Northcote Rd, sw11 area

[Arty3542]

Hi all,

We are considering moving to the SW11 area. We are coming from the States and have never lived in the UK before.

Pros for us: we like the school, seems to have a laidback vibe, and Northcote Rd is in-between two commons.
Cons: lack of transportation and distance from the center. We heard the surrounding areas are a little sketchy. Feeling confined to only the Northcote Rd area.

We do have the opportunity to live in Kensington or Belsize Park also. Not entirely sure yet.

Does anyone live in the SW11 area or know it well? Can you explain why you like or dislike it?

Thanks!

[TheCrumpettyTree]

Yes I loved it. It's nicknamed nappy valley as its full of families. How much have you got to spend, are you buying? We could only afford to rent.

There are many private schools and a couple of primaries but the catchment for those is tiny. You have to live on only about two roads to get in.

It's really not far from central London. Clapham junction station has trains to everywhere. Takes 15 minutes to get to Waterloo then get the tube. To be honest when we lived there we rarely went into London apart from work as we just didn't
need to. Clapham is a little town in itself.

Wandsworth between the commons and Balham are also good. I miss the breadstall on Northcote road, and the pubs. Good shops too. If you're a family it's very easy to live there.

[Arty3542]

Thank you, Crumpetty Tree. We do like the Dolphin School there. We have 3 small children. We will rent first.
I guess that's my fear is never having the time to go into center city plus with 3 small kids, it'll be hard to venture in.

[PoshPenny]

Buses are excellent with small children, much easier than trains, and it was always very easy to get to the Kings Rd and Sloane Square from Battersea. (I haven't lived there for many years now). There may not be a tube there, but it is very well served by buses. Very nice area, I was always very happy there.

[Nightmanagerfan]

Dolphin is super lovely! One of the best Christian schools in London. Plus if you're that way inclined and looking for a church try Holy Trinity Clapham, it's on the common and has a good vibe.

Clapham is a bit love/hate for lots of people but if you have small children you may love it. Clapham junction has good transport links - you won't feel confined at all unless you choose not to get on a ten minute train.

[Radiatorvalves]

I live a bit further away but cycle through the commons on a daily basis. I think that Northcote road will be lots friendlier than Kensington. I imagine it's a bit cliquey but that may suit... If you fit in with people.

[Whenwillwe3meetagain]

Try to join a facebook group for Sw11 and sw18 mums loads of help on there and look at nappyvalleynet.net too.
Have a friend w kids at Dolphin and they are thriving there.

[TheCrumpettyTree]

The local Facebook groups are really good. The streatham mum's group is huge and a good way to meet people.

[IamCarcass]

Northcote Rd is fab, much more community friendly than Kensington I'd have thought. They have their summer fete tomorrow. Public transportation is pretty good I'd have thought and good connections to central London via Clapham Junction. There is so much going on round the area I don't think you will really want to go in that much though. Other nice churches inc St Marks which has a few kids going to Dolphin.
Wondering what these 'sketchy' areas are you speak of? It really isn't like that, the sense of community far out weighs any problems.

[albertcampionscat]

Nothing against it, but I'd much rather live in Belsize Park. There's Hampstead Heath for a start.

[YesThisIsMe]

It's a lovely area to live in, but whether I'd go for it depends on where you have to commute into work. It's a horrible commute to the City relative to how close in it is. And I agree that it's a bit more off putting to get into the centre for sightseeing/museums/theatre than it would be somewhere with a Tube. Although you're still within cabbing distance for nights out.

Most parts of London (with the exception of Mayfair) will have posh bits right up close to slightly dodgy bits - it's the nature of the place that makes it economically diverse on a street by street basis.

[TheCrumpettyTree]

The great thing about Clapham junction is you can get trains to Waterloo and Victoria, all the time.

And I agree, all parts of London are next to slightly worse parts. That's just living in a big city.

[Arty3542]

Thank you for the help. We're torn. DH will be working in Mayfair. His commute won't be too bad. But when I have to meet him for a colleague/client dinner, it might be tough. A couple people told us west Battersea and North Clapham aren't the greatest of areas. Again, we're totally new so I have no idea.

We do love the Dophin School. Are there any cons? I know they don't have an ICT room or swimming. ...which leads me to the question, where do parents take their children for swim lessons?

Are there any other Protestant churches besides Holy Trinity Clapham or St Marks that Dolphin families go to?

The thing about the North is the good commute and greenspace(The Heath and Regent's Park). You can walk through Regent's Park and be in Marylebone for shopping and DH could walk/cycle to work on a nice day.

Besides Northcote Rd, are there any other high streets to walk to? Wandsworth common is very nice.

[LovePGtipsMonkey]

bear in mind that Clapham Junction is a hugely crowded station in rush hour. ther's stairs but no lifts to platforms apart from one platf. Taxis from the centre ar much more expensive than to Belsize Park. Belsize has a tube and a village albeit smaller than NOrthcote rd community. Many Americans live and love around Belsize. The only minus there it's a steep hill to the proper high st - but depends wheter you like exercise.
Also although there ar good buses from Clapham t centre/King's rd, they are NOT always fast at all - they have to cross the bridge and (I', doing it very often) there's often slow traffic on the bridge even not in rush hour, but always VERY slow in rush hour both ways it seems!
Northcote is great if you mainly stay in that area and use Wandsworth common which is very nive. But in Belsize you have the (wilder) Heath and you haev the tube which is MUCH better for Mayfair or anywhere else, plus there ar some local museums and a large book shop to visit in hampstead. Hapmst high st can be crowded as it's so narrow but mainly on weekends - Belsize btw is much better for a taxi ride from centre than Hapmstead as the traffic is bad at schhol times arond Hampst.

[LovePGtipsMonkey]

haha 'love the area around Belsize', not 'love around belsize'!

[LovePGtipsMonkey]

sorry typing on an unfamiliar device so huge number of typos!

[Becles]

Isn't clapham junction getting a tube soon?

[BikeRunSki]

I partly grew up in SW11 "between the commons". Transport links from Clapham Junction into Central London are brilliant. The overground train runs practically all night, and buses are great. The 77 will whisk you off to the West End in no time at all and the 19 will have you on the Kings Road in about 15 mins. Non-tube London is nothing to be scared of. Neither is "nappy valley". I went to school in South Ken, so I know that area quite well. SW11 much more homely.

[Just5minswithDacre]

Bike means " homely" as in cosy, not in the American sense

I agree with her. Between the commons is great, as is Clapham Junction generally. I'd always pick it over anywhere north of the river.

[MakeLemonade]

Pretty sure Clapham junction has lifts on every platform now. I haven't tried it for every platform but have used the lifts to access a fair few of them!

In addition to Northcote Road and Wandsworth you could walk to Clapham High St (or hop on the bus for a few mins). Lots of bars and restaurants and some shops too. Balham isn't far either and you can pick up the Northern Line tube at both.

I used to walk to Battersea Park from Clapham Jct, it's a great park and not far in the car or on public transport if you don't fancy walking it.

[minipie]

Marking place, will post in the morning.

[TheCrumpettyTree]

Clapham junction definitely has lifts on every platform! There is a new entrance further on which is accessible.

There are plenty of green areas. Battersea park, Clapham Common, Wandsworth common, Steatham common, Wimbledon common and Richmond. Lovely.

[LovePGtipsMonkey]

good to know there aer lifts now - my friend used it last year to go to Gatwick and had o be helped by people up the stairs with lluggage - pretty sure someone would have mentioned a lift to her - she couldn't see it. I know the new entrance there is a lift to platf 1 there. May well have been upgraded this year.

[BikeRunSki]

Oh yes! I meant homely as in "nice place to bring up a family" rather than any other sense (that I don't know ).

[TheCrumpettyTree]

The lifts go from the new entrance down to the platforms, rather than up from the old one. If that makes sense. They were done about four years ago.

OP, Battersea and Clapham North aren't really near Northcote road. And as has been said before, in every part of London you will find a dodgy bit next door. That's just how London works. It doesn't mean you shouldn't live there. Battersea is having a huge development and will have a tube line, which means house prices will go up.

[FreeButtonBee]

Black can to town is about £30. So not cheap but if you can afford private schools and northcote road that shouldn't be too much of a bar.

It's very child friendly. You have Wandsworth Clapham and tooting commons on your doorstep. Battersea park not far away (quick hop on the bus). Kings road v close for decent shopping. You are a little bit further from tube but with only one of you working I think that's not such an issue. We often book black cabs via the hailo app to take us into town with all three kids. And you can bus it up to Clapham Common tube station in less than 10 mins if you really want to take the tube.