BUYBattersea, in South-West London, is one of the capital’s most popular neighbourhoods. Falling under the London Borough of Wandsworth, the area is particularly popular with young families, which has led to it being affectionately known as ‘Nappy Valley’ and ‘Pram Springs’.
However, Battersea is also abuzz with young professionals, attracted by the proximity to central London, the independent cafe and restaurant culture, and shopping amenities.
With iconic attractions like Battersea Park and The Pump House Gallery on the doorstep, plus excellent transport links and one of the lowest rates of council tax in London, it’s no wonder that house hunters have turned their attention to the area.
Here are just a few of the many reasons why Battersea is such a great place to live.
There’s loads to do
Battersea has everything you could want. It’s packed with independent shops and cool restaurants, as well as high street brands. Sloane Square and Kings Road are a short stroll away, if you’re looking for designer shops.
Northcote Road Market is also worth a visit. It has stalls selling everything from fruit and veg, meat, cheese and flowers, to antiques, clothes and art.
If you’re a fan of the great outdoors, Battersea Park is one of London’s finest green spaces, complete with a children’s zoo, Crazy Golf, Go-Ape and its located right next to the river.
For music fans, there’s Clapham Grand, an ex-music hall, that’s known for its live music. But it also runs book slams and comedy nights. Another cool place to go is The Battersea Barge. This floating venue offers everything from disco nights to cabaret shows, and is available to hire.
And of course, no guide to Battersea would be complete without a mention of Battersea Cats & Dogs Home. For those of us that love our little furry friends, there’s no better place to adopt a puppy or do a bit of volunteering.
The transport links are good
Tube: Although there’s currently no tube station in Battersea, the Northern Line extension will see new Tube stations opening in Battersea and Nine Elms by 2020. In the meantime, there are tube stations at nearby Clapham Common and Clapham South, which are both served by the Northern Line.
Rail: Battersea has three mainline stations. Clapham Junction provides services to Waterloo (10 minutes), Victoria (seven minutes), and links to mainline services nationwide. Trains from Queenstown Road run to Waterloo, Richmond and Weybridge, and Battersea Park Station provides services to Victoria, London Bridge and Croydon.
Numerous bus routes link to Fulham, Chelsea and central London.
There’s plenty of green space
Battersea, particularly the south end of the area, is often referred to as ‘between the commons’, due its location between Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common. To the north lies Battersea Park, which is a day out in itself. With a children’s zoo, boating lake, sports pitches and acres of nature trails to explore, it’s a fantastic place to take the kids.
You can also enjoy a scenic riverside walk down the Thames Path, which passes through Battersea Park on its way to the Thames Barrier at Charlton, south east London.
There are properties to suit every style
Battersea’s property is characterised by the contrast between its huge stock of Victorian houses, handsome Edwardian mansion blocks, and the striking modern architecture of the Montevetro and Albion apartment blocks on the riverside.
Properties close to Battersea Park and the Albert Bridge (on the east side of Battersea), command a premium. Other coveted areas include the Shaftesbury Estate, a late-Victorian grid of roads to the south of the railway line; and Little India, to the west of Battersea.
The radical transformation of the area around Nine Elms, where the new US Embassy has been built and the Battersea Power Station site regenerated, is set to create a contemporary community that will make this part of Battersea as desirable to live in as the area around Battersea Park.
There are lots of great schools
Battersea has two leading primary schools in the area between the Commons — Belleville Academy (ages 3-11) and Honeywell Infant (ages 3-7) and Junior schools (ages 7-11). All three are rated “outstanding” by Ofsted, and houses close to them are always in demand.
In terms of private education, Newton Prep (ages 3-13) and Thomas’s (ages 4-13) are both excellent choices.
For secondary education, there’s state run Bolingbroke Academy (ages11-18) and Harris Academy (ages 11-19), or Emanuel School (ages 10 - 18) is a mainstream independent school with an excellent reputation.
Find out more!
If you’d like to find out more about Battersea, or discuss any of our properties in the area, call the Aspire Battersea office on 020 7801 3400,or email battersea@aspire.co.uk.
