Hi, looking for help with north peckham?

[bodoing]

Hi:

Sorry I know this forum is not for peckham, I cant seem to find one specifically for the area. I live in Greenwich atm, and have been looking to buy a house in south London, I have seen a town house in north peckham (off commercial way). It is a relatively new development built in the early 2000s by Laing. I know the council estates are rough in the area, but any word on the new developments, (it is around 5 min from the council estates I can see)? Are those alot safer? They do look very nice and respectable. I attach a google maps link: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=se155fz&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl the house directly on the row of houses you can see on street view.

Basically can some one tell me if it is safe to live in one of these houses considering there is an council estate just minutes away?

Thanks so much for the kind help!

Huza

[PeckhamRose]

Not all council estates are full of nasty bad people. There are some right villains living in 'nice respectable houses', but I get your concern.

The houses look fine, so move, make friends with your neighbours and have a great life.

There are a lot of good things happening in Peckham, great artists' communities, bars and fab architecture. Join The Peckham Society, go along to the Choumert Square Garden Party, make connections. Enjoy! If you need anything, remain a member of this group and post on it now and again!

[bodoing]

Thanks a lot Rose: I am aware that not all esates are bad and not all "respectable" neighborhood are populated entirely with respectbale people. It is just that the media is filled with stories about Peckham and its council estates, that living close to one (I realiase that I will not be living on one) is a bit daunting. However any advice and experiences of the new development near commercial ways is greately appreciated. Are the people living in those new developments by and large social and respectable? And are there criminal and antisocial activities which spill over fro the council estates near by?

Thanks again!

[taper]

It is a little bit tasty around there. A couple of shootings in the last year on Sumner I recall. You would be near some good bus routes though so not too hair raising a walk back home at night. As Peckham Rose says far more good in Peckham than bad. Perhaps have a walk around the area of an evening, see what you think

[trizza]

Huza

Have a look here: http://www.police.uk/crime/?q=Southwark, London SE15 5FZ, UK#crimetypes

Looks like in April 2011 there was x1 instance of violent crime and x 1 asb reported basically where the development is. You can see what has been reported around there as well. Why don't you compare this with where you are living with the moment or other areas you have lived.

I'm not suggesting the results would be completely accurate but it may give you an idea of the sort of level of antisocial behaviour in the locality.

[bodoing]

-- moved topic --

[bodoing]

Thanks for the link! There seem to be alot more crime than the part of greenwich where I live 502 cases vs over 1500, but this could be down to population density, and there are about 1000 cases around central Greenwich.I will certainly take a walk/drive in the area at night to see. Anyone have personal experiences of the area either living or traveling through on a regular basis. In the area in general or around the new houses in perticular?

[MelC]

Yes us people living in these new developments are by and large sociable and respectable. A couple of my neighbours have been here since the new houses were built and they have been very friendly and welcoming to me. Transport links are brilliant and the Chinese takeaway across the road from your house is pretty good. Before I moved here I had a look around at nighttime and daytime. I wouldn't walk around on my mobile phone late at night but that rule applies to many places in London.

[minder]

If you're also worried about people being social and respectable in the new developments in Peckham, why are you looking to buy there? I don't think you can move anywhere in London, without being near a council estate! I grew up on one and still live just 5 minute walk from it but still feel totally "safe".

[Ridgley]

Good parts and part in any area you choose to live in try up my street

[bodoing]

Minder: I am not worried by the people in the new houses, just about the stories of shooting and stabbings in the local area, which seems to be a spill over effect from gang wars which go on in the council estates. My question mainly is that whether locals who live in the private homes get affected by this (obviously the council tenants would affected) and whether they feel safe to live in the area?

[Louisa]

I have my own opinions on the way Peckham has been transformed from a respectable working class neighbourhood to a post-modern poorly planned and neglected inner city area in the second half of the 20th century onwards. I personally would love to be able to say come to Peckham, you'll be safe, but I have had so many bad experiences in the area in recent years that I would not personally recommend the North Peckham area to any new person moving in - just my opinion!

Louisa.

[david_carnell]

The harbinger of doom returns! Yay!

So good to have you back, Lou.

[chantelle]

depends how tough you are. I wouldn't move to that side of Peckham Road myself - Bellenden environs on the "good" side is lovely but not nearly so affordable unfortunately.

[ultraburner]

I personally would not want to live in that area. Its too far from the better parts of se15 (bellenden etc) and I wouldn't want to be about on foot late at night in what is pretty much the middle of the North Peckham estate.

All imo, of course, I'm sure someone will correct me in a mo and tell me its lovely.....

[helpmeoutnow]

Who on earth would choose to live there?

[Jeremy]

helpmeoutnow Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Who on earth would choose to live there?

That's nice.

[helpmeoutnow]

Nice you say? No its not .

[bodoing]

Thanks for the help guys. The area is reasonablly priced, the 3 stroy town house I am looking at is 330k, which is around 50k+ cheaper than similar properties in e.g. Greenwich, better parts of deptford (right by the river) etc, but does not seem a down right bargin. Anyway, I await comments!

[????]

The bottomline is Commercial Way compared to Bellenden and ED is not nearly as affluent area and is surrounded by lots of council/Social housing and is a fair way from any of the more 'upmarket' shops/bars and restaurants in these here parts. That's the reality, if you're cool with that you'll pick up far far better value in terms of property size for money. Personally I'd rather not live there.

[littleEDfamily]

I'm pretty sure the place you're talking about is the development my hubby bought his first flat in in 2000. We lived there for 5 years before moving to ED.

Personally, I would not want to live there again. I never had any trouble there and our neighbours were mostly fine (couple of nut jobs, and an unfortunate incident in which one of the neighbouring flats became infested with roaches, but you know...). Aside from it feeling a bit rough, the worst part is there is just nothing to do (except go swimming at the pulse!). It's just not the kind of place you can pop out for a wander in (well you could, but I never enjoyed doing that much).

So, um, if you can afford a better area, then do what you can, but it's not so so bad...

[new mother]

After I made a mistake with property, someone once told me to buy the worst and, if necessary, smallest house in the best location. Not sure this helps but 330k would enable you to find something lovely elsewhere if you chose. Good luck!

[PeckhamRose]

Nice point new mother - I remember years back a news item that some broom cupboard in a block of flats in South Ken had gone for thousands and was now on sale for a million.

I'd still prefer my tiny flat overlooking Peckham Rye and with views of London, than a massive house in the countryside.

My mate and boss has a big house in about 3 acres in the middle of the High Pennines, a long drive from Alston, the nearest town. It is soooooo beautiful. Not another building in site in 360 degrees from his house except the out houses that store the generator. Of course I LOVE biking up there and staying with him and playing with his llamas (that's what they are! not a euphemism!) but couldn't live there. He feels the same way in reverse. And that's as it should be.

[MichelleT]

We live in North Peckham, and while I wouldn't say I love it, its well connected, we can walk to Bellenden Road in ten minutes, and there's loads going on in Camberwell as well now, which is easily walkable. We live just off Sumner Road and I've never felt unsafe. We have an allotment on Bonar Road and its handy having a park right next door with a playground for our little boy. All our neighbours are professionals and perfectly friendly. Horses for courses.

[Frankito]

I guess it's a question of looking at your available options... If you can afford to live in a 'safer' area, then you could consider somewhere closer to south peckham however, even then, no guarantee that you won't get mugged/ robbed/ beaten up etc.

What are your priorities....?