Anyone familiar with New Malden? Is it a good area to raise a family?

[Cuphalfull]

Outpriced in most areas in South West London, we are seeing some properties come up within our budget in New Malden, although I'll admit I have never been.
How is it? Is it a good and safe area to raise children? Talk to me about schools, type of population, high street, green spaces etc. What areas should be avoided?

Am I right to say big pylons are placed there or am I getting confused with another area nearby? as it'd be a no for me

anyone here?

I don't know New Malden well, but I think it's quite nice. More diverse than a lot of areas which is good and schools are pretty good I think - for boys Richard Challanor is one of the top state schools in the country if I recall correctly. Transport links quite handy although check frequency of overland trains - a lot of SW trains are down post covid and haven't been replaced.

hi, I know New Malden quite well. I have family there. If you want me to be insanely honest, this is what I think of the area:

Pros:
It's outside Wimbledon (quite far out though) and a lot of people in new Malden like to tell people who don't know the area they're "near" Wimbledon, to look good by association (but there is no association really).

People who are priced out in Wimbledon, Surbiton and the nicer parts of Kingston/Teddington try New Malden as their plan B/C area.

It has a couple of parks that seem to be well kept.

I don't know about the schools, but they might be deemed "good".

There are some nice houses there - semis and detached.

It is a diverse area with a lot of Asia diaspora (korean, south asian) and I won't be surprised if it officially becomes a Korea-town soon because it has the largest Korean pop in the whole of Europe! there is even an estate agent called Seoul properties lol, it's fantastic!

The high street "looks" nice if you're in a car. There are your usual chains like cafe nero, costa and there's a waitrose (which imo is over-priced and pretentious).

Cons:
The biggest con: it is right next to a massive, hectic, noisy and polluting A-road (the A3!!!). It is absolutely awful and with all the research now about pollution and its risk to health inc children's health it is not an area i would even consider.

The houses are over-overpriced for an area that doesn't offer much. It's mainly just has a residential feel, rows and rows of houses and that's all.

Unfortunately, My family members were burgled - TWICE. the second time their internal cctv recorded the burglary with the men's faces and everything and still to this day no one has been caught.

The high street is tight and quite small, but adequate and if it weren't for the trees, it would look like a dump. when the road running through it is busy (which is often) it just feels like a massive stress and just an extension of the cars coming of the A3, which many do. It's no different from any other high street in london really. it just has the usual chain restaurants and cafes and nothing exciting tbh apart from the many korean takeaways and restaurants popping up like every week (i love k-food and this is a strong point really )

i would look around the area for a few days and at different times of the week before you decide.

I know it quite well as a friend lives there and I’ve visited a lot - she really likes it. It’s zone 4 so close to the city but also has gorgeous green space. You can walk to Richmond Park from the posh bits of New Malden. She’s not in a posh bit but has a huge Victorian house that wasn’t madly expensive.

It’s much vibier than Teddington and Surbiton (which PP mentioned) because of the huge Korean demographic (Sri Lankan is a secondary demographic there). It also doesn’t feel as white and ‘Surrey’ as the other places but depends on you want really. There are bingsoo bars and bubble tea houses and cool Korean teenagers with mad hair everywhere and that makes it feel more ‘London’ than zone 4 if you see what I mean. It’s also safe and kids walk around all over. The Beverley Park area is gorgeous and primaries are good. Don’t know about secondaries as my friend has younger kids. It’s full of young families who all seem to know each other. Seems a fun place to live.

Very solidly middle class I should add! Lib dem voting. It’s in Ed Davey’s constituency.

There are plenty of lovely residential roads in New Malden which are nowhere near the A3! And definitely no pylons.

We live in Raynes Park, which is nearby but my son is at school in New Malden and we regularly shop and eat there. Lots of great Korean food as well as an excellent Italian. There are also a couple of nice pubs and independent coffee shops and things like an independent stationers and hardware shop, as well as Lidl and Waitrose.

There is a lovely golf course and a really great cricket club with a great programme for girls and boys, as well as a leisure centre with swimming pool, gym and a great selection of classes and a couple of parks.

Trains are pretty good into London and it's a short drive, or 5 mins on train to Kingston which has great shops and restaurants and the river. Also good access to the A3 means you can be in the lovely Surrey countryside in 20 minutes.

Schools are Good and Outstanding.

Hope that helps.

@TwigTheWonderKid please could you recommend the Italian?

Al Forno is the Italian restaurant

Yes, that's right, it's
Al Forno on the High Street.

My dcs grew up there and it was great! Good schools excellent transport links, family oriented and safe

@PaprikaPlease

hi there! thanks for your input. I'm just curious though, whereabouts in the posh area in new malden ? :)
thank you

@iovebread I expect @PaprikaPlease is referring to the houses on, and the roads off of, Trapps Lane.

@TwigTheWonderKid aww thanks for responding.
I know Coombe Road/lane from the Wimbledon end with nice houses/mansions, although theyre all off that horrible often congested main road.

I just had a look on google maps and Trapps Lane is still close to the A3. It runs parallel to it, and across from what looks like a park. Basically, the awful A3 runs right around New Malden. Not sure if people can hear the sound of cars going at 50-70mph in that park?

Personally, I don't consider it "posh" or worth the expense living in a polluted area. It's like we're paying for a big house while increasing your risk of getting lung cancer and other lung conditions. There are also some schools right near the A3 too gordon bennet!

new Malden is a no from me

I have family that live in New Malden and they love it. They’ve brought up 3 children in local states schools and all have done very well. They live in a huge lovely house on Chestnut avenue. They walk a lot in Richmond park and Wimbledon common. Can’t hear the A3 at all and it seems quiet and residential to me. They seem to get on with their neighbours and visit central London a lot. Kingston isn’t far either. Easy walk to the train station. I guess it depends on what area you are in but I’d happily live in the bit my family are in

I’m in New Malden, have lived here for 6 years with two young kids. It’s a really fantastic place to live. There’s a lot going on, feels like a real community. So many great things for kids too (arguably too much!). All the primaries are good. The girls state secondary is outstanding and it’s in the inner catchment for Tiffin. The new news is we are getting an M&S on the high street soon.

We only moved here because we couldn’t afford anywhere else in London, it’s easy to get into London and the housing stock is good. But we are so happy we did.

DM if you have any specific questions @Cuphalfull

The Groves is a nice place to live. Cambridge Avenue/Orchard Avenue/Alric Avenue also nice. Trapps Lane if you’ve got £2mn budget. Or Park View and nearby roads also nice. Avoid anything close to the A3 obviously.

It’s a great place to live.

the train line is very fast into waterloo and the other public transport connections are good. Road access is excellent with the A3 nearby.

Excellent state schools

it’s very close to Kingston which any kids will appreciate when older

Several really nice parks

its less of a sterile upper middle clsss, white highland area than the main bits of wimbledon. There is a huge Korean expat community but also lots of other ethnic groups too.

I really liked living there. I don’t any more because I got priced out of it about … 10 years ago!

transport

@iovebread the really expensive bit is George Road/ Warren lane and the roads that drop down from there to Coombe lane. Some people would describe that as North Kingston but it’s really closer to NM.

You can’t hear the A3 unless you’re on a road right next to it. Some roads look very congested and I suspect parking would be difficult. The high street is a bit generic. (For any locals, do you remember Tudor Williams, the fuddy-duddy shop?)

I have family in New Malden. Schools are OFSTED rated good or excellent and that’s for primary and secondary. The secondary schools are single sex although there’s a few co-ed fairly close in Kingston and Surbiton.

It’s well regarded locally with a good community feel. If you’re close enough I would visit to see for yourself.

Thanks all. I didn't realise it was such a polluted area. How far from the A3 would you reckon is safe enough to live?

As I think pretty much all of us have said, it's not a polluted area unless you live on the A3 slip road!!

@TwigTheWonderKid sorry not sure I understand the map - but I was mainly asking what should the distance to the A3 be to be deemed "safe"

I would base it on whether you can hear the A3 from the houses that you’re looking at. We’re half a mile in and can’t hear it at all.