LOCATION
Wandsworth has a well-earned reputation as one of the best places to live in London. Offering a healthy balance between city living and residential neighbourhoods, it combines strong transport links, plentiful green spaces and excellent schools. Consistently ranked as one of the boroughs with the highest quality of life, this is a place people not only choose to live, but also decide not to leave! Wandsworth HOT spot
5 REASONS WE LOVE… WANDSWORTH
1 The Thames Path for scenic riverside walking and cycling 2 Battersea Power Station, and the panoramic views from Lift 109
3 Vast green spaces across the borough 4 An impressive – and diverse – pub scene 5 A great variety of rst homes
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
You are spoilt for choice with things to do in Wandsworth, but one of its biggest draws – delighting families and fitness enthusiasts alike – is the sheer volume of green spaces, including Wandsworth Common, King George’s Park, parts of Wimbledon Common and Battersea Park, which alone boasts a children’s zoo, boating lake, Peace Pagoda and Go Ape. Other unique attractions in the borough include Tooting Bec Lido, the UK’s largest freshwater swimming pool (at a whopping 91 metres!); Immersive Gamebox, an interactive digital gaming experience; and Lift 109 at Battersea Power Station, which combines a carefully curated exhibition about the building with a glass elevator ride to the top of one of its iconic chimneys! Battersea Power Station is now one of London’s most iconic shopping and leisure destinations, with over 150 shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. With everything from high street favourites to high-end fashion, shopping doesn’t get much better than this, but if your preference is for low-key (and less touristy) Southside Shopping Centre, located between Wandsworth
underground, the District Line serves East Putney and South elds, while the Northern Line serves Balham, Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway. The Overground connects parts of Battersea and Clapham Junction with orbital routes across London. Bus services are frequent and reliable. Driving is straightforward, with easy routes in and out of town and to the M25, but traf c can be heavy so, if you don’t need to drive, you may prefer to make use of the extensive cycle routes. Love Actually fans will remember The Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) asking Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) about Wandsworth, “So which exactly is the dodgy end?”. The reality is, it is all relatively nice, with crime rates 20% lower than the London average. Especially desirable areas include Putney, for its green space and riverside walks, and Wandsworth Common,
The south west London borough of Wandsworth has a young population of around 336,500, and covers over 13 square miles. It incorporates several well-known neighbourhoods including Putney, Balham, Tooting, Roehampton, Wandsworth Town and Earls eld. Wandsworth takes its name from the River Wandle, and was rst recorded as a small rural settlement in the Domesday Book of 1086. It became an important industrial centre during the 18th century, as a result of the River Wandle powering mills producing our, paper and textiles. By the 19th century trade had boomed, bringing factories and the Young’s brewery – a major local employer. The area was bombed during the second world war, so the post-war era was largely de ned by extensive rebuilding. Wandsworth is undergoing regeneration. The River Thames forms most of the borough’s northern boundary, which has driven riverside development. While the area has evolved, it has preserved its historic commons and Victorian housing stock, and seen industrial sites transformed into high-quality homes and of ces. There's an extensive mix of rail, underground, bus and river services. National Rail stations include Clapham Junction (one of Europe’s busiest), Wandsworth Town, Earls eld, Balham, Putney and Queenstown Road, with fast services to Waterloo, Victoria and beyond. On the
for its excellent schools and Victorian and Edwardian streets. Better value
can be found in Earls eld, which has excellent rail links to Waterloo and is popular with families. Balham and South elds are also very popular.
High Street and Garrett Lane, is
also an excellent choice. Other
notable shopping destinations in the borough include Northcote Road for independent boutiques,
98 First Time Buyer August/September 2026
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