It’s unaware that the rest of the capital is under siege from artisan cronut cafes and House Price Chaos
What’s going for it? The latest in our occasional series Ordinary (In A Good Way) Bits Of London That Are Still Slightly Even Vaguely Affordable. Plumstead defies the normal London rules, by which places on hills with commons are universally populated by Hooray Henries. Not this one. Plumstead is perfectly humdrum, its racks of terraced houses and parades of nail bars, launderettes and roofing suppliers high above London, unaware that the rest of the capital is under siege from artisan cronut cafes and House Price Chaos. Plumstead rises above such things. It’s magical. The high street may be in need of investment, but the common is on the up. There’s a strong Nepalese and Sikh community here. Plumstead’s position, moated by the Thames on half its flank, has turned it into a cul-de-sac where all sorts of flotsam and jetsam accumulate, such as an ancient windmill that’s turned into a pub, a parade of houses by Berthold Lubetkin and the ancient trees of Oxleas Wood.
The case against Deploy thighs of steel: the railway station is right at the bottom of the hill. Not a vast variety of housing types.
Well connected? Trains: five or six trains an hour to London Bridge (26/27 mins) and London Cannon Street (30 mins), via Greenwich (16 mins), two to four to Dartford (20 mins). Crossrail will be coming to Woolwich and Abbey Wood. Driving: you can be on the M25 in 25 mins or so.
Schools Good. Primaries: many rated “good”, Ofsted says, with Bannockburn, Christ Church C of E and Foxfield “outstanding”. Secondaries: Plumstead Manor, Shooters Hill Post-16 Campus, St Paul’s Academy and nearby Welling are all “good”. Woolwich Poly for boys is “outstanding”.
Hang out at… The Plumstead Pantry, overlooking the common, or the Star gastropub. The cafe at Oxleas Wood does a great fry-up.
Where to buy You won’t want for Victorian and Edwardian terraces, mostly on the small side. Plus a few 20s/30s swooping along rolling hills. Larger homes around Eglinton Hill, Shrewsbury Lane and Occupation Lane. And a good rack of Victorians up the hill from the station. Semis, £400,000-£850,000. Terraces and cottages, £300,000-£600,000. Flats, £165,000-£350,000. Rentals: a one-bed flat, £850-£1,100pcm; a three-bed house, £1,300-£1,600pcm.
Bargain of the week Five-bed Victorian terrace, right on the common, in need of some TLC. £499,995, with Goodwin Ellis via rightmove.co.uk.
From the streets
Victoria Paige “My boyfriend and I have bought our first home; a three-storey Victorian. I can’t believe what you get for your money. So close to London but feels like I’m in the countryside when wandering through the common.”
Clare Griffin “Close to Charlton Lido – amazing outdoor pool.”
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