Isle of Dogs: A Quiet Haven Near Canary Wharf
Rachel Beech, who has lived on the Isle of Dogs for years, often faces the question: "Why on earth do you live on the Isle of Dogs? There is nothing there." For Beech, that is precisely the point. The Isle of Dogs, located on a peninsula on the north bank of the River Thames, is only 1.5 miles from Canary Wharf but offers a completely different atmosphere. Sheep and donkeys graze peacefully at the local city farm, and with water on three sides, there is almost no through traffic. Yet transport links are superb. "It is incredibly quiet for central London," Beech says.
A new study by estate agent Savills identifies the Isle of Dogs as one of the best-value spots to buy a home. The firm highlights areas where local house prices are at least 20% below their neighbours, describing them as pockets of "hidden value" in an increasingly unaffordable city. "They look underpriced relative to potential, pointing to where future growth has the greatest scope to catch up," Savills says.
Purley: Where London Meets the Home Counties
Leafy, affluent Purley is the posh end of Croydon. Its relative affordability is likely due to its distance from central London—some 13 miles—but it offers excellent commuter services to London Bridge or Victoria in around 25 minutes. Dan and Molly Stevenson moved to Purley early in the pandemic, seeking more space and greenery. They left a three-bedroom flat in Brixton for a four-bedroom Edwardian house costing £675,000, compared to the £1.2 million they would have paid in Brixton. "It is too big for just the two of us but it means that we won’t have to move again if we have a family," says Dan, 35. The couple also checked local schools, almost all rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, including nearby grammar schools in Wallington.
The average house price in Purley is £486,000, according to Savills, but property types vary widely. At the top end, the Webb Estate features huge gated homes on tree-lined roads with prices up to £3 million. For around £500,000, buyers can find a three-bedroom 1930s semi or a period terrace. A two-bedroom flat costs about £350,000. Dan, director of Haboodle estate agents, notes that Purley has more in common with Surrey than Croydon, with beautiful walks and pubs like Botley Hill Farmhouse and the Rambler’s Rest. "There are lots of plans to improve [the high street] though—there is a new M&S coming, and a new leisure centre being built," he adds.
Isle of Dogs: Peace and Connectivity
Rachel Beech moved to the Isle of Dogs nearly 20 years ago to be close to Millwall Rugby Club, where she founded a women's rugby team, Millwall Venus. She met her husband there and has no plans to leave. Beech, now 45, observes that the area has evolved from a divide between old islanders and "new money" incomers to a "real melting pot" of cultures and communities. Most homes were built in the 1980s and 1990s. Beech and her family live in a four-bedroom townhouse that cost around £300,000 in the early Noughties; today it is worth about twice as much.
According to Savills, average prices near Isle of Dogs DLR stations range from £506,000 (Mudchute) to £540,000 (Crossharbour). Buyers can find period dock workers' cottages and modern townhouses from around £700,000 for three bedrooms, or two-bedroom flats with water views for £400,000 to £450,000. Inland homes cost around £300,000. Beech values the peace and quiet combined with connectivity: "The brilliant thing about the Isle of Dogs is that you can get anywhere else, incredibly easily." Local amenities include Mudchute Park and Farm, Millwall Park with an outdoor gym, rowing at Poplar, Blackwall & District Rowing Club, open water swimming in Millwall Outer Dock, and a tiny beach with views of the O2 Arena. Dining options include The Space Bar, a café bar in a Grade II listed former church with a theatre and roof terrace, The Old Fire Station (Turkish and Mediterranean), and Kinkao (Thai). The Isle is in Zone 2, with DLR access to south-east London and Tube connections at Canary Wharf. The Greenwich Foot Tunnel provides pedestrian access to Greenwich. Primary schools mostly hold "good" Ofsted reports, but secondary schools require careful research. Future development includes plans to redevelop Westferry Printworks with over 1,300 homes, a secondary school, a rejuvenated dock front, and new shops and restaurants.
Newbury Park, Redbridge, and Gants Hill: Value Across the North Circular
The wave of gentrification in east London has not yet crossed the North Circular Road, keeping these Ilford suburbs affordable. Average sale prices are £492,000 in Newbury Park, £718,000 in Redbridge, and £507,000 in Gants Hill. Commute times to central London average around 40 minutes. These areas are significantly cheaper than Wanstead, just across the A406, where prices average £732,000. For around £500,000, buyers can purchase a three-bedroom period terrace in Newbury Park, a semi in Redbridge, or a four-bedroom period house in Gants Hill. Green spaces include Wanstead Park with riding stables, cricket and tennis clubs, and ponds, as well as Fairlop Waters Country Park. Local schools mostly have good or outstanding Ofsted reports. However, these neighbourhoods lack the artisan delis, micro-breweries, and gastropubs found in nearby Leytonstone and Walthamstow, suggesting that significant change is still some way off.
