Bexleyheath: A thriving and desirable treasure in south-east London

Bexleyheath is a leafy and historic suburb based in South-East London. It is an area that underwent a lot of regeneration in the 1930s and 40s.

It has an abundant supply of detached and semi-detached homes, in addition to flats, and terraced homes.

The area also has many houses that date back to the nineteenth century. The district is located in Outer London, south of Charing Cross.

This is an area where families tend to stay once they move in, due to the high quality of schools and colleges in the area.

As a result, you have generations of families living in the borough, who will often send their children to the same schools they went to.

In this guide, we take you through the history of this very special area, how it came to be what it is and the advantages of living there.

History

The area used to be mainly comprised of scrub-land, with very little development. It stayed this way up until the early 19th century.

It was formerly a small parish in Kent, before it later became a part of London.

In the latter half of the eighteenth century, it  underwent a number of changes, and people began to come and built shacks there to live in.

However, initially there was a great of poverty. As a result, there was also a movement out of the locality, as some workers moved to bigger cities such as London.

This is before the area officially became a part of London in 1965. Between the 1930s and the 1960s, more workers began to move into the area and developments took place.

However, the exact processes thatoccurred between the 1800s and the 1920s to turn Bexleyheath into the thriving metropolitan hub that it is now, is still something of a mystery.

Properties 

   Rental

   Renting properties in the area is very affordable - with rents starting out at just £208 per week in some places.

   Properties are generally in a very decent condition and a wide selection of different homes are available.

  Although it is fairly cheap to buy a home in this part of London, it is much more affordable to rent properties.

The most popular types of property in the area are detached and semi-detached homes from the 1930s.

There are also a number of Georgian houses in Old Bexley, in addition to a selection of Victorian and Edwardian homes. In addition, there are a fair number of modernist homes, bungalows and cottages.

Property prices in the area are fairly average in comparison to most other areas of London. There are some great bargains available too. For example, you can pick up a five-bedroom semi-detached bungalow in parts of the borough for £550,000.

In fact, in some areas of the city, you will find that house prices almost exactly match the number of bedrooms available. For example, you can pick up a decent, spacious three-bedroom home for £300,000 and a two-bedroom for around the £225,000 mark, and so on.

You also have a lot of people from Central London, moving into the area, due to the affordability of rental properties and mortgages.

If you are wealthier, one of the best places to live are the Victorian and Edwardian houses in the Christchurch conservation area, which typically sell for £700,000 up to £1 million.

Other great places in the locality include Danson Park and Danson Road. 

Transport

Bexleyheath is ideally located in London. It is easily accessible from the M25 and A2. It is just a short train ride away from Central London, with journeys typically taking 30 minutes or less.

It is also just a few minutes drive away from Kent - having been formerly part of Kent. The main train services are from Victoria, through to Peckham, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Barnehurst and Dartford.

Buses also run regularly throughout Bexleyheath, which connect to parts of South-East London and the north of the city.

There are over 70 buses an hour passing through from South-East London and the Kent countryside.

Rail stations are ideally located, with Bexleyheath and Barnehurst stations are both only a short bus ride away from the centre of town. 

In addition, for drivers, there are over 2,500 car parking spaces with dedicated areas and car parks for those with disabilities.

Lifestyle

Bexleyheath is a large, busy borough with a thriving centre, with pedestrianised areas. It is also located nearby Broadway Shopping Centre and Broadway Square centre. 

Whether you want to shop until you drop, watch the latest Hollywood movie releases, wine and dine or play bingo, Bexleyheath has all the amenities and resources you will need and more.

In addition to popular high street retail outlets, you also have a fair selection of independent shops and businesses that you won't find anywhere else.

You can also find a bowling alley and a fair number of fine restaurants in the area.

Education

Educational facilities in the area are generally of a high standard. In addition to primary and secondary schools, you also have a number of excellent academies and grammar schools in the locality, which have been rated highly by Ofsted.

Published 5th September, 2014

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