Petts Wood (Lovelace Avenue)

[aMusingMum]

Hello,

Any reviews about Lovelace Avenue street in Petts Wood for moving with family (my DS is 3 and another one due in few months). Moving for schools of course. Aiming for independent pre-preps (Breaside, Babington and Bromley High) but waiting lists are long so want to keep options of state primaries like Crofton etc open too. Not sure how far it is from Crofton's catchment tbh.

How is the area and this particular street? Shows 8-10 min drive to these 3 schools but would traffic make it much longer?

Many Thanks for any input /advice.

@PettsWoodParadise
I have had few responses on previous posts from you and I understand you are a Petts Wood expert. Any insight would be very helpful please!

It's more Southborough than Petts Wood, it's fine. You'd be looking at Southborough rather than Crofton though for primary.

It will not be 8 minutes to Braeside in school traffic. I live near Braeside and it can take me 20 minutes to get to Southborough lane in traffic. Same for Babbington. You could walk to Bromley High.

@nearlyspringyay Thanks so much. So area / street in general is nice to live? I heard some streets around there were ex-council estates so just wanted to make sure. Thanks for the traffic situation update. Really wont know about those schools until Spring next year so not sure whats the best way to go about when looking for properties.

Hi @aMusingMum this is a fine road if it is the Petts Wood side of the roundabout, but as others have said is more Southborough than Petts Wood, Petts Wood is more BR5 1 and this is BR2, but is technically Petts Wood / Bickley borders. I know someone who is 0.1 mile from Crofton looking for in-year places and have been waiting a couple of terms already so it is a popular school. If looking for the usual round then distance has gone out between 0.6 and 08 miles in recent years. The other side of the roundabout is more the Coppice Estate and has the ex-LA housing which is fine but can suffer a bit from trial bikes and low level nuisance.

If I was moving I would look more to Petts Wood proper tbh

@PettsWoodParadise see location marked below. I read some of the streets around there are ex-LA housing, exactly why I was not sure and wanted to check. Thoughts about that end of the street? Thanks a ton for useful advice as always.

@nearlyspringyay @PettsWoodParadise Theres another property on Beaumont Road. But train line goes right behind the backyard. So was not considering it. How bad are the trains in terms of noise, vibration, security?

I grew up with a trainline at the bottom of the garden so it doesn't bother me but might someone else. If backing onto the railway it is generally a sunny garden too. I much prefer the vibe of Beaumont Road over the vibe of that side of Lovelace. If you are near the green bit on Lovelace you may suffer from the trail bikes I mentioned. You are definitely in catchment for Crofton too in Beaumont.

I'd prefer Beaumont with the train line, it will be fine, it's PW and nearer crouton

@PettsWoodParadise @nearlyspringyay just checked with the agent and Lovelace Avenue is indeed ex- LA property and so are all the streets around there it seems. Bummer!

Thanks for insights on Beaumont. Will reconsider.

Any other streets / localities in Petts Wood you suggest that would be driving distance to Breaside etc and still ticks boxes for states in case I need to go down the route that you recommend? Am I expecting too much to find something that will do all of the above?

You are ok on the Petts Wood side of the roundabout, for example Rolleston Avenue can have affordable properties but not in the ex LA part of that area. Beaumont is about as cheap as you get in Petts Wood East unless looking at a flat above the shops. Crofton can be a good budget option if core PW is too pricey, the compromise is a longer walk to the station and shops and 1960s architecture, but you can get a 4 bed townhouse in Crofton for quite a bit less than a 3 bed 1930s semi.

I live on Lovelace Avenue - on the Petts Wood side of the roundabout. I love living here, fantastic neighbours and quiet street.

I can't speak for the other side of the roundabout, but I would tend to agree that in the summer there may be a bit more noise - there's a bit of an issue with trail bikes in the park sometimes.

@aMusingMum is Braeside your preferred school? What's your budget? I would look at Sundridge Park / Bromley North / Bickley / Chislehurst.

Good primaries if no space at private and also in catchment for Bullers Wood if you are not intending to stay private all the way through.

@PettsWoodParadise thanks will keep looking. Yeah that side of Lovelace does seem to have lots of council as per street check.

@Nervina thanks for input. This one is far end of Lovelace so definitely will be an issue. And with 2 little sone probably not the best option.

@nearlyspringyay yes Breaside will definitely be the first option. Waiting lists are long though so really don't know. Have been looking at Bickley, Sunridge etc. Not many properties on the market. Keeping budget of 750k absolute max for a 3 bed decent size. Sounds reasonable? You said you are close to Breaside right? Can I ask what street or locality?

This is top of your budget but in a really nice close in Petts Wood East:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121534370#/?channel=RES_BUY

Oxhawth isn't too far from Lovelace but this is the right side of the roundabout and nice location, it is a bungalow but don't rule them out, they can make things flexible: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121793636#/?channel=RES_BUY

I know the one on Beaumont if it is the £600k one, it has huge potential to make it what you want but does require work, but one done up with a loft conversion with be over £700k.

@PettsWoodParadise the first link I have seen and contacted the agent for viewing. Hopefully will be able to check it out over the weekend.

There seem to be quite a few bungalows on market actually. Never considered them tbh just coz not used to the set up I guess but will take a look.

The one in Beaumont is the one listed for 795z. Will probably go down to 750-760 but no loft though beautifully extended new kitchen. But 2.5 beds if at all. And the train line of course so feels way over priced for the size and other things.

This one on Beaumont for £600k could be a lovely home, many with this original layout have turned the small kitchen and dining room into a family kitchen/diner space and kept the separate living room, with a loft conversion you get a two bath three double bed (with a suite in loft) and the old box room turned into a study www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121644977#/?channel=RES_BUY - maybe a lot of work with a small family though

@PettsWoodParadise yeah not keen on too much at this point. Some renovations might be doable.

Also what do you all feel about terraces vs semi detached? I know semi is of course always better but in terms of extensions in the area, is it too tough to do single storey extensions on terraced ones?

There are really only a few terraced properties in Petts Wood.. Elsewhere I’ve seen extensions done on the back of terraces, a family member had one and they had to pay a fortune to get the water pipe moved as they couldn’t build over it. It was lovely once done, they had to think carefully about light and even then there were some dark parts in the property.

Hi @PettsWoodParadise and @nearlyspringyay. Me again! Any insights about Crescent Drive? I believe it's on the good side of Petts Wood? And would be in Crofton catchment? Also any idea how much would drive to Breaside might be in peak times and connectivity to London when offices resume full time?

Crescent Drive is on West Petts Wood - invest £8 to buy a copy of the History of Petts Wood to understand the friendly bonhomie between East and West. East was developed earlier and has Station Square and the prettier (depending on what rocks your architectural mood) mock Tudor shops, larger front gardens, memorial hall gardens, Willett Recreation ground, bowling Green, tennis courts, whilst many houses are semis, most are quite large and have their own drive, there are some massive detached £1.5+m houses of Birchwood Road and The Chenies and the conservation areas.

The cheapest road on Petts Wood East is probably Tudor Way (due to traffic), or Beaumont as discussed up thread. West Petts Wood has the utilitarian Queensway and mostly semis - some closer together and higher proportion that have shared driveways. The roads on Petts Wood East are usually wider than the West. I.e you can park cars on both sides of road and pass easily.

Both sides have in common that in the most part they are within walking distance of the station, shops and amenities regardless of which side those amenities are on. A large 3 bed semi on Kingsway for example on Petts Wood East would fetch £125k to £200k more than a 3 bed on Crescent Drive as they are substantially larger and further apart, larger gardens, more open feel.

Crescent Drive is a nice road and far nicer than the far side of Lovelace iMO and it is a very popular road and I wouldn’t fault it, the minor compromises are that
a) a good proportion have shared drives which in itself isn’t an issue until you have a dispute with a neighbour who you share the drive with or if you have to park on the road
b) the road is narrow so passing is slow and some can’t park near their house if they don’t have a private drive or OSP or have multiple cars.

Have you had a good drive and walk around Petts Wood? It will really help you get a good feel for the area and work out the slightly different ambience.

That's a very detailed and helpful message as always @PettsWoodParadise! Thanks a lot. 😀

@nearlyspringyay You mentioned you live close to Breaside?

Would any of you have any idea about Rafford Way BR1 as an area / street? We like a property there and it seems good distance from Bromley South Station and the 2-3 prep schools we are aiming for. I believe it would be in Bullers catchment. Not sure which other State primary catchments it would come into but since we are aiming for private preps for now dont want to over constrain myself if the area is good otherwise. Location seems very central - just not sure how family friendly it is etc.

Hi every one .
can anyone tell me how is the almond way and laburnum way area in Petts wood . Seeing properties there . Heard they are ex counsel but will that pose so much of a problem really . From almond way looking for south borough school as 1 st option . It will be 15 mins walk from almond way.

OP do think ahead to catchment areas for senior schools - I may be wrong but I had understood that some areas of PW don't have great choices for non selective senior state schools (whereas of course there are some areas in PW/Chislehurst/Bickley/Bromley etc that are the catchment of fabulous non-selectives). Personally I wouldn't bother paying for a state junior school if you are in the catchment area of one of the good junior schools such as Crofton.