Streatham hill v Crystal palace

[doreen1982]

Have at long last found a couple of properties we have fallen for in two different areas. One is in Streatham hill and the other in Crystal Palace but not quite sure about which areas are better and more future proof. Moving with three kids so schools are super important. Would anyone have any tips on which are is nicer? Very excited but also a bit scared of picking our next home

I think Crystal Palace is a really nice area but I think Streatham has the edge on schools with great primaries and Dunraven for secondary

Crystal Palace by far. We were in Streatham hill before - Crystal Palace feels safer, greener and also excellent primaries!

I would go within Dunraven catchment. Crystal Palace definitely has more stuff to do though

that's exactly our dilemma. crystal palace seems so much nicer but streatham seems to have better schools. Not found a house yet where the two come together and DH wants us to hurry up

Streatham Hill was rough around the edges even back in the 90s when I lived there, Crystal Palace was too but has undergone a bit of a gentrification facelift.

No comparison, Crystal Palace is way nicer

We prioritised schools on the basis that Streatham Hill does still have lots of nice things to do and you're very close to areas like Balham, Tooting Bec, Brixton, East Dulwich etc so it's not far to go if you want to do stuff there.

Or to put it another way, school catchments are small but the distance you can travel for nice restaurants, theatres, parks, antique shops, whatever floats your boat is much greater so it didn't, to me, make sense to prioritise the niceness of the immediate area as highly as schools. Obviously I wouldn't want to live in a really really rough area but Streatham Hill isn't that, I would say it is a fairly average area for London, some nice things to do and eat but also some more grotty things. It feels perfectly safe.

Streatham Hill feels a bit more close to central London to me, tube from Brixton or Balham or tooting nearby, Crystal Palace is suburban, so it depends what feel you prefer. Both have similar improving high streets, Crystal Palace a nicer park. It depends on the age of the kids re school, I dont think all (or even that much) of Streatham Hill would be in the (tiny) Dunraven catchment - just the specific roads near the school.

Streatham Hill: in catchment for Hitherfield / Streatham Wells / Dunraven primaries and Dunraven secondary.

Streatham Hill is walking distance to West Norwood Picturehouse, has the Odeon, a theatre, increasingly good cafes, shops, restaurants in the High Rd, excellent transport routes, fantastic community...

Also, depending where in CP: Lambeth has lower Council Tax and better services.

Crystal Palace is a way nicer area.

Don’t know too much about schools - but believe Paxton Primary and Harries Academy are pretty good.

Crystal Palace has Everyman cinema and in walking distance to west Norwood picturehouse.
Rockmount primary and cypress also ofsted outstanding primaries. Not just Crystal Palace park but also Norwood park and upper Norwood rec are good local parks

lots of food for thought.we were also trying to future proof it in case WFH changes London completely. We eill still ahve to go into eork but I guess many wont. CP feels a bit more longterm proof if that makes sense but SH's school are much nicer. Have also considered the area around Graveney but not sure if DC will get into the top stream without tutoring and then whats the point

Crystal Palace definitely. Admittedly a good few years back now but I lived in streatham hill in my London days and never felt completely safe there.

I know this is an old thread but what did you choose @doreen1982 ?
I'm currently looking in these areas (and West Norwood) and would love to hear from you and others on this thread!