Renting in SW/SE London for commute to London Bridge

[PinkPoniez]

Hi all,

I have been offered a job in London Bridge so we will soon be relocating to London from Cheshire. I will need to commute to London Bridge 3x per week, DH works from home and we have a 7 year old son who will be going into year 3 in September.

We are looking to rent a 2 bedroom property, budget is around £2,300 pm (not including tax, utilities etc) but we could stretch a bit further if need be. Happy with terraced housing or an apartment and not fussed on a garden. Would rather be closer to a park or two. Our main priorities are safety, good schools (we are not religious but DS currently attends a CofE school), local amenities we could walk to (restaurants, cafes, gym, lido, pictures, library, playground etc). Prefer wide open (green spaces) which is why I have focused my search south of the river.

I have narrowed down our search to the following areas - Wandsworth, Wimbledon, Chiswick, Dulwich, Herne Hill. Does anyone have any insight into any of these? Or any other areas that we should consider? Would prefer to keep my commute time under 45 minutes.

We will be able to spend a few weeks getting a feel for the different areas but would appreciate if anyone has any insight.

I think the City location change doesn't matter much unless you hate the idea of walking from LB Station.

Have you had a look at Honor Oak Park (between Brockley/Crofton Park and Forest Hill)? Blythe Hill and One Tree Hill are very nice parks. There's a butcher, greengrocer, coffee shops, small Sainsburys. You can get the train into LB from there. Others will need to advise on schools, but the primary options are pretty good I think.

I am SO out of touch! Has no one else fainted at the thought of spending that much on a month's rent? I know London is monstrously expensive but...bloody hell.

Sorry for double posting - this is nice and a good size. You would need to get the bus/overground for a short journey or take a substantial (30 - 45 min) walk to get to things like cinemas and pools, however - it's a trade off. I think having a look around these areas is the best idea.

Westcombe Park. Which no one has ever heard of unless they live around that way but it’s SE3 which is Blackheath postcode but other side of the heath, between Charlton and Greenwich.

The Blackheath Standard area has butchers, greengrocer, pubs, m&s simply food, post office, bakeries, library and independent shops and cafes. Station has direct trains to London Bridge and Cannon Street (the latter v convenient for the City). Some good schools. Short walk to Greenwich Park and also smaller hidden green spaces of Mycenae Gardens and the Pleasuance. Convenient for Charlton Lido. Loads of families so easy to make friends.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/163803323

Agree this is a great area

Third, great idea - getting to the jubilee line is a PITA from there because of traffic at rush hour but if OP can use the train from Westcombe Park that's not an issue. I used to live there and liked it very much.

Yeah agree, jubilee line is a pain in the ass from this part of town because the buses to North Greenwich take ages. But the link into London Bridge is good and I think trains from Weatcombe Park go into Cannon Street as well.

Thank you this does look like a great area. Does anyone have any insights into the schools in this area? Especially secondary.

Ofsted | Essential Information | About Us | The John Roan School https://share.google/YElhc5xZo9ME2efJo I don't know anything about this school but it is there. And isn't a Harris!

You’ll get mixed responses on secondaries. The people who moved out to Kent or spent a fortune to send their kids to private schools will say the local state options aren’t good enough.

I know kids at Leigh Academy Blackheath, John Roan, Thomas Tallis who are all happy and doing well (including my own kids, who go to one of these and have friends at all three). My older ones and friends are all looking at Russell group universities.
Some of their friends did go private or took Kent or Bexley 11+ but we decided to stick with schools in the local community

You’ll get mixed responses on secondaries. The people who moved out to Kent or spent a fortune to send their kids to private schools will say the local state options aren’t good enough.

That's not true, I'm still in London and didn't choose private but there are plenty of states I wouldn't select. There are some excellent state schools in London (that aren't grammars), there just aren't very many of them.

East Dulwich is my recommendation.

Forest Hill isn't too difficult. Aside from the direct LB trains, there is also the option to get the overground and swap for the Elizabeth Line at Whitechapel to get to Liverpool St.

Westcombe Park, Blackheath Standard, Eltham, New Eltham, Sidcup are great areas. Green and inexpensive. Doesn't Eltham have loads of schools & a whole load of celebrities that came from there: Bob Hope; Kate Bush; Rex Whistler; Frankie Howard; Boy George; Edith Nesbit (wrote The Railway Children); Helen Lederer; Henry VIII; Peppa Pig...

That opens up Blackfriars as a station, which in turn opens up lots of places on the Thameslink, some of which will stop at London Bridge anyway, but it’s a fairly easy change. Herne Hill goes into Blackfriars.

I grew up with/in the whole Kent grammar thing and many of DC's friends attend grammars and privates, but we went for a comp in one of the areas mentioned and haven't regretted it so far.

I do agree that there are better schools and worse schools, and some that I am happy to send my children to and others I’d avoid. The point I was trying to make is that I have seen threads on here say that all three of the specific schools that I mentioned are not good enough. And equally I know a load of people who send their kids to them and don’t regret doing so.

Second this, brilliant areas, excellent schools and some lovely high streets - you may also want to consider Camberwell which is a short bus ride away from London Bridge or train from Denmark Hill; Ruskin park is lovely, huge kids play area, tennis courts, newly added sauna and kids paddling pool.

Yes OP they all have their own high street, Catford might be a bit too much it's pretty rough still, Hither Green, Ladywell, Brockley are all lovely you'd be better to avoid Catford imho. Dulwich lovely, has a very big Sainsbury's lots of parks, independent shops good schools etc. Hither Green also has a big Sainsbury's (I really like Sainsbury's can you tell) I'm from SE London zone 2 myself so know all of these areas v well

I see someone has mentioned Westcombe Park, it is so lovely I have a very good friend there - her boys went to the school on Hadlow Road it might be called Hadlow it was lovely you also have a huge Sainsbury's not too far away, walk into Greenwich, lots of coffee shops, that's a very good idea. You need to pop down really and have a look at some properties see what area you like the feel of.

This is just down from one of the loveliest high streets in the area and likely in catchment for one of the most popular primaries - https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/163721765#/?channel=RES_LET

Agree they are in a nice location, close to Brockwell but also not far from Ruskin and Dulwich parks. Check whether they are in. Catchment for Charter North or else not sure where your secondary options would be, unless you like Kingsdale and are prepared to risk a (literal) lottery for entry. You do have a Sainsbury's nearby, and plenty of amenities (would need to get a bus to cinema though).

Another secondary options might be Elmgreen which is little way away hit pretty sure when we visited the head said the catchment extends towards Herne Hill.

Another option for you might be west Norwood? You'll get more space for your money and the high street is lovely. There's a picture house cinema, a leisure centre with pool and you're in easy reach of Brockwell Park, Streatham Common, Dulwich Park.

If you're only in 3 days and DH WFH I would look further down national rail to be in South Downs or Surrey Hills and probably get a much bigger place for your money!

Another vote for West Norwood. Direct train line into L.Bridge, near enough to Dunraven, Elmgreen and Norwood which are all good secondaries.
The area has much improved and now has a thriving community and good local shops and businesses, plus an art house cinema and leisure centre.

There are loads of nice areas that fit your general criteria. London neighbourhoods are about vibe, tbh. What’s yours? Are you a bit posh? Arty? Sporty? Looking for (ethnic and cultural) diversity? As the places being suggested are all appropriate, but very very different.