Property, Houses and Flats for Sale in Thamesmead, South East London

Thamesmead: a "new town" built within a capital city.

Living in Thamesmead

Thamesmead, a "new town", was built on the banks of the River Thames on land that once formed part of the Royal Arsenal. It is located beyond Woolwich on the border with Kent.

It would be difficult to find a building here more than 20 years old, and new housing developments have been built along the riverbank in Thamesmead North. With further building in progress, Thamesmead is a rapidly developing area.

Thamesmead is becoming one of London’s up and coming areas, and is particularly popular with first time buyers and young families.

The older parts of Thamesmead have a mixture of medium-rise and 12-storey blocks of flats, system-built in concrete, whereas the newer properties have a more traditional design and are built in brick. Thamesmead South is mainly made up of large council estates.

The town’s planners have striven to make the area an attractive place to live by planting trees and creating water gardens. There are properties with views of the River Thames to the west, north and east, which is where the Riverside Golf Course offers prime view of passing shipping.

The main shopping area is in Thamesmead Central, but it is limited, so residents head to Woolwich, Greenwich or Bluewater Shopping Centre for a wider selection of shops, cafés and restaurants.

Transport

The nearest rail link is approximately one mile to the south of Thamesmead Central at Abbey Wood. The journey time into London Bridge Station is approximately 25 minutes.

There are a number of bus routes that connect the various parts of Thamesmead to Central Thamesmead, Woolwich, Abbey Wood and Plumstead.

For more detailed information on travelling around London visit www.tfl.gov.uk.

History and culture

Thamesmead was developed by the Greater London Council (GLC). It was the Ministry of Defence’s decision in the early 1960s to give the London County Council 1000 acres of marshland previously occupied by the Royal Arsenal that gave impetus to the project.

There are ambitious plans for the development of a proper town centre, and also further residential riverside developments.

Thamesmead has a network of waterways and lakes, including Southmere, where sailing, boating, fishing and birdwatching take place, as well as the Riverside Golf Course in Thamesmead North.

Cycling enthusiasts can ride along a cycle route from Thamesmead to Canary Wharf on a mainly traffic free route.

For further information please visit www.bexley.gov.uk and www.greenwich.gov.uk.