Living in Southfields: area guide to homes, schools and transport links

The sporting charm of this urban village on the edge of Wimbledon attracts buyers to this part of south-west London, alongside solid family houses and community spirit...
Daniel Lynch
Anthea Masey23 January 2017

The eyes of the world are on Wimbledon this week during the world’s most famous tennis tournament. But while the sporting stars chill in the smart restaurants in pretty Wimbledon Village, it’s the less-remarkable enclave of Southfields that sees all the tourists.

During Wimbledon fortnight thousands of fans pour out of Southfields Tube station and down Wimbledon Park Road, heading to the entrance of the All England club in Church Road, or to camp overnight in Wimbledon Park, ready to join the famous queue for tickets.

At this time of year Southfields likes to celebrate its Wimbledon connection. The trademark green and purple banners adorn its lamp posts, while Southfields shops make an effort with tennis-themed displays.

Lettings manager Alex Dowding, of the local branch of estate agent Douglas & Gordon, says Southfields is a family area with a villagey feel and a great community spirit.

Six miles from central London, it’s sandwiched between Putney and Wandsworth to the north, with Earlsfield to the east, Wimbledon to the south and Putney Heath and Roehampton to the west, and it is where buyers from Putney and Fulham come when they are looking to trade up from a flat to a family house.

Buyers from Putney and Fulham flock to Southfields to upgrade from a flat to a house
Daniel Lynch

The property scene
The popular Southfields Grid and its Victorian terrace homes are better known among London house hunters than the wider Southfields area, according to Douglas & Gordon’s Alex Dowding. 
 

The grid runs south of Replingham Road, west of Wimbledon Park, and the houses are of up to 23 different designs. Built originally with three or four bedrooms, most have been extended into the loft and the side return.

All but 20 per cent are family homes rather than flats, and continue to set record prices.

Other popular areas of Southfields include the Pulborough Triangle — the triangle of streets off Pulborough Road — where the terrace houses date from the Twenties, and the area known as the Gardens, made up of Gartmoor Gardens, Kingscliffe Gardens and Southdean Gardens, where the terraces are Victorian and larger.

What's new?
Cambium is a Lendlease scheme of 55 three-, four- and five-bedroom townhouses and 55 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in Princes Way on the former St John Bosco College site.

Built around an oak tree reputedly planted by 18th-century landscape architect Capability Brown, 11 mews houses with rear and roof gardens were launched recently off-plan. Prices of the flats start at £429,950, with the houses from £1.15 million. The first residents move in next summer and the development is due to complete in summer 2018. Visit cambium.london (020 3817 7000).

Carlyle Court opposite Southfields station in Wimbledon Park Road is a development of 22 one-, two- and three-bedroom flats above a new branch of M&S Foodhall. Prices start at £550,000 and the flats are ready to move into. Through Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward (020 3792 2734).

Renting
Southfields was once home from home for Australian, New Zealand and South African backpackers — one local shop still specialises in South African produce. 

Today most renters are families but many landlords are those same Aussies and Kiwis, who bought while they were resident, but have now returned Down Under.
 

Staying power
Estate agent James McKay, from Douglas & Gordon, says Southfields used to be where families bought their last home in London before moving to the country — but increasingly people are staying in the area.
 

Postcodes
Most of Southfields falls into the SW18 Wandsworth postcode, which also includes Earlsfield; however south of Revelstoke Road and west of Wimbledon Park fall into the SW19 Wimbledon postcode.
 

Best roads
The “Garden” roads — Gartmoor, Kingscliffe and Southdean — are where the largest Victorian terrace houses are found. 
 

Up and coming
Winterfold Close is a low-rise council estate off Albert Drive where “right-to-buy” flats are a bargain.

Travel
Southfields Tube station is on the Wimbledon branch of the District line. Nearby Earlsfield rail station has 15-minute trains to Waterloo that stop at Clapham Junction and Vauxhall. Both stations are in Zone 3 and an annual travelcard to Zone 1 costs £1,520.

Council
Most of Southfields is in Tory-controlled Wandsworth, where Band D council tax for the 2016/2017 year is £701.19. The rest of the area falls under Labour-controlled Merton, where Band D council tax is £1,378.25.

Lifestyle

Shops and restaurants
Southfields’ shops and restaurants are along Replingham Road and Wimbledon Park Road fanning out from the Tube station, with a local butcher, a fruiterer and two florists. 
 

A large branch of M&S Foodhall is a new addition. There are branches of Starbucks, Costa Coffee and fast-growing pizza chain Franco Manca.

Chanteroy is a French deli which does a roaring lunchtime trade in filled baguettes. Some local shops, including 243 Decorative Antiques, good for the shabby-chic look, are fighting a planning battle to prevent shops opposite Southfields station from being converted to residential.

DeRosier Chocolate and Coffee in Revelstoke Road is a coffee shop popular with local mothers after their walk in Wimbledon Park. The Earl Spencer is a popular and award-winning gastropub in nearby Merton Road.

Open space
Wandsworth Park is next door to the All England Club. It has one of the largest lakes in south London, offering sailing, kayaking and archery. There are 20 tennis courts, a café and an 18-hole golf club.
 

Leisure and the arts
Wimbledon Park Live is a series of picnic concerts over the August bank holiday weekend featuring both classical and pop music and a food festival. There is a theatre and an Odeon and Curzon cinemas in nearby Wimbledon.

Schools

Primary school

At the heart of Southfields are two very popular state primary schools — Sheringdale in Standen Road, which has recently expanded and is judged “outstanding” by Ofsted, and Riversdale in Merton Road which is rated “good”.

The other “outstanding” primary schools are St Michael’s CofE in Granville Road; Albemarle in Princes Way; Ronald Ross in Castlecombe Drive and Our Lady Queen of Heaven RC in Victoria Drive. Floreat Wandsworth is a newly opened primary school in Garratt Lane.

Comprehensive

St Cecilia’s CofE, Wandsworth (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Sutherland Grove, and Southfields (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in Merton Road are the two local comprehensive schools, both of which are judged “good” by the schools watchdog.

Other local choices are: Ashcroft (co-ed, ages 11 to 18) in West Hill and Ernest Bevin (boys, ages 11 to 18 with girls in the sixth form) in Beechcroft Road, both in Wandsworth and both “outstanding”; Burntwood (girls, ages 11 to 18) in Burntwood Lane, Wandsworth, and Ark Putney Academy (co-ed, ages 11 to 18), in Pullman Gardens, Putney, both rated “good”.

Private

The two nearest private primary schools are Prospect House (co-ed, ages three to 11) in Putney Hill and Wandsworth Preparatory (co-ed, ages four to 11) in The Old Library, Allfarthing Lane. Putney High (girls, ages four to 18) in Putney Hill and Wimbledon High (girls, ages four to 18) in Mansel Road are both high-achieving private schools.

King’s College School (boys, ages seven to 18 with girls in the sixth form) in Southside, Wimbledon Common, is a top-performing school.