Best places to live in London: Crystal Palace named top area in capital by Sunday Times

Six neighbourhoods across the capital have been named as some of the best places to live in the UK, according to the Sunday Times.
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Crystal Palace has been named as the best place to live in London in 2022, according to the Sunday Times.

The newspaper has shared its comprehensive list of the best areas in the UK, which includes six neighbourhoods across the capital.

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Crystal Palace in south London was named the best place to live in the capital.

Sitting atop a hill - seven miles south of Charing Cross - the trendy neighbourhood has magnificent views across central London.

The Sunday Times said: “Crystal Palace has a welcome urban edge – as well as community spirit and a fascinating history.”

The paper also included central King’s Cross, edgy Victoria Park village and family-friendly Teddington on the London list.

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Property editor Helen Davies said: “The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is necessarily subjective.

“Leave it just to statistics and you will never capture the spirit of a place.

“For that, you need to visit to take into account that ‘you have to be here’ feeling.

“This year we have discovered new best places to live from resurgent city centres, rejuvenated suburbs across the country, hidden villages, and a commutable Scottish island.

“We hope there is something to suit everyone.”

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Here’s the full list of the six best places to live in London in 2022, according to the Sunday Times.

Despite the winner all other locations have not been ranked and do not show in a particular order.

Crystal Palace Park Lake (Charles - Adobe Stock)Crystal Palace Park Lake (Charles - Adobe Stock)
Crystal Palace Park Lake (Charles - Adobe Stock)

Winner: Crystal Palace

The best place to live in London has been named as Crystal Palace.

The trendy area is known as four boroughs as it sits on the borders of Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth and Southwark.

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Named after the Victorian Crystal Palace exhibition building, which was built in 1854, it has incredible views across central London and south towards Kent.

It’s well known for its park, which features gigantic dinosaur models, as well as the nearby football club Crystal Palace F.C.

The “Triangle” is chock full of restaurants, pubs and independent coffee shops, as well as a famous Everyman cinema.

The Sunday Times said: “While the mix of green spaces, pretty Victorian streets and chichi shopping and dining isn’t unique, Crystal Palace has a welcome urban edge,

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too – as well as community spirit and a fascinating history.”

The average house price in Crystal Palace is £526,000 and boasts a growth of 17% since 2020.

Community playground in King George’s Field, Hanwell (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)Community playground in King George’s Field, Hanwell (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Community playground in King George’s Field, Hanwell (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)

Hanwell

The west London neighbourhood of Hanwell joins the list as a new entry for 2022.

Situated in Ealing, it boasts a quiet residential suburb and is known for its flight of seven locks along the Grand Union Canal.

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Hanwell is set to be part of the Elizabeth line, connecting west London with central and Canary Wharf.

The Sunday Times said: “One of London’s last hidden gems, Hanwell is perfectly placed to take advantage of the overdue opening of the Elizabeth Line.

“The community works hard – with the Hanwell Big Local project offering everything from Christmas craft workshops to women’s boxing – and plays hard, especially at the free Hanwell Hootie.”

Hanwell has an average house price of £587,000 and has seen a growth of 12% since 2020.

King’s Cross train station (Richie Chan - Adobe Stock)King’s Cross train station (Richie Chan - Adobe Stock)
King’s Cross train station (Richie Chan - Adobe Stock)

King’s Cross

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Also joining the Best Places to Live list is King’s Cross, in the Camden borough.

Once known as the city’s red light district, the area has undergone a major regeneration and is now home to Google and the Guardian.

It is one of the most convenient places to live in the city, within walking distance of Bloomsbury, Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill, as well as unrivalled tube and train links.

The Sunday Times said: “There’s no handier perch for those lucky enough to be able

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to afford it than the regenerated, revitalised King’s Cross.

“It’s not just convenient, it’s stylish, too, whether you’re shopping or dining in Coal Drops Yard or living in one of the wedge-shaped Gasholders flats.”

The average house price in King’s Cross however will set you back £655,000.

Old Town Hall in New Malden (Google)Old Town Hall in New Malden (Google)
Old Town Hall in New Malden (Google)

New Malden

New Malden - in south-west London - is another new entry on the best places to live in London list.

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Split between Kingston and Merton, the neighbourhood is known for its large and vibrant Korean community and also features plenty of green spaces.

The Sunday Times said: “The large, vibrant Korean community makes this solid south-west London suburb both a feast for the tastebuds and a place of pilgrimage for fans of Squid Game and BTS.

“More traditional househunter’s boxes are ticked by strong state schools, connections to central London and some fine period houses.”

The average house price in New Malden is £664,000 and has seen a growth of 15% since 2020.

Teddington Lock on the river Thames (Marina Marr - Adobe stock)Teddington Lock on the river Thames (Marina Marr - Adobe stock)
Teddington Lock on the river Thames (Marina Marr - Adobe stock)

Teddington

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Last year’s London winner Teddington also remains on the list for 2022.

A village-like neighbourhood within Richmond, Teddington boasts amazing green spaces and plenty of independent shops and cafes.

The Sunday Times said: “Last year’s London winner beats the naysayers to keep its place in the list, thanks to its gorgeous green spaces, dreamy Thames-side towpaths and vibrant high street.”

The average house price for Teddington is £815,000 and has grown 15% since 2020.

Pagoda in Victoria Park (Shoey_photos - Adobe Stock)Pagoda in Victoria Park (Shoey_photos - Adobe Stock)
Pagoda in Victoria Park (Shoey_photos - Adobe Stock)

Victoria Park

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Last but by no means least on the list is Victoria Park village based in trendy east London.

Victoria Park is perfect for the mix of green space and urban life, with the biggest park in Tower Hamlets.

The Sunday Times said: “This leafy east London enclave is the place to come if you want both birdsongs and urban buzz.

“It offers easy access to the happening ’hoods, but its family-friendly blend of glorious green space, independent shops and pubs, strong state schools and yellow-brick period homes would stand out anywhere.”

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The average house price in Victoria Park is £755,000 and has seen a 21% growth jump since 2020.

What is The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list?

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list is judged by experts who assess a wide range of factors, including, schools, transport and broadband.

Experts also take a look at the surrounding areas, including culture, green spaces and health of the high street.

The aim of the guide is to celebrate improving towns, villages and city centres, as well as looking at well-designed homes and locations that are bursting with community spirit.

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Community spirit has been highlighted by The Sunday Times as the most important quality in all the locations, following the Covid-19 pandemic.

The list includes 70 locations from across the UK, including the North and North East, Midlands, Northern Ireland, Southeast, Wales, Southwest, East, London, Scotland and the North West.

The best place to live in the UK was awarded to IIkley in West Yorkshire, which sits just north of Bradford.

The full list of winners can be found on The Sunday Times Best Places to Live list.

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Average house prices for each location have been supplied by Halifax which has sponsored the best places to live guide.

All up-to-date information on broadband speeds was also provided by Thinkbroadband.com, who are the UK’s leading independent guide to broadband.

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