Monday 26 January 2015

Neighbourhood watch: Eltham

Adapted from The Metro Article: www.metro.co.uk/2015/01/23/neighbourhood-watch-eltham-5032398/

Metro moves south-east to an area where prices are low and optimism is high. 
By Andrea Dean




Setting the scene
Eltham has to be south London’s best-kept secret. It sits at the bottom of the massive SE9 postcode and is comfortably close to fashionable Blackheath and Greenwich, but feels like it should be in Kent. It has an enviable amount of open space, England’s oldest golf club and a crumbling Medieval palace.

It’s also popular with parents due to its choice of excellent state schools, among them Deansfield and Eltham C of E primaries, and secondaries St Thomas More Catholic and Harris Academy in Greenwich.

What’s new
Improvements are under way in Eltham town centre: the streetscape’s being tarted up, a cinema complex opens in 2017 and new homes are planned. At Grove Place, Galliard Homes is building 144 one, two and three-bed apartments, most with a balcony or terrace, from £300,000. Kidbrooke Village, north of Eltham, comprises four neighbourhoods and is one of the largest developments in Europe.

One, two and three-bed apartments (left) are currently available, ranging from £310,000 to £635,000, and three and four-bed townhouses launch this weekend.

Snooping around
Savvy buyers – often moving from rentals in Clapham or Tooting – are discovering the area, tempted by its period properties and comparatively low prices. ‘Eltham has Victorian, Edwardian, 1920s, 1930s and modern housing,’ says Matthew Booker of estate agent Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward. ‘Turn-of-the-century houses on the Corbett estate are very sought-after, as are those in the Eltham Green conservation area.’

The Progress Estate, characterised by charming arts and crafts-style houses, is also popular. Built for local workers, it celebrates its centenary this year.

‘You can buy a one-bed flats for under £200,000 and two-beds from £250,000,’ continues Matthew. ‘Two-up, two-down cottages are from £300,000, and three-bed Corbett houses are from around £385,000.’

The biggest houses are in Grove Park Road and Court Road – the most expensive is six-bed Wuthering Heights, once owned by Kate Bush. It’s on the market at £2,750,000, through Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Foxtons and Langford Russell.

Monthly rents start at £800.

The commute
There are trains to Victoria, Cannon Street and Charing Cross. Until August 2016, those bound for Charing Cross aren’t stopping at London Bridge – normally an 18-minute journey. Alternatively, commuters can change to the DLR at Lewisham. Eltham station is in Zone 4 and an annual Travelcard into Zone 1 costs £1,844. The town was built on the main route to the Channel ports, now the A2, and when traffic’s light you can reach the M25 in 20 minutes.

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