Ten of London’s top first-time buyer hotspots
PUT THESE PLACES ON YOUR RADAR WHEN YOU ARE HUNTING FOR YOUR FIRST HOME, SUGGESTS ANDREA DEAN
1. OLD OAK COMMON
The new station at Old Oak Common will be the only HS2, Crossrail and Great Western interchange, but you don’t have to be a trainspotter to appreciate the merits of the area, which is part of the UK’s largest regeneration project and will deliver more than 25,000 new homes. According to a report by New London Architecture, it could do for west London what the Olympics did for east – so why not get in at the start?
2. ARNOS GROVE
Arnos Grove sits at the southern end of the leafy borough of Enfield, and boasts two lovely parks to unwind in. Even if you’ve never set foot here before, you might well recognise the Grade II*-listed station, widely regarded as a particularly fine example of Modernist architecture. Aesthetics aside, the Piccadilly line will whisk you into King’s Cross in less than 20 minutes, there’s another station at
New Southgate, and it nudges the North Circular.
3. CHARLTON
Around 7,500 new homes, together with shops, schools, restaurants and a riverbus pier, are being created on a brownfield site at Charlton Riverside, about a mile from Greenwich Market. Trains from nearby Charlton station will get you into London Bridge in just 15 minutes, and research from CBRE suggests that buying on the brink of regeneration is a wise investment as once work becomes established, property prices will increase by
3.6 per cent per year.
4. LEYTON
Connectivity via its Central Line and Overground stations, proximity to Stratford and Epping Forest and the villagey vibe along Francis Road are all contributing to Leyton’s popularity with buyers who want to live in east London
but lack the budget for a home in a more established hipster haunt. It also sits within the innovative MiniHolland scheme where locals are encouraged to walk or cycle rather than drive.
5. TOTTENHAM HALE
Transport connections are a major asset of this north London neighbourhood, which is undergoing extensive redevelopment. It’s on the proposed Crossrail 2 route and the station – on the Victoria and Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport lines – is currently getting a makeover. Some 5,000 new homes are being delivered, and more than 1,000 of these are in the lively new centre, set around a public square with shops, independent cafés, bars, restaurants and a cinema.
6. FELTHAM
One of four towns in the London Borough of Hounslow earmarked for regeneration (the others are Brentford, Chiswick and Hounslow), over the next 15 years, Feltham is set to benefit from better shops and leisure facilities, upgraded transport links and new housing. There is an impressive amount of open space, and even the parks have their own masterplan, focusing on improvements that will inspire residents to become more active. Heathrow is less than two miles away, and there are regular trains into Waterloo.
7. ROYAL DOCKS
Once the world’s largest enclosed docks, this waterfront district is being given a new lease of life and reinventing itself as a new business, entertainment and residential destination. Royal Albert Dock is becoming London’s third commercial and financial centre, City Hall is relocating here, Crossrail is coming to Custom House and 25,000 homes are being built. You’ll never be stuck for something to do, with swimming, sailing, a sculpture trail and excellent restaurants on the doorstep.
8. GREENFORD
Transport links in this up-and-coming suburb can’t be faulted, as it’s just north of the A40 and close to the North Circular and commuters have the choice of the Central Line or Paddington trains. It’s located in the northern part of Ealing, one of London’s biggest boroughs – with a young, multi-cultural population – and there’s plenty of room for growth as the average house price is £450,000 compared with £637,000 in the central W5 postcode.
9. BROMLEY-BY-BOW
A Zone 2 location, District and Hammersmith & City line services and
9 convenience for the City, Canary Wharf and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are making this area increasingly desirable for home hunters in search of a more affordable alternative to the likes of Dalston or Shoreditch. It has a similar arty, creative buzz and former warehouses and other industrial buildings dotted along local canal paths have been repurposed as studios and galleries.
10. SOUTHALL
It is great to see Southall’s main drag, Southall Broadway, fizzing with energy once again now that lockdown’s lifting, and it is almost impossible not to be charmed by its exuberance and fantastic selection of curry houses. Competitive property prices and excellent rail and road links enhance its appeal to buyers, and Crossrail will significantly reduce commuting time into the West End and City. Extensive regeneration is currently underway and more than 6,000 homes are being built.
Now see our pick of homes in each area on Page 22 »