Buying in Catford/Ladywell or Sydenham/Crystal Palace?

[Tinkelbell]

We are looking to buy a home in South East London suitable for couple with 1 toddler for next 4-5 years.

We have seen a few properties we like, but don't know how neighbourhoods compare:

• SE13 6 / SE6 4: in between Ladywell & Hither Green, south of Lewisham Park / Lewisham Hospital, north of Catford

• SE19 2: Crystal Palace (Anerley end of hill)

• SE26 4: Sydenham (north of Home Park)

What it's like to live here with small family?

Love Crystal Palace but we moved further down the road to Beckenham for more space once DD2 came along.

Where would you be working?

I live in Crystal Palace, just off Anerley Hill but much further up the hill.
Depending exactly on the location, I always think its a bit of a no mans land. Theres a few local shops round Anerley station but otherwise you'll need to go up the hill to Crystal Palace or into Penge.
It all seems a bit run down round there really, admittedly this is purely based on my observations from a bus or on the occasions I get off at Anerley station and get a bus up the hill.
Crystal Palace is nice, but I think its become a bit up itself over the last few years!

Commuting into London Bridge, but mostly WFH.

Thanks for the insight on Anerley hill! Does seem somewhat lively around Cafe Chic etc but take it that's pretty much it then?

Any other insight into SE19 2, SE26 4 and SE13 6 much appreciated! What are the playgrounds / schools like, enough to do with little ones (library / playgroups), etc? 🙏

Hi. It'd probably help if you stated your budget and whether you want house/flat, garden, etc. I live in Penge and parts of it are really nice, with a good community feel, great transport links and it has just been named best place to buy in the area, by the London Standard. www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/where-to-buy-a-home-in-2023-top-london-regeneration-zones-b1049010.html

Good luck!

Hi OP

You mentioned Cafe Chic, thats pretty much right by Crystal Palace station. I sort of assumed you were further down the hill near Anerley station.
If you're close by Cafe Chic, thats 5 to 10 min walking distance to the triangle, its up a steep hill but theres numerous buses that go up there.
That being the case, I take it back about being a no mans land because you have fairly easy access to everything that Crystal Palace has to offer.
Although I don't have young kids any more, from the local facebook page theres loads on offer for children. There is a small library up on the triangle. Plus of course theres the huge park.

I go through Penge regularly and I think that could be a really good alternative to Crystal Palace, as your budget is likely to stretch further. Its a bit "grittier" than Crystal Palace, but I actually mean that in a complimentary way - theres more in the way of practical shops etc for people with varying budgets.

Sydenham can be very variable price and housing stock wise depending on whee you look. Sydenham Hill is pretty posh where as Sydenham High street and the area round Bell Green is a bit cheaper and more run down.

There is quite a price difference between Crystal Palalce and Catford - so your budget and expectations would help.

Alos - any reason why you have not considered Forest Hill? It is between Sydenham and Catford and is very family friendly.

Thanks all for your views! In terms of budget - we have seen 3 properties we like, all with their pros and cons, in each of the areas so now need to make up our minds about the location more than anything. 😬

• Crystal Palace / SE19 2: Good to hear the neighbourhood has lots on for little ones @NameChangedToAnswer I worry somewhat about primary school catchments / school oversubscriptions in that area though.

😬

• Sydenham / SE26 4: This seems like it's attracting lots of families lately, but I struggle to find insight on the area towards Lower Sydenham (north of Home Park) and raising kids/toddlers there?

• Catford SE13 6 south of Lewisham Park: At first glance this looks like a good area to me - (apart from Lewisham High Street): catchment area of Holbeach and a few other schools, walking distance to Ladywell Fields and Mountfield Park, lovely houses in e.g. Mount Pleasant Road, but it seems no one on Mumsnet talking about it?

the postcodes you’ve given are extremely specific (ie going into the second part of the postcode) so it’s fairly unlikely that someone who happens to live in those particular handful of streets will be on the mumsnet property page within a couple of days of you posting.

if you search mumsnet for old threads on catford / lewisham / ladywell, there will be more posts that’ll give you a sense of it.

of the places you’ve listed, crystal palace is definitey the most desirable. Then Ladywell. Lower sydenham isnt so great.

The bit of Lewisham you're referring to is fine, close to stuff as you say and you've got lots of great parks to choose from around the area. The real community streets are more the other side of Hither Green Lane though in that area.

I'd also look at the Corbett Estate if you want family friendly. Very close knit. Great schools. Loads of kids. Lovely library. Very sought after.

Should say I was basing that on the Mount Pleasant Road area. If you're also looking more in Ladywell proper that's more desirable I'd say. SE13 6 is more Rushey Green and cheaper.

I lived on Mount Pleasant Road so I have a real soft spot for the place. It’s really nice. I mean there are parts of Lewisham that aren’t great but round there I didn’t have any bother, especially if you’re up towards the Hither Green end. The parks are nice, you can walk to Mountfield, Ladywell and Manor Park.

If you are commuting to London Bridge, ideal as the trains go straight from Hither Green to there in 12 minutes and are very regular.

Also lived in Lower Sydenham but I didn’t rate it, bit of a dump really.

Hey OP
I just moved from lower Sydenhambut raised my son there till he was 6

Pros: grenn spaces!!! proximity to Beckenham place Park, amazing walking/ cycle links to Lewisham and Greenwich via the linear park. Also good transport links. You can get up the hill quickly for all the nice cafes in palace or walk on the linear path to Catford- my son and I used to love the Catford Mews cinema

Cons
Primary schools are OK ish (adamsrill, st michaels), not many good secondary options. Not loads of choice in terms of baby groups

...it depends on what you like to do with your kid. If you like pootling around on a cycle and meeting friends in the park for picnics, lower sydenham is great. If you like more of a classes -and-stay -and play vibe then you're a bit stuffed

Current SE13 6 resident (although we are between Hither Green Lane and the station). We moved here last year and love it. We don’t have kids, but most everybody on our road does. Mountsfield Park is lovely and the playground is popular and well maintained.
Quite a few cafes around and I always see adverts for mum + baby / toddler groups etc so I imagine there’s quite a bit going on. All in all I think it’s a lovely bit of London, and the train link to London Bridge is quick and frequent.

Lower Sydenham/home park I would personally avoid if you can I don’t like it very much it always feels to me quite an aggressive vibe, I know Hazeltine primary school had a good reputation but unsure if still has.
agree with pp some of anerley hill can feel a bit no man’s land, Crystal Palace is fine but expensive I don’t have up to date knowledge on schools.
Penge is really good lots of green spaces/library cafes, plenty of stuff going on for little ones, some really good schools walkable to Crystal Palace park transport links are good, useful shops.
Beckenham also very nice, excellent for families good schools plenty of parks, wide range of cafe/restaurants very much depends on budget.
west wickham a bit cheaper transport not quite as good but again very good for families & good schools.

I have friends who recently moved from Beckenham to West Wickham as they wanted to upgrade to a house and they like it a lot. It seems a nice little town centre but with good access to central London.

T

Agree it’s lovely, my dd & her family live in West Wickham some really nice parks/library/swimming pool also lots to do with little ones a lovely play cafe on the high street lots of playgroups etc my dgd’s attend excellent pre-school & primary school.
usual high street shops mixed in with some good independents, some lovely restaurants & cafés.

We lived in SE19 2 till 4 years ago, up Auckland Road. There was loads to do with small children. We moved out to Kent for DH's job but if that had happened would have been very happy staying there with the DC. We used to go to the cafe at the lake for nursery rhymes, Sing and Sign and Whippersnappers in the Triangle. Plenty of nice play areas and dinosaurs!

I live between Sydenham and penge east and we really like the area. I wouldn't buy in lower Sydenham although there's a lot of investment in housing being built. Anerley can also feel a bit no man's landy as someone else mentioned.

If you want to pm the road you're looking at in se264 I can give further guidance!

I would really look at the schools, so many people move out to Beckenham, West Wickam even out towards Sanderstaead and Purley for secondary.

I grew up in that area, great links to London, lots going on but raising a family is a different matter

What is your budget?

I would suggest Upper Sydenham (the Thorpes roads) versus Lower Sydenham which doesn't really have a nice community feel to it and isn't particularly close to a station. I looked at buying a house in that area and I'm glad I didn't.

Dependant on your budget I would suggest Honor Oak Park and Forest Hill which have direct 12min trains to LB. Crofton Park is also nice but no direct train to LB.

An alternative to Crystal Palace is Tulse Hill and Gipsy Hill but I don't know those areas too well.

Hi Op, I live in Anerley. We are very happy here. Lots of families living around here we've got a great community on our road. We a few mins walk from CP park which is a really lovely park and great for kids which is always busy with families. We have the option of both anerley and CP stations for trains plus buses will whisk you up the hill in 5 mins to the amenities of the triangle. Yes Anerley road looks a bit run down and grotty near Anerley station but I've noticed the part near CP station is changing a bit. There's a new micro bakery called chatsworth bake house which is really popular, crespedia cafe and Douglas fir for craft beer but many of the other businesses along the road (including a really good helpful pharmacy) are well established and well used too they just don't have the same 'middle class gentrification' vibes. I doesn't really feel like a no man's land here as you have so much close by and are a stones throw from CP park. I've generally found it great living around here, lots of green spaces and have met lots of nice people. Beckenham is also close by for amenities but I find once you get out that far it starts to feel less like London whereas Anerley and Penge you feel like you're just on the edges. Good luck with your search.

We live in Hither Green of Hither Green Lane (near Mount Pleasant) and we love it - We have a toddler and a baby. Lots of other young families and a very tight knit community. You'll just want to make sure you're in the catchment for the Brindishe school - otherwise I think it's a bit of no mans land on schools (so Im told).

We love Mountsfield Park - lots of toddler activities, weekend football etc, and in a good spot to get into London Bridge. Very easy to get to the other side of the station with a few more amenities/pub restaurants etc (but very expensive houses..)

The nurseries are all very good and 10 mins to London Bridge/18 mins to Charing X makes it feel urban but with more space/green parks etc.

One more thing- we have friends on Lewisham Park and friends that live on Hawstead in Catford and they love it - they are definitely more 'Catford' than Hither Green but all super close for when we meet up.

Their 'local' tends to be Ladywell Tavern or Catford Constitutional. I'm not sure what their plans are for schools as our toddlers will go September 2024 but they say Holbeach is really well rated!

My son lives near Crystal Palace. They love it there. Lots of young families, the triangle is buzzy and friendly. The school is excellent. The park is great to walk in. I enjoy visiting them. Unfortunately they can’t afford to stay there.

Great daycare facilities too.