I am new to this forum and apologise if this is a topic that has been discussed elsewhere in another thread, but I could not find any recent discussions.
We are a young family considering a move to SE23, but are completely unfamiliar with the area, have not (yet) ventured further than the Horniman and are looking for recommendations, ideas and generally tips on what to consider when choosing a spot in SE23. Schools of course is a consideration, but at this point it would be great to start by just getting a sense of vibe and community spirit - how is Perry Vale different to Honour Oak?
There seems to be less going on on the Perry Vale side, but then we see streets with pretty hefty house prices which seemed surprising. Does Perry Vale have more to offer than meets the eye?
Any thoughts and suggestions very much appreciated.
I may be bias as live in Honor Oak but I think it has nicer atmosphere. It has its own really nice little shopping street ( if it survives lockdown that is)( village sized!) with good mix of small shops and a relaxed quiet atmosphere. Has great service from Honor Oak station, has the view up to One tree hill woods and the walks there and Blythe Hill and Ladywell Fields other nice parks close by.
We live on the Perry Vale side near Kilmorie Primary. Bought our place about 4/5 years ago. I think both options are good. We have two young children with plenty to do near us.
HOP has a lovely village feel, great shops etc. But Perry Vale side also has a lot to offer. We’re about a 10 min walk from the fab Mayow Park, similar distance to Forest Hill with the lovely Dartmouth road and all its shops. We tend to on some days go up to HOP and other days to Forest Hill. It gives us the variety we need. There is a good sense of community too within the area.
We commute from Forest Hill in the morning (easier getting on in normal times) and get off at HOP in the eve.
I’ve put my views in the comments @anon5422159 usefully linked to, but if you have any questions me and others would be happy to answer I’m sure!
The good news is whichever bit of SE23 people live in, generally people like the area. I’d agree with other posters that there is a nice community spirit in SE23, each area has some slight positives over the other - with young children (unless you are sending them privately) then school catchment areas (which change it year) can be small (a few hundred minutes for some) so this should be fairly high up on your area search.
Thanks all for the helpful comments and Pea thanks for the offer I will DM you.
And Hannah, yes the South Circular is a concern, the property we are considering is south of this, near the Perry Rise Baptist church and while the street is beautiful I feel like there is not much in terms of cafés and shops within walking distance. So am wondering wether coming from near Lordship lane area in SE22 and being used to walking around the corner to find great restaurants, bakeries and a buzzing vibe we will end up having to use the car everywhere we go and perhaps therefore should be focusing our search north of the South Circular and nearer the Honour Oak area…
Would love to hear from anyone in the Perry Vale area and their views. Equally anyone who has moved from SE22 area and faced the same dilemma would be much appreciated. Upgrading in terms of space & garden has become impossible with ED prices and SE23 it seems has lots to offer, but it is just so difficult to get a feel for community and street vibe without living there. We are just a bit nervous about potentially moving to an area which is nice in terms of housing, but not much else going on within walking distance. So was hoping I could be convinced otherwise and proven wrong by local opinions!
Why would you have to use the car more?
Lordship Lane is a 40 min walk away or about 15.mins on the 185 or 176 buses. We live near the Horniman and walk down to Lordship Lane a lot.
Yes, I suppose near the Horniman would be a closer walk to LL, Perry Vale being on the other side of FH station is probably another 25min further away, but yes will be taking a closer look at transport/bus connections. Ideally though I like staying and shopping local so am trying to find out if there is enough going on there so we don’t have to heavily rely on amenities further away for daily shops and walks…
I may be a bit bias here having lived in the Perry Vale area of Forest Hill for 12 years. I moved from the Forest Hill Road/Honor Oak Park area after living there for 2 years. I don’t regret my move. I’m perfectly placed for Sydenham, Forest Hill, Honor Oak Park, and Catford. Also Crystal Palace and Dulwich are only moments away by bus, or if I’m feeling particularly fit, I walk.
You are moments away from the gorgeous Mayow Park, which has the Brown & Green cafe (they do the best food) where you can sit in or takeaway to eat in the park. It has a playing area, an outdoor gym, tennis courts, cricket, the community gardens and events during the summer.
You can also wander up to Sydenham which has a lot of nice cafes and pubs, also fantastic independent shops. You also have the benefit of being near Catford, which also has some nice shops, cafes etc. Also if the Forest Hill train line isn’t running you have the alternative of getting a train to Catford and walking home.
I could write a novel of the benefits of living in this end of Forest Hill. My advice is to wander around and discover the joys on the area.
While living by the South Circular may not be attractive living near it can bring some advantages. I live on the Perry Vale side. My walk to Dartmouth/London Road is between 5 and 10 minutes (quicker on the way back) and I generally find all I need there including boutiques, specialist food, a great florists and a great variety of place to drink and eat.
It doesn’t quite match the East Dulwich section of Lordship Lane but if I need more that is a quick 10-20 bus journey from a stop a three minute walk away. For cheaper fare like what youd find in Peckham proper Catford is the same distance in the opposite direction.
I just wanted to add that the only reason I moved away from the Honor Oak Park end of Forest Hill was because the flat I was living in was dreadful. I moved to Perry Vale because I was able to buy a bigger flat, with a garden for less than the pokey little flat I had.
We moved from Peckham to Perry Vale side 4 years ago.
It was a great move.
Ultimately you can’t have the hustle and bustle of Lordship Lane or Peckham without paying for it (if you want a family house with a garden- we were lucky to… but still moved as we wanted more green space and connections to other places). Not to go all "Kirsty and Phil"but you need to work out what you want - no one’s experiences are going to help you make a lifestyle choice; which is where your conundrum lies.
You can walk easily (I think people have a bit of a warped view of wanting everything within five minutes walk - use those legs that what there for!!) to Brockley, Honor Oak, Sydenham and Crystal Palace. You can also walk to Beckenham Place Park on the Waterlink Way in about 45mins from Perry Vale which is great for a morning or afternoon for a young family. Walking to Lordship Lane for an evening and visiting your old stomping ground will be pretty easy also.
Shopping wise you have everything that you need from the big to the small, from the dry cleaners to butchers and to the knitting shop.
We have great coffee shops. The only downside in FH is that it has not got a restaurant for special occasions (talking Kudu etc) that perhaps the ED or Peckham areas have, but the tide is certainly turning and what business we do have you can’t fault, many taking a gamble with the SC and succeeding.
Forest Hill has good local walks for a young family, so Sydenham Hill Woods (it has a bat sanctuary) Sydenham Wells Park (designed beautifully) and Crystal Palace Park. And post lockdown there are some great pubs, the Dartmouth,for example
We live just by Mayow Park (under rated, pretty, excellent cafe) so technically Perry Vale Ward. Both Sydenham and Forest Hill easily walkable - a third station, Lower Sydenham is only 15 minutes walk (for when Southern breaks down…).
Yes the South Circular does butcher the high street but with better town planning: a foot bridge a green roundabout for example, a maxed up congestion charge it would be much better, but oh no too much common sense for the mayor etc
Thanks - super helpful. And yes of course fully aware it won’t have all that Lordship Lane has to offer in terms of full on variety and it is a trade-off between than and value for money in terms of what you can get for a bigger space, but trying to gauge exactly as you say wether basics are within easy-ish walking distance of 10min or so, i.e. decent butcher, place to get good bread, perhaps a little deli and most importantly good coffee (pretty essential All the treat restaurants and bars of course we don’t expect on the doorstep.
We will be exploring the area, so - where would you head to for a decent coffee and a loaf of good bread if you set off from say the Perry Rise Baptist church? Would you be bound to head towards either Dartmouth Rd or over the SC towards Honour Oak or are there also hidden gems on the east side of the tracks and south of the SC?
We moved here from Balham. We used to live on the first road off of Balham High road. We had everything we could ever need and the station was a 3 min walk from closing the door.
We quickly adjusted to living here and now are glad of the slightly longer walks- we are a lot fitter plus you get so much more for your money. I’ve also benefitted from 2 maternity leaves treading the streets and finding the little gems.
If I lived by Perry Rise Baptist Church I’d walk to Mayow Park for a coffee on a summers day (or even winter- I’m there most days) and Number 41 if not. Both ten mins walk max.
Beetroot and beans is good for veg and other small bits. For Butchers we walk over Blythe Hill and go to The Proud Sow. It always feels like there is an adventure here and like others say we are surrounded by so many different areas to choose from. Catford. Honor oak. Crofton park. Forest Hill. Sydenham. Beckenham.
If you want a decent pub The Honor Oak is great as is The Chandos. On a nice day we walk to Dulwich or Peckham. We are about 3/4 min walk from your location.
All the treat restaurants and bars of course we don’t expect on the doorstep.