Blackheath surrounding areas for young family

[Havianas]

Once Covid-19 is over 🙏🏼 DH, baby and I are looking to move from our 1-bed in Poplar area to Blackheath. I know we are really privileged to have this option right now. We love it there for obvious reasons, but we won't be able to afford our desired 3bed flat in Blackheath village. Budget is £750k and this is right on the cusp. 3-bedders would mean a considerable downsize- we currently have 1000sq ft. We could afford a decent sized 2-bed but if all goes well another DC will be on the cards and it seems silly spending all that money to move without going for 3 bedrooms.

Most of the surrounding areas are that little bit more affordable apart from Greenwich village itself. We know Maze Hill, Vanbrugh Park and Deptford, and are less familiar with Lewisham and not familiar at all with Hither Green. Priority would be easy quick access to the heath, as well as transport options. So my question is, if you love Blackheath and want to be able to walk to the heath / village within reasonable time, which of the surrounding areas would you recommend?

I think people are suggesting cator estate because it’s nice tbh. And I have three friends who live there who are not white, so your information might be a bit out of date.

You stop hearing the A2 after a few weeks
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56514933.html

What a strange post @TeaAddict235

Most odd. The Cator Estate is just a very pleasant place to live.

Might be @GeriGeranium and I do hope that I am wrong, but I am frequently there. It is common knowledge what certain people are trying to hide from. It is subtly dropped into conversations. I am strongly against gated communities as they sustain segregation; which we as Brits must also be aware of. The going ons in the US are not solely a problem of the US, further perpetuating racial stereotypes. They are here in the UK too to the core and we must actively and daily fight against it as in the end no one profits from such systems.

But essentially OP don't limit yourself to certain areas.

Oh because it’s gated. I did not get that. My dad lives on a small development on the CE. It’s fairly mixed in terms of ethnicity. It’s just quiet.

Strange @getdownonit ? Please do elaborate. It is noticed that no one suggests places which are affordable and multicultural here such as Catford, Deptford, Woolwich and Lewisham. It is as clear as day. Why is the radius only Greenwich et al.? Why not Welling? All have direct train lines to central London in under 30mins? All provide access to private preps and secondary's such as St Dunstan's, Eltham College, Blackheath High, Colfes ? This has been mentioned many a times on other forums, this falls into the bingo bucket.

She wants to live in Blackheath because it’s really nice. Welling just isn’t.

Welling for instance I think of as pretty white.

Welling also isn't anywhere near within walking distance of the Heath either, which is a priority of the OP. What a bizarre suggestion.

I'd definitely suggest checking out the Hither Green, Lee areas if you don't know them well enough. Especially those streets near to the lovely Manor House Gardens.

Cator estate is a gated community in the sense that it’s a private estate, so randoms who don’t live there can’t just drive in and drive through.

But pedestrians can walk in any time, there are no security guards patrolling it, and it’s just a nice area of housing - some really big houses, some small flats. It’s nothing like the gated communities in America.

And people haven’t suggested selling etc because the original poster specifically wants to live near blackheath, and there’s lots of nice places in her budget that would work well.

I appreciate the sentiment that you want to challenge racism, but you don’t actually know the racial origin of anybody posting on this thread.

“Haven’t suggested Welling etc” that should be.

The gates to the Cator have not been closed in 50 years
calling it "gated" is rather a misnomer.

Welling is NOT like Blackheath

Westcombe Park, East Greenwich, Charlton slopes (Eastcombe Ave, Hopedale, Mayhill, Sherington roads on se3/se7 border) are all cheaper than Blackheath village and an easy walk to the heath. And you should find a 3 bed in budget. I prefer this side of the heath and wouldn't move across it now! Also more convenient for Greenwich Park. Although I agree with previous posters that the area around Manor House Gardens is really nice too.

Am just back from Manor House Gardens. Beautiful library building (run by volunteers) with EY childcare downstairs and cinema nights. Nice cafe in park. Screen on the green nights in summer.

Lee Green is getting investment, I think? Lots of potential. It is essentially at the bottom of the hill that leads straight up into Blackheath.

My neck of the woods. In my dreams.

That is the weirdest response to suggest I was thinking about race when suggesting the Cator Estate. Let me tell you my thinking: I searched online for properties in their price range then mapped them on the apps I was looking at. I looked for those with the absolute shortest walk to Blackheath and the village. My thinking included that she has a toddler and is considering having a baby and I know that Foxes Dale has lots of open space for small children to safely play. A 3 bed flat was available on the ground floor which could be a good fit for them. That was the extent of it. The OP never mentioned her racial background so I was purely looking for the criteria she outlined. Maybe the OP isn't white? Who knows? I was using what she requested she was looking for. I lived in Greenwich for 20 years and now live in the USA and have moved to other countries in Europe as well. When my best friend lived there he lived with his single mum and attended a local state sixth form college where we met. Are we not posh enough or something? This whole conversation has gone in the strangest direction. I personally love being able to walk everywhere especially with small children as it is much less stressful. So whoever the OP may be if she can afford the walkability of a neighborhood close to lots of open space when the children are small I think it's a good idea. Some people prioritize location over having a bigger house elsewhere.

Odd. I grew up very close to Welling (unfortunately). BNP headquarters there so extremely unusual place to pick to make a point about multiculturalism...
That said I wouldn’t be able to get too excited about the Cator Estate, but horses for courses. Vanbrugh Park would probably be my pick out of those you’ve mentioned...Relatives lived in Hither Green and seemed to enjoy it. Though it would be a fair old trek to Blackheath by foot IMO

I was purely using what the OP said she wanted, walking distance to Blackheath village. Yes Welling and New Eltham were notorious for the BNP and aggressive racism when I was growing up but that was a long time ago, also they are absolutely in no way close enough to walk to the heath. Most people with children want to find places with gardens and/or open space in the vicinity.

I did not go to private school and the state schools in Greenwich, Charlton etc were already diverse in the 1970s and 80s, I imagine even more so now. Teaaddict maybe you are aware of class anxieties that the rest of us are not privileged enough to be privy too.

I socialized and worked in every neighborhood in SE London and I have never heard anyone have a conversation about where to live based on race. I am pretty oblivious to where private schools are situated even. I went to one party in SE London with a high proportion of private school kids. All the boys seemed be called James and we left because it was so boring, although they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Their taste in music was atrocious. Each to their own.

My mum was a head teacher in Deptford and she told me John Ball primary in Blackheath was supposed to be good and that would also be within walking distance or a short drive for the OP. It's a state primary and most Londoners attend local schools.

The friends I went to school with are all doing well, Asad Ahmed who I sat next to in math for years now reads the news.

Are people suggesting the Cator estate because it will make you feel safe from the various ethnic minorities in the area????

Don't make such a mistake that you need to be scared of people who aren't white - this is stupid MN speech. Very clear.

Eh?

Cator Estate is not 'gated' in the sense you can't just walk straight in... you absolutely can! If you want to park you need a permit... but show me somewhere in that neck of the woods you can park on the street permit-free or charge-free and I'd be delighted!

It's pretty mixed, ethnically, racially, demographically. There's a swathe of the "Cator Estate" that is council-owned.

Apart from that, it's very close to the Heath and a nice place to live with kids - not too much traffic, playing out, community spirit etc.

If I was choosing between Greenwich/Maze Hill side and Lee/Hither Green/Lewisham side I would go Lee/Hither Green all the time. Greenwich Park is lovely, it's great for a day out in the town but for general space and living Lee and Manor House Gardens side of things much nicer.

What about Petts Wood?

Why is the radius only Greenwich et al.? Why not Welling? All have direct train lines to central London in under 30mins? All provide access to private preps and secondary's such as St Dunstan's, Eltham College, Blackheath High, Colfes ? This has been mentioned many a times on other forums, this falls into the bingo bucket.

Did ye read the OP?

So my question is, if you love Blackheath and want to be able to walk to the heath / village within reasonable time, which of the surrounding areas would you recommend?

That's why people are suggesting the areas they're suggesting!

You can't walk to Blackheath Village from Petts Wood unless you have all day and no small children in tow...

Another SE Londoner here. This has always been a diverse area, with a big history of immigration.

@Blue5238, has it. Westcombe Park and Royal Standard areas (both SE3) have bigger properties that are cheaper and great primary schools. Short walk to the Heath, park and village.

I like Hither Green too but it's a tad more expensive and much more of a trek to Blackheath, especially with kids in tow - you'd probably need a bus (SE12 and SE13 postcodes).

Shooters Hill (SE18) is underrated in my opinion. It has some beautiful big houses that are much cheaper than SE3 and is next to Oxleas Woods, there's a play farm, golf, tennis courts but it's also a short bus ride from Blackheath and there are no train stations close by. You would get a lot for your money here.