Advice on Kingston upon Thames

[JohnnyKarateForever]

We’ve decided to move out of central London and have settled on Kingston upon Thames.

We’ve visited a few times and really like the area. I am keen on Berrylands/Surbiton but my DP would prefer to live closer to Kingston centre.

We’ve already lost one house I loved because of his uncertainty on not living central. I think the houses are far nicer further away from the centre and see no advantage to living close to the centre.

Any advice on the area would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

As far as I’m aware the popular family area in Kingston is North Kingston. Surbiton is a good option and the train v quick but one thing to bear in mind in Berrylands is the sewage treatment plant and the smell you might get.

Yes, the KT2 postcode around Canbury is popular - I have friends who specifically chose that part as it's walking distance to Norbiton/Kingston Station and John Lewis, the river etc, plus a short bus ride into Richmond. Plus good schools that side.

I was born and bought up in Kingston. It really is lovely, only wish I could afford to live there now!

My parents live in the KT2 area mentioned above and I can't fault it - Richmond Park is special, quick walk into the centre, trains every 15 minutes in the week into Waterloo (pre Covid). Its very very middle class in the KT2 postcode with excellent schools - my mum is an ex teacher and governor of one so knows a bit about education there. Also you are drivable to Bushey park which is also lovely, or out to some spectacular Surrey walks.

Its also more "London" than out of London, if you know what I mean.

I've been keeping up on property prices there because at one point I was hoping to move there (and my mum likes to keep me up to date!) and prices have definitely risen a lot recently IMO. Its not cheap, hence why I had to buy elsewhere!

And about the sewage treatment works smell ... its true, I went to secondary school near there and depending on the wind direction my journey home was often pongy, that was many years ago but can't imagine they have de stunk it that much?!

Thank you for the info on sewage treatment plant. I had my heart set on a house on queens drive but I feel like I may have let myself got caught up in the beautiful house. It was exactly what I imagined moving into; lovely downstairs with bifold doors, opening into an immaculate garden.

I will be more open and look more north Kingston.

It really is a beautiful area, and I totally understand the London but not. I think that’s why we are drawn to it. We love our life in London so want to stay close. We will be moving from our flat in zone 2, so it will be quite a difference but we really want a garden and to buy our family home.

Surbiton is a nice area, I don't live there but often strolled through admiring streets. Some good areas between there and Kingston Hill and beyond. Also well within walking distance to Kingston Centre.

OP, if you’re looking for a family home, you might like to check school admission distances on the Kingston website (if you’re planning on using state education) - I hear they’re quite tiny in N Kingston.
If you look in other parts, make sure you don’t end up somewhere full of students.

I wouldn’t get overexcited about things like bifolds as they’re v easy to install.

@JoJoSM2 this is very true about the doors. We’re moving from top floor flat so houses with doors to the outside are very exciting to me.

Thanks for the point on schools. We are planning to start a family next year if all goes well so I really should think about schools more. I’ve been told the secondary for berrylands catchment isn’t very good so that’s something to bear in mind when choosing a home. I know there are lots of good private schools close by, some of my friends kids go to them. Me and my DP are both state educated so we are leaning towards that.

I keep thinking I need an immaculate house but really we have the time to do one to our taste so I really must be more open minded.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk

You can get school stats on there.

We moved from zone 2 to 5 several years ago and found it very exciting too!

We recently made the move from a flat in zone 2. The main things we found that made the decision were:

Surbiton has far better train links, faster and more regular, Kingston is slower and less regular. You can easily walk to Kingston for shopping, local schools had bigger catchments and were generally pretty good. Berrylands doesn't all 'smell' there's a catchment near to the station that gets it based on temperature, wind direction and time in the process. But the Surbiton side certainly doesn't.

We found the houses North of Kingston were closer together, smaller gardens, on street parking etc, unless you had a huge budget or went really far from Kingston station, south of the station was super studenty, also the schools had tiny catchments in the North.

Another area to consider is Long Ditton, which is just near Surbiton - walking distance to Surbiton station and still KT6. A lot people who can’t afford a proper family house in central Surbiton look at either Berrylands or Long Ditton. Long Ditton is much nicer and has a countryside feel to it, while still being in Surbiton and close to all amenities.

North Kingston is pretty special in my opinion, I was raised here, lived all over London but have now returned and settled here with my own family.

This week I've had walks by both the Thames and in Richmond Park before starting work - just gorgeous. Schools are fab, everything is here, yet it is still 'London' and feels quite real, unlike Teddington/Richmond which are a bit of a bubble.

Can you share your budget, OP? It will help us direct you to possible areas/roads etc!

You won't be bothered by the sewage smell (if it is still there) with a house in Queens Drive.

I lived in Raeburn Avenue (forty years ago!) and our house backed onto those in Queens Drive there was never any smell.

The treatment works rarely smells these days. I can honestly say that I have noticed it once this year, and I'm not that far away from it.

Definitely no smell in Queens Drive.

Berrylands is fab for Green space and gardens, and you get more house for your money.

A lot of the big family houses in Surbiton are split into flats.

The point on more for you money is what I have found when researching the area. I feel like the gardens are bigger and there are more family houses when I’m looking in Surbiton.

Just for some background we are moving from West Kensington. DP doesn’t want to leave the convenience of city life but he desperately wants a garden so he has agreed we will have to move further out. We found that Kingston had more of the feel of what we are leaving behind.

Our budget is 1.5 mil but I am keen not to reach the maximum. We can buy a pretty special house for less than that in Kingston, but if we stay in Kensington we can maybe afford a house with a tiny courtyard which we don’t really want.

I did love queens drive, but the house I liked is under offer so that’s off the table. It’s not that I have to live there specifically, I was more mentioning it as I had liked the location when we looked previously and wondered if anyone had feedback.

So you basically want a city vibe but leafy suburbia at the same time?

Have you looked towards New Malden? That’s close to Kingston town centre too but it does have Victorian as well as interwar areas with big gardens. Coombe Girls and Boys are excellent + v good primaries.

Or maybe my neck of the woods, South Sutton. There’s a big, busy town centre although not nearly as nice as Kingston. The South side is v leafy and you can literally walk to the countryside. Top schools and you could get s really special house.

@JoJoSM2 yes best of both worlds really. I am looking for leafy suburbia and DP doesn’t want to lose the city vibe. DP has lived in London his whole life, whereas I am from North Yorkshire. So while I appreciate city life, and do love it, I crave a slightly more leafy area to raise our children. I am worried DP isn’t going to want to leave in the end, although it was on his suggestion we started looking. I fear he’s getting cold feet.

I haven’t checked out South Sutton, I will have a look. Thank you for the pointers on the other areas too. I will have a good look around and see what I think. I’m currently on holiday from work so I could make the journey and have a look around these areas and get a feel for them.

Have a look around the entire SM2 and Cheam Village. In addition to the coutryside in the south (Banstead Commons) Nonsuch Park is a Henry VIII’s park with a similar vibe to Richmond Park. South of Cheam station is prime suburbia. In South Sutton, the prime bits are 10mins+ from the station.
Loads of leisure facilities if you’re sporty and tons to do for kids (anything from golf and bouldering to trampolining and aerial yoga and anything in between). Retail in Sutton is quite pants so I’m currently shopping in Kingston but it’s brill for family essentials (big Boots, Waterstones, music and Art supplies, bike shops etc).

If you have that as a budget you'd get something on the river roads in Surbiton, garden, the river, transport, schools, and amenities of Kingston. Queens drive is quite far from both Berrylands and Surbiton stations, and from Kingston town centre. Sounds like you can afford Southborough too and a bigger house in north Kingston. Spend the day in the area and look at all the pros and cons. You'll get a good idea of what you both like and don't. All the areas you're suggestion are nice.

For 1.5 million you will get a really nice family house with a decent garden in North Kingston.

Also, New Malden is nice - my brother lives there and loves it, his wife came from North London and was worried but loves it now. Very diverse - big Korean community. decent high street - a Waitrose and a decent swimming pool, then really close to Kingston for any big shopping needs. His girls went to Coombe and to primary there and both really good schools.

Train access from new malden also more regular than Kingston as lots of trains from Surbiton etc stop there. For 1.5 million you could get a really special house there, its a bit cheaper than Kingston.

Thanks all for your advice. Going to make a plan to go and have a look around every area mentioned and get a feel for them and see what we like. You’ve certainly given us plenty to think about.

Bloody DP is now suggesting a house near a park with no garden might work, staying close to where we are. If anyone can hear a distant banging, it’s just my head against this brick wall.

If anyone can hear a distant banging, it’s just my head against this brick wall.

Oh dear! Sounds like it’ll be a tough compromise for you two.

This is how DH and I landed back here - he's a London boy/city slicker and I wanted something more rural, N Kingston is our happy medium!

For £1.5m you should be looking at;

For town vibe;

N Kingston (roads north of and including Gibbon Rd have the larger proportions generally speaking). Don't go further than Durlston or Latchmere Rds as transport gets tricky - 20min walk to trains/town centre. The River Roads of N Kingston (eg Lower Kings, Woodside) are gorgeous and £1.5m might get you a good size house there but they don't come up often.

Areas between Kingston and Surbiton- e.g the Groves and a small enclave near Bloomfield/Bellevue Roads also lovely.

I'd personally not do New Malden. The Kingston Hill side of Norbiton, yes (and roads off Coombe Lane West, e.g High Drive KT3) but not New Malden proper.

For more rural vibe I'd 100% go to Thanes Ditton. £1.5m there is dream house territory but a short drive (or boat!) to Kingston.

North Kingston is fantastic; amazing schools (although VERY tiny catchments), incredible outdoors right on your doorstep, easy to walk to Kingston train station, 24hr bus with 65 from Ealing, through Richmond to Kingston, easy bus ride to Richmond train station etc. For your budget, you'd get a lovely home in North Kingston.

Thanks all, I’ve made a plan to go and explore Kingston some more tomorrow and look up all the areas mentioned. Next week I will be venturing to new places mentioned to have a look. And now I get to look at even more houses on rightmove so I can’t complain.

I’ve also been told to also consider Wimbledon by DP which his colleague has recommended.

I’ve sent him some links to houses on rightmove for North Kingston so will let you know how it progresses.