Battersea/Clapham, Chiswick or Wimbledon to live?

[Oscariana]

Hi All, We’re considering moving back to London after being in the US for 14 yrs. We last lived in Wimbledon but were both single then. We now have two young children and hence keen to know peoples thoughts on the following areas- Wimbledon Village is near perfect but may be out of our price range.. We need good state and private schools ( primary) access to green space but also for me some great shops ( boutiques) to browse, restaurants etc. I know Chiswick and Wimbledon FAIRLY well, although like I say not from a family viewpoint. Clapham not as much as I think its changed the most in the last 14 yrs. Would also possibly consider Putney… Thankyou all in advance

Putney
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/106468139#/?channel=RES_BUY

Near tube and train

If you're on the hill side of RP you're very close to Wimbledon village (uphill!)

If you are urbanites, I'd go for the following in this order:

Chiswick
Putney
Wimbledon Town
Clapham
Battersea
Wimbledon Village ( I don't see this area as urban at all. It has a very old population relative to the rest of London, and is not urban at all)

As a SW Londoner born & bred If I could live anyone it would be Wimbledon in particular the village. I went to school there.

There's an excellent state primary in Wim

Clapham isn't great unless your younger & state schools aren't so good imo.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110497319#/?channel=RES_BUY

This is raynes park but you're Just on the edge of the village

Putney would be my second choice. Find Chiswick a bit far away & more suburban.

Stamford Brook station where Chiswock border Hammesmith is nice. Also Richmond or St Margaret’s (Marble Hill House fabulous at weekends)

The thing about Chiswick is that the overground will have you in Waterloo/Southbank in half an hour. And if you live in Chiswick proper (as opposed to me, in the boondocks of W4 ), you'll be right on the district line. Lots of buses too. Cyclists are really well accommodated in Chiswick. Excellent primaries: Belmont primary is The One. St. Mary's is a brilliant Catholic primary. Cavendish, Grove Park are my two locals (both excellent schools), and then in the area of Chiswick heading towards Kew Bridge/Kew Gardens is Strand on the Green primary (such a nice part of Chiswick).

I used to live in Chiswick over 15?years ago now & I still miss it. I lived near Turnham Green. It has a fantastic feel - very family friendly & neighbourly. I would definitely recommend looking in that area (Bedford Park)

If I had 2 million I would buy in st Margaret near marble hill

Great info. ta!

I'm in Wimbledon. There are several outstanding primaries and lots of really good streets well within your price range and also close to the village. And as far as the commute goes - you can't beat it. 17 mins to Waterloo on the South Western. 35 mins to St Pauls on Thameslink and of course there's the District Line. And easy access to A3 to get out of London.

Find Chiswick a bit far away & more suburban.

Not at all it isn't. Villagey (in a good way)? yes. Suburban? No way.
It's just not 'urban'. That doesn't mean it's suburban.

We looked in all of those areas and settled on Between the Commons.

Chiswick was our preferred location but finding the right house on the right street was a nightmare. And didn’t fancy the district lines after years of living in Fulham.

Wimbledon village was too expensive and the trek up the hill made it a no go anyway. Outside of the village don’t much like Wimbledon to live.

Putney we like but find the high street very busy.

In the end we ended up in Clapham. We’re close to both tube and overground for transport and we found the house we liked. Assumed we’d find a school we liked too as there are so many to choose from but ended up with a commute to school for the boys. Wished I’d looked at schools before houses now.

Not at all it isn't. Villagey (in a good way)? yes. Suburban? No way.
It's just not 'urban'. That doesn't mean it's suburban

Well they are all suburban but I find Chiswick the most suburban out of the lot of them. You are allowed a different opinion though!

I'm in Wandsworth but hoping to move to Wim in the next few yrs. Cant afford the village though. One of my school friends bought a 1m house there in the 90s, sold it for 7m later. crazy!

her family not her

Sorry, if I sound like a bit of a jerk in my last post.
But I really wouldn't describe where I live as 'suburban' in the least. There's a great buzz in Chiswick. When I came to London in the 90s though and my friends moved 'out' to Chiswick, I thought it was the suburbs. I thought they were mental... and miles away! I was only in W10. But W4 seemed like another planet back then.

Speaking of W10, Queens Park is really lovely as well. I was just there last weekend, meeting up with one of my oldest friends and my first flatmate in London. She owned our flat in W10 and still does- I went to see our old flat the other day. Amazing memories. It's beautiful there now... full of cafes and restaurants, beautiful, beautiful houses/buildings. It's pricey, but lovely. Great vibe.

I'm not sure what your definition of suburban is 🤷🏻‍♀️

or why you find it offensive

This is great to know thanks. Im also finding Chiswick tricky Re finding a house, but def dont want to commute for schools.

Yes I think when without kids years ago I viewed Chiswick as suburban too. I wouldn't have thought of Queens Park in truth as it used to be awful there many moons ago.But appreciate its since changed a lot.

I'd look in the South Park area of Wimbledon, great community, gardens, no hill.

South Park Road, Wimbledon
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/114225440