Moving to Crystal Palace

[Ekinda]

Dear Fellow Mumsnetters,

DH and I have recently put in an offer on a lovely 1930s property in Crystal Palace (SE London). Because of the frantic property market, we were only able to view the house once before putting in the offer (we liked it immediately), and did not do much exploration of the local area.

While I've heard many good things are happening in CP (rebuiliding of the Crystal Palace, boutique shops around the Triangle), the roads around the property don't seem that great - it's in around the Grange Road/Beulah Hill end of CP.

Does anyone know if there are any immediate plans to improve this part of CP please?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

We were looking in CP but not that side (Church Road and Gipsy Hill). It's not the nicest side in my opinion and for us the transport wasn't very suitable for commutes so decided against it. However, if you drive, you'll be fine.

Loads of MNetters on here live in the area and love it. If you check out South Norwood (as that is where you actually are - EA speak notwithstanding) and you'll find loads of people love the proximity to the lakes, Grangewood Park is nice, and some local shopping parades are beginning to improve. Apparently there's also a nice cafe and good pilates class locally. Lots of people are buying there having been pushed a little further away from the Triangle, although Anerley and Penge are improving faster. The proximity to Thornton Heath does put some people off and parking/walking around on match days can be a bit of a nightmare.

In brief - like all of SE London it's improving rapidly and gentrifying. If you stay for a while it's likely you'll benefit from a big capital increase. But it's not perfect and improvements mightn't happen that quickly.

Finally, a lot of locals are not entirely keen on the redevelopment of Crystal Palace due to lack of transparency from the developing company and Bromley Council's frankly odd eagerness to hand over public amenity space to wealthy foreigners without any real checks and balances in place. There's no transport infrastructure improvement plan in place yet. But it'll probably be like Stratford after the Olympics - big improvement. So fingers crossed.

Thanks for the reply lessonsintightropes. We've also been reconsidering because of the transport (DH and I both work in West London) and becasue there doesn't seem to be very much to DO without walking down to the Triangle (apart from a run down looking small parade of shops).

Does anyone have any opinions please?

*Anyone else

I live just off Grange Rd and love it there. We bought a few years ago and although it's not as smart as central Crystal Palace it's 15-20mins walk to the Triangle and we have a house for less than the price of some of my friends flats on the other side!

The walk up to the Triangle is really easy (and flat!) it takes 15/20 mins and you can catch the 249 bus if you're feeling lazy. It's very green, having Grangewood park on our doorstep is great esp. if you have a LO and there's always Crystal Palace park 25mins walk/ 10 min bus ride away.

The big compromise is the hike to a train which can make your commute tricky - DH cycles to Gipsy Hill and I get the magic X68 (an express bus from W Croydon to Russell Square which runs non-stop between W Norwood - Waterloo).

The area is smartening up with new shops opening, a great Portuguese Deli (with great coffee), a really friendly Dry Cleaners (who did a home delivery for me when I was pregnant and pushed for time) and great fish and chips.

Prices are rising here - this has just come on locally

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46460168.html

though it's an ambitious price there seems to be lots of demand due to new developments springing up so I think it's a good area investment wise. All in all I love it here and get the best of Crystal Palace and a much smaller mortgage.

Indie

We live on Grange Rd (CP end) v. Near Grangewood park. lovely area, great value for money. Don't have much time to post but wanted to say transport links are excellent: husband walks to Thornton Heath station which has regular trains to west London as does selhurst which is also nearby. I work near London bridge ( train takes 11 minutes to get to London bridge from Norwood junction ) or slower train , just over 30 mins from Thornton Heath. If you are CP side of grange road there are also lots of buses. The house linked to above looks great value to me: houses have been going for over 400k in the close vicinity esp CP side of Grange Rd near grange wood park ( Plus Ross Road wharncliffe etc) bear in mind the area is hilly so the further down you are the steeper the climb to CP.

You may be right about the house I linked to Amelle I thought 350k might be a bit much given its condition but the area is definitely getting more popular. A few of my CP NCT friends are thinking about moving this way as they can't afford the jump to a house and some are in primary school black holes esp. Bromley side of CP. Here we have a couple of good schools we have a good chance of getting DC into.

Good shout about the fast train to London Bridge and the Overground link from Norwood Junction really handy.

The area around Grange park is Upper Norwood or South Norwood - not sure what the EA are selling to you! Overall the area is OK as long as you work out your personal commute. I live in South Norwood and am happy here.