Mapped: The quietest boroughs in London and what you should buy there
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/buy/mapped-quietest-boroughs-london-should-buy/
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Londoners are used to noise, from tunnelling machines underfoot to demolition work and the familiar vibration of the Tube. With more than 700 major construction projects in the pipeline across the city, it’s hardly surprising that many homeowners move out of the capital in search of relative tranquillity.
But it is possible to discover pockets of peace within the parameters of Greater London. New research by Barratt Homes has ranked the 32 London boroughs by noise levels and named Tower Hamlets as the quietest.
Using crowdsourced sound data taken from 4,000 readings, the findings reveal that the east London district, home to Canary Wharf and Brick Lane, recorded the lowest average decibels (dB) levels across the capital at 53.3 dB.
Tower Hamlets was followed by Sutton (53.8 dB) and Waltham Forest (56.1 dB). Croydon at 56.5 dB and Ealing at 57.3 dB make up the rest of the top five quietest boroughs. Bustling Islington was recorded as the noisiest.
On a recent BBC documentary, Dr Joe Sollini, a hearing expert, said the volume experienced on some Tube lines was equal to working environments where people needed ear protectors. While the city’s noise is deafening in some places, the preservation of swathes of historic green space across the capital can provide some respite.
“There are some urban oases where sound levels are barely at a whisper, such as Bushy Park in Kingston and Radnor Gardens in Richmond,” says Barratt’s Karly Williams.
“Despite its status as one of the world’s busiest cities, the average noise levels in London replicate a quiet suburb, which is a testament to a progressive attitude to preserving green spaces during a period of rapid urbanisation.”
Peace out east
Given its proximity to London City Airport, with plenty of train and Tube links, and the swarm of workers who head for Canary Wharf five days a week, it seems odd that Tower Hamlets ranks so highly in this research. But the decibel average is pulled right down at the weekends after the financiers have fled.
If residents can bear the throng during the week, or are a part of it, then Canary Wharf feels comparatively deserted on weekends, with world-class shops and restaurants but no West End crush.
Across the river, between Canada Water and Surrey Quays stations in nearby Southwark is Quebec Quarter, which has seven apartment blocks over five acres of former industrial wasteland. Each has its own landscaped garden with newly planted wild cherry and maple trees, connects the site to woodland. Beds of flowers have been planted to attract bees and butterflies, and bug hotels have been created in the outer wall.
For new buyers Johnny Wing, 28, and Ben Jewkes, 30, it’s a little pocket of calm. The couple bought a one-bedroom apartment with a south-facing balcony through a shared ownership scheme, purchasing 40 per cent of their home for £204,000, with a deposit of £30,600.
“It strikes the perfect balance for us. I like being central and Ben likes to be surrounded by green open spaces,” says Wing, a chemist. One, two and three-bedroom homes can be bought off-plan from £485,000.
Also quieter than the London average, Greenwich is home to global music venue the O2 arena and the 183-acre Greenwich Park. Tranquillity is not just about green space but also the river. Knight Dragon’s No. 3 Upper Riverside overlooks the Thames and is part of the Greenwich Peninsula regeneration that is now under way.
Greenwich in southeast London is quieter than average for the capital. This castle is on the market for £2.5m with Foxtons.
Greenwich in southeast London is quieter than average for the capital. This castle is on the market for £2.5m with Foxtons Credit: Foxtons
Buyers of one, two or three-bedroom apartments at No. 3 can escape to the waterside for solace or up to one of the roof gardens.
The Greenwich Peninsula transformation will include a three-mile green walkway and, this month, the borough is throwing an “urban fete” – bringing village life into London. The 126-unit scheme comprises five blocks with half an acre of gardens between, and prices start from £525,000.
Serene down south
The crescent of Kingston, Sutton, Croydon and Bromley dominates the list of the top 10 quietest boroughs, partly because they all back on to the North Downs.
Sutton claims to be one of the cleanest and greenest local authorities, and, in 2002, housing association Peabody completed its environmentally friendly, low-carbon development, BedZED, there.
The first of its kind in the UK, it was built on a disused part of a sewage plant on the edge of Hackbridge, and borders a nature reserve that is a surprising pocket of wilderness within the capital. This original development is part of an ongoing £150 million project to deliver a sustainable suburb.
Living room in the Sutton Point development in south London.
Living room in the Sutton Point development in south London Credit: CNM Estates
Sutton’s town centre is changing too: there is a tram extension in the offing, plus a £50 million regeneration of the southern part of the high street, including the refurbishment of the old cinema.
Sutton Point, a scheme with 332 flats on the high street, built by CNM Estates, has been unveiled this month. It consists of three towers with apartments, office and retail space, a hotel and health and fitness club, all in a public square.
The flats range from studios to three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, and prices start from £310,000.
“Convenience is the name of the game in Sutton, with excellent schools, peaceful family locations, good shopping options and a 26-minute commute to Victoria”
“Convenience is the name of the game in Sutton, with excellent schools, peaceful family locations, good shopping options and a 26-minute commute to Victoria,” says William Campbell of Foxtons. “Cheam Village and Carshalton Beeches are the most popular areas with families looking for a quieter environment, with Nonsuch Park bordering Cheam Village.”
House-hunters in the area can find four-bedroom family homes for £475,000. For those with a budget of more than £1 million and who want the village experience, look at the leafy surroundings of Cheam.
If you can find £3 million more, then there’s an 8,000 sq ft mansion on the market with Hamptons International, 1.4 miles from Cheam station. The mock-Regency house has six bedrooms, two walk-in wine stores, a cinema and an orangery. The back gate leads to a golf course.
Another quiet borough in south London is Kingston upon Thames. While its busy town centre has a hectic one-way system and attracts shoppers from across London and Surrey, the residential roads in north Kingston, next to Richmond Park, are sedate.
“There are three train stations in the borough, which perhaps deters the use of cars,” suggests Matt Aboud, of estate agency Featherstone Leigh.
“As well as being a quiet spot, Kingston is very popular among families due to the high density of top-performing schools. With the Thames running through the borough there are lots of riverside activities available, such as a drink at one of the riverside pubs.” A starter home in the borough will cost around £550,000.
Noiseless north
Hackney is a combination of urban London at its busiest and a haven of green spaces. Through it runs the Bloomsbury to Waltham Forest Quietway – a backstreet route for cyclists.
“While the main parks can be extremely busy during the summer months, you can still find yourself a quiet spot to read or have a picnic,” says Chris Manderson of Foxtons. “The ever-increasing trend for cycling and sustainability means that car use is kept to a minimum.”
The streets surrounding Well Street Common are especially serene and, as a result, the large Victorian houses go for around £2 million. Flats on the peaceful streets running adjacent to Chatsworth Road start from £350,000.
Peabody’s joint venture with developer Hill sees them building a canalside neighbourhood that is set in the heart of Hackney Wick, east London. Fish Island Village will have around 580 new homes, with prices starting from £432,500.
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