Advice on Kidbrooke area

cashbackproblems

Hi guys

Going to see a property in kidbrooke soon as its close to the station, just wondering if anyone has experiences of this area? Specifically around kidbrooke rd, birdrook rd and nelson mendela road ie to the right of the A2?

Thanks

bouicca21

You'll need to explore. Much ex local authority housing cheek by jowl with posh bits. Bit of a trek for shops. Lots of open space. Charlton Lido nearby.

benjus

The old Ferrier estate has completely gone now, replaced by some rather expensive new build places trying to pass themselves off as Blackheath.

The area North and West of Thomas Tallis School borders Blackheath with some nice old Victorian houses (most of the larger ones now divided up into flats). Prices are almost at Blackheath levels though.

The rest is mostly typical suburban houses and ex-council.

cattie

As mentioned here already, there is an awful lot of council/ex council housing in Kidbrooke & though the Ferrier Estate has now gone, in my opinion it is being replaced by one absolutely huge massive estate.

Yes it is all to be a mix of private home ownership, along with housing association & ex council tenants , but whenever I need to travel through parts of it that are still being constructed, I can't help but visualise it as a possible sink estate of the future.

It's proximity to the station is definitely in it's favour & the new flats & houses are said to be very nice indeed inside, but I don't think I'd want to live in what they creatively call Kidbrook Village! Villages are supposed to be small communities, not vast sprawling estates. You'd need to travel out of the area for shopping too, which isn't ideal.

Really the best thing to do as always is, have a look at the property & if you like what you see, go back at different times to check out the area & maybe knock on the doors of a few neighbours who have homes that look well kept & ask them their honest opinion of the area.

Oh & if it's an ex council house you're going to look at, bear in mind that some houses in that area are of non standard construction, so you might need a higher deposit if interested in buying.

cashbackproblems

Thanks, as long as its in good condition in and out I don't really mind, though would like to avoid council estates/riff raff type of people. Kidbrook Village I have looked at but is so expensive e.g. 400-500k for 2 bed flats!

The house I am going to see the vendor has increased the sale price by 20k since yesterday due to high demand. It is now at the v v top end of my budget 370k.

bouicca21

Personally I think Kidbrooke Village (on the site of the old Ferrier Estate) is ghastly as well as overpriced. The area mentioned in the OP's first post has lots of ex council houses that are classic red brick LCC, as well as more modern stuff and some 1930s and older private housing. Those LCC houses are well built but possibly small. It's because the housing stock is somixed that I am serious about exploring the area - it can change from street to street.

AlexMac

We live a mile away to the north, but have a little BTL just the other side of the rail station and to the left (west) of the A2 so know the area.

These Greenwich Council 'cottage' estates of post WWII semi detached 3-bedders with gardens are among the nicest ex-local authority properties around. They vary by micro area of course, but our kids formerly owned and were very happy with their identical one in the slightly rougher area further north east btween Chralton and Woolwich. They got a lot for their money, but were never bothered by neighbours (50% of their street was still rented Council or social housing).

So assuming you don't have a problem with ex-Council I'd look positively on it. The overpriced 'Kidbrooke Village' across the A2 has meant the demolition of the notorious old 1970s Ferrier estate, where my mate was a Housing Officer and while you can joke about Kidbroke Village's fake 'Blackheath cachet' (Blackheath village is 40 minutes walk away) , it won't do your prospects any harm to have that new mainly private developemnt on your doorstep, albeit the other side of the tracks (literally- both A2 and railway)!

A bit cut off from buses and shops, but dependent on location you can walk under the railway to the new mini-Sainsbury's or a bit further on to David Lloyds gym and pool, and I think Kidbrooke station is zone 3. And if you drive, road links are great- A2/Blackwall Tunnel/ M25 ... I can get to the Kent Coast or Stansted airport in less than an hour and France at 2 hours is closer in real terms than Heathrow across London!

The wider district to the north and west is really nice- with Blackheath and Greenwich within 1-2 miles for both open brilliant space and cheap bars/restaurants.

As somone suggests, go suss the area- not just by day- get down there late nights at weekends... Happy house hunting