Is Catford/Bellingham Road up and coming? Will it ever be?

[Fluffy14]

Hi Guys,

I've just had an offer accepted on a £400k 3 bed terraced 1930's property on Bellingham Road, Catford.
One local described it as the nice part of Catford :-) It is a mere 10 seconds walk from Forster Memorial Park and 8 mins walk to Bellingham Station.
After 4 months of making offers, being gazumped and outbid by cash buyers and investors; I was pleased to have this/any offer accepted.

I was hoping that someone could provide me with some advice as to whether Catford can be considered as up and coming? Are there any plans to develop the shopping centre? I hear the reason Catford is taking so long to come up is that much of the land has various owners thus gaining permission is an issue. I guess the fact that I'm paying £400k for a Catford property is indication enough.

Any feedback on the area in general or specifically Bellingham Road would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks x

Just had an offer accepted on a house in the Corbett Estate just off Brownhill Road for 450k. The prices have gone crazy in the last year simply becasue the housing stock is fantastic for families. We are buying a 3bed, but the potential to make bigger is massive.
It took alot of time spent in the area for me to be convinved by my wife that Catford would be a good place to leave as I love where we live now (Streatham).
Having seen Streatham prices skyrocket in the 7 years we have been there, I think Catford is on the same route. It has great primary schools, is very close to hotspots such as Ladywell, Brockley and HG. Also, the green space on offer is brilliant.

Just give it time. Once they re-route the South Circular and open up the shoping centre, I think it will draw alot of people from the 'wealthier' areas in.

Looking forward to moving there to be honest.

They are re-routing the South Circular babydad? Give me the lowdown please [nosey face]

I am far out in the marshes of Kent nowadays and never get north of junction 9 of the M20 but Catford is an old stomping ground and I well remember the horrors of the A205 around that area!

Congratulations babydad. I am coming from Brixton Hill so I know how you feel. I'm still trying to truly convince myself that this will be a great move. I do see the potential, I just need to believe it.
I have heard about the South Circ reroute but didn't think about the positive implications to be honest. So this is good news.
As you said, the housing stock is simply fantastic with row upon row of period properties and lot's of parks dotted around.

@Springlamb it's not too late to come back to Catford :-)

i know someone who lives in a big Edwardian in Bellingham Rd, down the bottom towards main road. Lovely house. They've been there about 15 years. No problems, tho' I don't think she was v happy with the idea of the local primary. Managed to get dd into one in Forest Hill instead.

If you google Catford Regeneration, there seem to be lots of plans for the shopping centre and council offices. I think it's only a matter of time before a more affluent demographic will attract better quality shops, which, at the moment, is the only downside of Lewisham and Catford.

Ha, ha no thank you.
I left South London a year ago, bought me country spread outright, plus a little house to rent out for some income, sitting pretty down here with my ducks. But thank you London property market!

@ Springlamb hahahaha that's absolutely fantastic. Good on you!!!!

@ Thymeout. I have been enviously eyeing up those huge Edwardian houses on Bellingham Road. They are gorgeous. Mine is a little more modest lol.

I've checked out Catford Regeneration. Seems like a lot of proposals but not much action or funding at the moment especially when compared to other parts of London which are being pumped with investors cash.
.

Not sure you'll want to hear this, but I had Foxtons round how embarrassing to do a valuation recently, and he told me they have now opened an office in Beckenham and (I think) are eyeing up Catford. He told me about a contact of his who has just invested £300m in buying up lots of space on the high street and is planning to turn Catford into the new Notting Hill. So there you go

I have lived in Catford (Corbett Estate) for 12 years and have seen a huge change in the demographic make up of the area over the past 2 years. Lots of professional couples either looking to start a family or with babies / toddlers moving from flats in Greenwich / Brockley & Hackney ( priced out of buying houses there). The Victorian housing stock and excellent primary schools on the CE are a real magnet. Agree that a regeneration of the shopping town centre is desperately needed.

@voiceofgodot is that really true? Wouldn't mind to be honest! ha

Me neither BabyDad!

Well it's as true as the head of sales at a Foxton branch is capable of being He told me some slightly bizarre story about being in a car with said property magnate who then got stopped by the police in Catford for speeding and said somewhat disturbingly that he now owned half of the high street...

It was during a chat we were having about up and coming areas - I'm selling up in Peckham and downsizing. I was shocked when Foxtons moved into our area a few years ago, but he told me that the new areas that are being seen to be good value for families still, and will see growth, are Catford/Beckenham/Bromley.

beckenham and Bromley are established areas and are nothing like Catford! quiet leafy suburbs with good shopping. Beckenham is downright genteel.

Catford is blighted by the pollution, not sure whether South circular diversion would help - maybe! but the air quality is bad, streets dirty and of course the high street is rough.
I think it must improve to some extent re shopping quite soon as profs are moving in, but never will it be Notting Hill (what a ridiculous suggestion from Foxtons!) - Notting Hill with big stucco buildings, embassies, the Palace and two of the best parks in london nearby (plus instant connection on tube to the centre and majot railway stations and Heathrow on direct line). Lots of foreign money there too - not likely in Catford (good news for people wanting houses in catford though).

If they meant the old boho Notting hill of 30yrs ago - well, theoretically - minus the funky vibe.

But if you want a reasonable value house in london (I think it will stay at current level for a while as prices are inflated), at least you get sq footage for your money plus a garden, so I'm not saying it's all bad, just the comparisons and the promises are a bit ridiculous.

direct road, not line

beagles - I'm with you in that Catford is clearly never going to be like Notting Hill... I lived in NH for ten years and at the moment can't think of two more diametrically opposed areas. The comparison is the bigged-up delusion of the property developer sinking loads of cash into the area rather than my own

Until very recently you could buy 7-bed Victorian houses for under £500k in Catford - not any more. What it does have over Bromley/Beckenham is the fact that it's actually in London (and it certainly feels like it, and not necessarily in a good way...). This whole swathe of SE London is now so ridiculously expensive, I notice you can buy small houses in fairly decent parts of SW11 for the same price or less as here in Peckham. Unheard of. The SE London sense of being good value has all but disappeared, which is a shame.

There is definitely a sea change re the compass points of London. Have been talking to young professionals who rent and as I suspected it's now often cheaper to rent in SW London areas like Putney et al (boring) than it is to rent in Hackney, Bethnal Green etc. Definitely wasn't the case when we were out there (!) enough to buy in E2 in 2006. Sure Peckham won't be far behind either and Catford, while still grotty in parts, already has a buzz about it that's been getting louder this past year. IMO that's because there is real life and soul in the E and SE whereas the N and W parts of London seem staid in comparison, sweeping generalisations I realise but I just feel change is in the air.

Up the Catford!

I have grown to really warm to the place on my recent visits. The roads off Bromley Road wouldn't be out of place in West London.

I do think the prices will stable, but int he long term, the area will see the unstoppable machien of gentrification and be sucked up.

Catford will never be like Notting Hill! What a ridiculous comparison. It's alright but it scares me. However, some of the actual houses are lovely.

Peckham is definitely infinitely 'cooler' than Notting Hill now, which is packed to the gills with American bankers and assorted unfeasibly rich types. Wherever there is decent transport and housing stock, slowly but surely the middle classes move in - and the prices go up. Our house has just gone on the market at £1.2m (for a 3 bed!) and the first viewer was....... a first time buyer.

Catford is just fine. There are plans for regeneration and lots of work around the shopping centre. It will never be the modern day Notting Hill, but I'm not sure that's needed/wanted! It has some good shops, some lovely little places to eat and drink, great transport links and green spaces. As others have said, good schools. It can only get better imvho.

I'm on "Catford borders" btw [grins]

My family has lived in Hither Green - near the school that was bombed during the war - since the late 1800's. Babydad and Harold, my aunt lived with my dgm in a Corbett house, made into 2 flats, off Brownhill Rd. She was lucky enough to have a controlled tenancy when such things still existed and was able to buy when her landlord wanted to sell. So I've followed the fortunes of Catford and Lewisham over the years.

In their heyday, Lewisham had two big department stores and a spanking new shopping centre and Catford had an M&S, a Sainsbury's, a Lyon's tea shop and Italian restaurants. It's been v sad over the last 10-15 years to watch the decline so I'm v pleased at the regeneration plans. Apparently only 8% of Lewisham residents regard Lewisham as their first port of call for shopping.

Not so pleased about the high property prices. The crunch will come when couples buying two bed flats need more room. There's always been a tendency for families to move out to Bromley and Bexley to 'better' themselves. There was a certain amount of 'white flight', too, but recently I've noticed more black professional couples making the same move.

If you've managed to buy a three bed with garden at this point, I'd say you've made a good investment. For others who can't afford to upsize within the borough, I'd recommend Anerley and Penge - both with the London vibe and good transport, not to mention Crystal Palace park - but in Bromley Borough and slightly cheaper at the moment.

It's been great reading all your contributions. Thank you so very much. I am so excited now and am looking forward to the move x

Coming late to this thread but keeping an eye on Catford/Bellingham for our next move.

Everyone and Claudette when you say good schools - which ones do you mean?
I am thinking of senior schools mainly but junior too.
Thanks for your help!

Hello @Fluffy14! Jumping on a very old thread to see if you made the move to Bellingham Rd, and, if so, whether you were happy with the decision?

We are considering making an offer on a house but know absolutely nothing about the area. We are currently in Finsbury Park but need more space! We have a three year old so primary schools are important.

Any insights would be really appreciated ☺️

@Fluffy14

Hi Guys,

I've just had an offer accepted on a £400k 3 bed terraced 1930's property on Bellingham Road, Catford.
One local described it as the nice part of Catford :-) It is a mere 10 seconds walk from Forster Memorial Park and 8 mins walk to Bellingham Station.
After 4 months of making offers, being gazumped and outbid by cash buyers and investors; I was pleased to have this/any offer accepted.

I was hoping that someone could provide me with some advice as to whether Catford can be considered as up and coming? Are there any plans to develop the shopping centre? I hear the reason Catford is taking so long to come up is that much of the land has various owners thus gaining permission is an issue. I guess the fact that I'm paying £400k for a Catford property is indication enough.

Any feedback on the area in general or specifically Bellingham Road would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks x

10 seconds? That's like whitefoot labe area. And would be more Downham than Bellingham?