Best places for diverse, professional families near London?

[Paniconthestreetsof]

DH and I currently live (very happily) in Zone 1. We’re now thinking about moving as we want more space (a house and garden), good schools, and access to green space for our kids. Budget is around £1.5m.

We’re looking for:

• A genuinely diverse area, with a visible Black community (we’d prefer our children not to be the only ones in their class)
• A mix of middle-class professionals from different backgrounds
• Green spaces and a relaxed, family-friendly feel
• Good connections into central London for work a few days a week

We’re not from the UK originally and don’t have ties outside this bit of London, so wide open to ideas.

Worth saying upfront: well-meaning replies like “well I’m not Black and it’s not very diverse around here but we don’t see colour” or “there is a large (insert non-Black ethnic minority) community here” aren’t what we’re after.

If you’re Black or mixed race and living somewhere you love outside Zones 1–2 (especially if you moved from central), I’d love to know where you are and what you like about it.

Oxford is a long and expensive commute to the City, as nice as it is. You need to factor in getting to Oxford station, then at the other end the Lizzie line and any walking to the office. Easily a 90+ minute commute and nearly £8000 per year season ticket with tube.

It’s a MN post, if you feel there’s insufficient info to provide a response, scroll on. Nobody else seems to have had an issue with a short wait and I’ll be fine without your personal help.

@Paniconthestreetsof I love Kingston and it is mixed ethnically but not specifically a large black community - it is however a very liberal minded area and I think that makes a difference. A lot of London is pretty liberal and mixed so I’m not sure why you are hung up about a large black community ? And if so do you mean a large black ‘and’ comfortably well off’ community ? because I think you might struggle a bit with that. Otherwise surely Brixton area would fit the bill but my pick would still be Tooting .

Chislehurst is nice, reasonably diverse, lovely village with shops, cafes and restaurants, plenty of green space. In places it's quite arty-crafty. Housing varies from big, tall and old to more modern, flats and houses. It's a fairly big area and near to Bromley and to Greenwich. Good transport links. I am looking to move there myself :-). It is pricey.

Where does she say that? I went back and reread her comment a few times to check.

I think diverse was an introduction, a soft opening before specifying Black not to be mistaken for "person of colour". So, not diverse in colour or wealth. Black middle class area.

@Crikeyalmighty Yes, I know only a few black families in Kingston but I think the diversity is helped there by the excellent state options, the hospital (work) and the fact your money goes further. They have the lifestyle I assume OP wants dc in grammar or private & 1m homes. But as I said I assume it's very road specific. Graveney is diverse school in Tooting and the area itself is very diverse but the roads around Graveney are very white imo. Brixton is very diverse (I grew up nearby) but again the leafy streets are not dominated by black families, many have been pushed out over the years.

This is so interesting as I know people who have moved to Beckenham (which is in Bromley) and they love it. It wasn’t quite right for us, but we def weren’t doing the nod when we visited. I wonder if it depends on where in Bromley you are?

I don’t know Kent at all, though.

Very leafy very green but very white.
Quite a few of my NHS colleagues (family background Nigeria, Ghanaian etc) live in Norwood and surrounding areas - easy commute on Thameslink - usually.

Yes it probably does, Bromley is a very large borough, with some more cosmopolitan parts and some most definitely not.

This is so interesting as I know people who have moved to Beckenham (which is in Bromley) and they love it

Beckenham might be worth a look actually. I have not been there in years but have some black colleagues who love it.

Really solid point, thank you. It would only ever be twice a week, at the very most, but certainly something to factor in.

mIssed that it wasn't quite right for you!

OP - you sound a bit cross!

I think the areas around Harrow might fit the bill. There is lovely green space, great commuting links and good schools - even great ones! I think the demographic there might be suitable.

I wrote a very clear OP. I also specifically said this sort of comment wasn’t helpful.

This, in particular, is just laughable: I’m not sure why you are hung up about a large black community

Please go away.

A friend of mine moved to Catford for the same reasons as you. It was 15 years ago and they home educate though so the cohort may be different and the schools may also not be representative, but a large garden, lovely house and financial mix of Black families seemed to be her boxes to tick.
Not very much countryside though!

I would check out Ealing as an option. It is diverse though possibly more South Asian. If you are in the centre then it would be easy pay a visit

Transport links are good with the Tube and the Lizzy line.

I would definitely look around Tooting/Streatham - it's not zone 1/2 but there's plenty going on, good transport links, depending on exactly where you pick good schools, and a big black community.

This may be outdated now but I do remember quite a few school friends from South Croydon & the surrounds. Croydon gets a bad rep but parts of it are very leafy and very different to the image.

I accidentally left on voting. I love that 47% (thus far) think I’m being unreasonable. 🤣

For what?!

I’ve heard excellent things about Coulsdon and Purley. I’ve never been, but they’re apparently lovely. They’re on my list. 😊

It's also very white! I wouldn't choose it as a black person in a million years.

😆

I honestly don’t know. I could guess, however.