirsh

Fortune: £5bn

 Property investments in London: South African tycoon Kirsh owns a £850m property empire including Tower 42, the former NatWest tower, which he snapped up for for £282.5m. He also owns the Abacus Property Group.

10. Earl Cadogan & family

Fortune: £4.2bn

 Property investments in London: The Cadogan Group has assets worth over £3.9bn under its belt – this includes 93 acres in Chelsea. Back in July, the group paid £47m for the Thurloe & Gunter estates in South Kensington and Earls Court.

Full list here