One of the key drivers of housing demand is the desire to buy a larger family home in an area that offers good schooling. If this is combined with easy access to green space and good connectivity to employment centres, an area’s well located homes can command a substantial premium. Battersea, Clapham and Wandsworth offer this combination in abundance.

Green space

The borough of Wandsworth contains the highest proportion of green space of any London borough, with 1,700 acres consisting of parks, commons, allotments and cemeteries. The area is home to two of the most popular green spaces in London, Clapham Common and Battersea Park, along with Wandsworth Common, Wandsworth Park, and Tooting Common to name a few.

When looking to buy in the area, the general rule is that the closer to green space you are, the better and therefore the more expensive. Analysis of the parks and commons located across the area has revealed an average premium of 18.5% for prime properties located within 50m of a park or common, compared to those located nearby, on a £/sq ft basis. If these properties have a view of the park then the premium increases to 22.1%.

Good schools

Battersea, Clapham and Wandsworth are all well known for their wide selection of good state and private schools. Competition for school places can be fierce, particularly for the top state primary schools such as Honeywell, Belleville and Holy Ghost, which have tiny catchment areas meaning some families move just a few hundred metres to get their children in.

Across the borough of Wandsworth there are 117 schools, including 98 primary schools and a wide range of independent schools. This is and will continue to be a key driver of demand for the area as for many, rather than pinning their hopes on a single school, a choice of good schools will determine where families will look to buy or rent.