property, homes and houses for sale in West London

Londoners looking for a mix of relaxed green spaces, thriving town centres and beautiful homes are heading way out west.

Living in West London

West London has always been attractive to those who need to be close to the centre of London, but also seek a relaxed suburban place to live.

A mixture of green open spaces, sites of historical interest and river walks sit comfortably alongside vibrant town centres that boast some of the most exciting entertainment venues and fashionable restaurants in London.

An extensive mix of urban and suburban housing options exist in West London, ideal for a range of budgets and needs. From the large family houses in Chiswick, Harrow and Ealing to the loft developments of Hammersmith, finding a suitable home is never a problem.

Those people not wanting to work in central London will discover that West London is within reasonable commuting time from England's Home Counties of Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire.

Once an overcrowded down-at-heel area, Notting Hill has emerged in the past 20 years as one of London's top-flight neighbourhoods. Large white stucco houses, pretty garden squares and mews cottages - as seen in the film Notting Hill - are the area's most distinctive architectural features.

Beyond the Westway there is North Kensington, and south of Notting Hill is the exclusive area of Holland Park, with tracts of large Victorian houses.

The ongoing Paddington Basin development and the Paddington to Heathrow Express link have changed the fortunes of this West London area. W2 is close to the heart of the West End, the outskirts of Mayfair are half a mile away, as is Oxford Street.

Paddington is also close enough to St Pancras/King's Cross to benefit from the new Eurostar link to Paris; with all these transport links, the area is popular with corporate tenants. Proximity to trendy Marylebone has also helped this area shed its once seedy image.

Transport

West London is served by a network of major roads and motorways which all feed into West London, providing easy access to Wales, the Midlands, the Home Counties and the rest of London.

West London benefits from excellent rail links for both long distance trips and daily commuting from the surrounding areas.

The main lines from London to the South West, Wales, the Midlands and North West pass through West London, providing links to some of the UK's most important cities and business centres.

The area is served by seven out of the twelve London Underground lines, connecting with buses and local rail to link all residential and business districts.

A number of bus routes serve West London, for full details visit Transport for London's website www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/default.aspx

History and culture

The culture of West London is epitomised in Notting Hill, which has gained worldwide recognition thanks to its annual carnival, which sees the streets taken over for the biggest weekend party of the summer.

West London is home to a number of other quality heritage attractions, such as Syon House, Osterley Park, Chiswick House, the Gunnersbury Park Estate, Pitzhanger Manor House and Gallery and the William Morris Society Museum.

Riverside Studios and the BBC's White City development form the foundation of a strong media and creative industries sector. Other well-known performance venues include the Carling Apollo Hammersmith and the Shepherd's Bush Empire.

For further information visit www.london.gov.uk; www.syonpark.co.uk; www.osterleypark.org.uk;