Lewisham in South East London has had a long and eventful history. Alfred the Great was Lord of the Manor in the late 800s AD. More recently, the area’s reputation has developed hugely. It’s managed to grow in attractiveness and prestige, without its character being entirely bulldozed by the forces of gentrification. Lewisham’s commercial area is one of the largest in South East London. The local council has set its sights on overtaking Bromley, Croydon and Kingston as metropolitan hubs. But where are the best places to live in Lewisham?
Top 5 best new developments in Lewisham
The best way to find out where the best places to live in Lewisham is by asking the people who already live there. So we did exactly that! Every day we speak to hundreds of locals across the capital. We ask what they think not only about their area, but also their specific homes. Here’s the inside track from the people who know Lewisham best.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how recently residents submitted reviews, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. More recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance.
Is Lewisham a good place to live?
Lewisham is steadily improving in all areas thanks to increasingly large investment from both private and public sources. It’s still possible to sweep up gorgeous properties for better-than-average prices here, as gentrification is happening at a much slower pace than in other parts of London. In fact, Lewisham is seen as one of the best value areas in Zone 2.
It’s also a very well-connected area. Lewisham enjoys DLR access to Canary Wharf and good train links to London Bridge. Then of course, there is the much-anticipated Bakerloo Line extension, which will reach Lewisham and make travel even more convenient.
Is Lewisham safe?
Lewisham does have an ongoing issue with its crime rate, which until recently was higher than the London average. However, major crime reduction and community outreach programmes are currently underway, and the borough now reports around one per cent fewer crimes than the overall London rate. One initiative is the DIVERT programme, which has already helped custody intervention coaches work with more than 1,000 Londoners aged between 18 and 25. The local authority is making efforts to improve public safety and security across the borough.
Is Lewisham an expensive place to live?
Lewisham is one of the most affordable parts of London to buy, rent and live in December 2023. With an average property price of £551,047, it’s significantly cheaper than the London average (£736,193), making it one of the most competitively priced boroughs.
Rental prices in Lewisham average £1,800 per calendar month. This places it far below the London average of £3,098 PCM.
Hopefully this list will give you some guidance when looking for places to live in Lewisham. If you want to know more, consult our dedicated area guide for more developments and the insights from their residents.
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to recognise high performers and help improve standards in the built environment.
