Buying in Wandsworth: former brewery is now hundreds of homes, alongside waterfront shops and a nursery school

Famous for its low council tax, leafy commons and swish riverside apartments, Wandsworth’s weakness has been the absence of a town centre hub to appeal to families, singles and couples.

Ram Quarter seeks to fill this gap.

For generations, the eight-acre former brewery complex was enclosed by high walls and cut off to the public, corralled by a car-clogged one-way system hostile to pedestrians and preventing any real sense of neighbourhood.

The site has been opened up for 713 new homes, both in modern apartment blocks and refurbished listed buildings, alongside cleaned-up River Wandle.

A central promenade cuts through the development, linking with waterfront shops and restaurants, a nursery school, art house cinema, microbrewery and museum.

About half of the area is public space, with courtyard gardens and a market square.

The mix appealed to Stephanie and Kristian Claxton, who moved back to London to start a family after a spell working in Singapore.

The couple have jobs in the digital media and advertising sectors in central London, and recently became parents. Their two-bedroom flat cost £620,000.

“Everything is on the doorstep, including the town centre shops and amenities,” says Stephanie, 32. “All I do is walk 20 steps to the lift with a buggy. The nursery was a big draw. It specialises in play-based learning and offers foreign language lessons — French, Spanish and Mandarin.”

Prices range from £580,000 to £2.85 million for a four-bedroom duplex. Call 020 3751 3190.