Family friendly: gentrified Hackney's not just for hipsters anymore, as these swish new flats show

The Overground has helped a new generation of home buyers to discover Hackney's proximity to the City, and this time it is not just edgy singles who are settling.

As Hackney matures on the back of three decades of ferocious development activity — and very steep price rises — some neighbourhoods are becoming young family-friendly places, boosted by improving schools, better shops and safer streets.

While Mare Street, the area's central spine, has the town hall, Hackney Empire, the famous Russian Baths and Art Deco factories split into flats, between London Fields, Stoke Newington and Victoria Park are some neat conservation areas of gentrified period housing.

Clapton was built on ground rising up from the Lea Valley and is one of the cheapest parts of the borough, despite lying alongside the three large open spaces of Hackney Downs, Springfield Park and Millfields.

Clapton Square has a central garden surrounded by fine listed Georgian terraces, some of five storeys.

One of these townhouses, 15 Clapton Square has been split into boutique flats, including duplexes and three-bedroom family homes.

The double-height entrance with original skylight and grand staircase provides a sense of arrival, while interiors have a hint of Scandi design, with wide oak plank flooring, Corian worktops and Philippe Starck-designed Duravit sanitaryware.

Prices from £395,000. Call 020 7749 1380.