Forest Hill · Lewisham · Lewisham West and East Dulwich constituency · 51.44083, -0.05675

SE23 3XP— Forest Hill, Lewisham

Location and area intelligence for SE23 3XP, Forest Hill, Lewisham

The hidden gem

 

Bottom 25% LondonSchools 100%Safety 75/100Transport 55/100Low yield 3.27%

Best for: Families

Compare areas

Balanced area — no standout strengths or weaknesses

Liveability
70
Safety
75
Schools
60
Transport
55
Environment
54
Investment
50

The bottom line

SE23 3XP offers exceptional schools (100% Good/Outstanding) and low crime at £522,500 median — a strong choice for Families.

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Location

SE23 3XP

Area Profile & Benchmarks

Area identity and London comparisons

Area Identity

Inner city
HighYoung professionals
Buyer fit: ExcellentInvestment outlook: StrongRisk: Low

London Benchmarks

vs London avg price+0.5% vs London avg
vs London income+19.8% vs London avg
vs London crime+58.0% vs London avg

Deep-dive guides for SE23 3XP

🛡️Crime & SafetyCrime rate, trends & breakdown by type🎓SchoolsOfsted ratings, exam scores & distances🏠Rental MarketAverage rents, demand & void risk

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Postcode Personality

🚇 Well-Connected🎓 School Smart📈 Up & Coming🔒 Very Safe

“The hidden gem”

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How SE23 3XP has changed

Schools

18 Apr

Nearest schools and Ofsted ratings

60

Education score

Good for families
★ Top school within 1km
—

Primary

Horniman Primary School

Not yet inspected · 5 min walk

KS2: 107.5

—

Secondary

Sydenham School

Not yet inspected · 9 min walk

P8: +0.16A8: 51.4

100% of local schools rated Good or Outstanding · based on 11 schools within 1.5km

Top 10% — exceptional provision

Childcare

Childcare

Chelwood Nursery School

Not inspected · 28 min walk

7 primaries · 1 secondaries · 0 childcare — within 1km

Safety

13 Jul

Crime rates and local incidents

Low crime

102.5 incidents per 1,000 residents

Among London's highest crime areas
→ Stable

+35% vs borough

Crime by type

Other38%
Violence & sexual offences21%
Anti-social behaviour19%
Vehicle crime5%
Burglary5%
Robbery5%
Theft4%
Drug offences3%

Road safety

100

Road safety score

0

Accidents (5yr)

6

Serious within 200m

Fire risk

LOW

Risk band

0

Incidents (1yr)

0

Incidents (5yr)

Nearest station: Fire Station · 847m

Crime is +58% above London average

Property

2 Jul

Prices, sales volume and market trends

Low transaction volume — only 6 sales in 24 months. Price figures may not reflect the wider area. Treat with caution.

£522,500

Median sale price

Above London median by 0%

£522,500 is 0% above the London median (£520,000)

-74.2%

This year

Flat

Dominant type

Price history

5-year change
+83.3%
Sales (24 months)6
New build0.0%
Avg detached£1,550,000
Avg flat£495,000
Price per m²£7,529/m²
Price per ft²£699/ft²
Avg floor area68.1 m²

EPC breakdown

C
5%
D
25%
E
10%
F
2%
G
1%

Based on 43 properties · Confidence: high

Street mix

Semi 7%Detached 1%Flat 92%

LHA rates — Inner South East London

Shared room£650/mo
1 bedroom£1296/mo
2 bedrooms£1550/mo
3 bedrooms£1950/mo
4 bedrooms£2625/mo

Stamp duty

Standard buyer£13,625
First-time buyerFTB
£4,875
Additional propertyBTL/2nd
£29,300

England & NI rates 2025/26. Additional property rate adds 3% on each band.

Current mortgage rates

2-year fixed4.58%
5-year fixed4.32%
SVR7.25%

Bank of England (monthly average)

Affordability

10.4×

Price-to-income

£2,614/mo

Est. mortgage

Medium

Market activity

60d

Days to sell

Falling

Market momentum

Energy & construction

Solar yield851 kWh/kWp/yr
Heat pump suitableNo
EPC upgrade costMinimal
Rebuild cost estimate£170,250
Rebuild cost per m²£2,500/m²

BCIS London average 2024. Excludes land value. Use for building insurance sum insured guidance only.

Construction era1900-1929
WallsSolid brick, as built, no insulation (assumed)
Roof(another dwelling above)
Heating fuelmains gas (not community)
GlazingFully double glazed
Council tax band Band CAnnual charge £1,682
Price growth potentialHigh

Market History

Price trajectory, velocity and distribution

Price Trajectory

1995–2026 · CAGR

+5.9%

Total change

+488%

Market Activity

Price Velocity & Acceleration

Current Velocity

-23.4%

per year

Acceleration

-45.95

change in velocity

Market State

Downturn

Velocity (%)Acceleration

Price Distribution

P25: £300k–£350k · P75: £400k–£450k · 72 sales

Property Type Mix

Total: 72 sales

Detached1.4%
Semi-detached6.9%
Flat/maisonette91.7%

By decade

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Market Cycle

BullCooling bullRisingSteadyRecoveryCorrectionBear

Market Eras

EraPeriodStart priceEnd priceChangeAvg sales/yr
Late-1990s boom1995–2000£68k£170k+150%1.8
Post-dot-com plateau2001–2004£108k£224k+107.4%3.2
Pre-crash peak2005–2007£175k£208k+18.6%2.3
GFC & correction2008–2012£247k£285k+15.4%2.2
Help-to-Buy recovery2013–2016£500k£485k-3%2.5
Brexit uncertainty2017–2017£585k£585k+0%3
Pandemic surge2020–2021£588k£285k-51.5%2
Rate-rise correction2022–2023£408k£540k+32.3%2.5
Current market2024–2026£427k£400k-6.2%2.7

Price Trajectory by Type

Flat/maisonette

Per-type alpha vs district

Best performer

Flat/maisonette

+0% alpha

Flat/maisonette+0% α
Local
8%
District
8%

CAGR over 28yr data window. Alpha = local CAGR − district CAGR.

Buyer vs Seller Score

Composite market conditions index 0–100

54out of 100SellerBuyer

Market condition

Balanced Market

Neutral conditions

Higher score = better conditions for buyers

Score breakdown

Price Velocity100
Sales Volume15
Seasonal Timing0
Trend Position100

Transport

1 Jul

Public transport accessibility and links

PTAL 4

Good

1a
1b
2
3
4
5
6a
6b
Above London average
Forest Hill→ London Bridge· 6 tph
17 min

Nearby stations

Forest Hill Rail StationSouthern · Windrush
4 min walk
Forest HillNational Rail
4 min walk
Honor Oak Park Rail StationWindrush · Southern
16 min walk
Sydenham Rail StationWindrush · Southern
19 min walk
Penge West Rail StationWindrush · Southern
33 min walk
No bus stops within 400m

54

Walkability score

103

Footpaths (500m)

0

Santander docks (800m)

3.3 km

Nearest cycle dock

Central London commute times

London Bridge ★33 min
Victoria49 min ↑
Waterloo47 min ↑
Canary Wharf40 min ↓
City44 min ↑

▎ marker = outer-London average per hub. ↓ green = below average. ↑ orange = above average. ≈ grey = at average. · Source: TfL Journey Planner (sampled)

Find areas within a set commute time of your workplace →

Parking & EV

Car parks, spaces and charging points

6

Car parks (800m)

0

EV chargers (800m)

Nearest car park106m
Santander docks (800m)0
Nearest cycle dock3.3 km

Nearby car parks

🅿️
Forest Hill Station Carpark· yes
278m
🅿️
Perry Vale Car Park
429m

Environment

2 Jul

Flood risk, air quality and noise

Flood riskLOW
Low
Minimal flood risk
Surface waterLOW
Low
Air qualityLOW
NO₂: 30.0 µg/m³ · PM2.5: 15.0 µg/m³
Better than 75% of London
NoiseLOW
none
Quieter than 70% of London
Radon riskLOW
0.5% of local properties affected
ULEZ zone · £12.50/dayCCZ: 6.3 km away✗ Not Green Belt✗ Not AONB12% green spaceTree canopy: 40%
Above average green space

Nearest SSSI: Croham Hurst SSSI — 10.0 km

Energy

Solar: 851 kWh/kWp/yrHeat pump: Not suitableEPC upgrade: Minimal

Ground stability

Geology: SAND AND GRAVEL

Subsidence risk: Low

Shrink-swell: Low

Running sand risk: Medium

Landslide records (2km): 2

Landslide susceptibility: Medium

Insurance risk

Standard

Cost band

Low

Flood risk

Low

Subsidence risk

0.5%

Flood claim prob.

Climate

Local weather conditions and energy potential

1,520 hrs/yr

Sunshine

608 mm/yr

Rainfall

22.5°C

Summer avg

3.2°C

Winter avg

Solar yield850.6 kWh/kWp/yr
Heat pump suitableNo
EPC upgrade costMinimal

Source: Met Office UK Climate Averages 1991-2020

Health

GP, dental and hospital access

VESTA ROAD SURGERY

58 VESTA ROAD, SE4 2NH

41 min walk

63%

Recommend GP

63%

Overall GP experience

0

GPs within 1km

2

Dentists within 1km

Nearest hospitalTessa Jowell Health Centre · 2.6 km
Nearest A&EKING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST · 4.0 km
A&E 4hr targetNHS target: 95% · London avg: ~68%59.4%

Amenities

Shops, restaurants, parks and more

36

Parks (1km)

24

Restaurants (800m)

14

Cafes (800m)

2

Pubs (400m)

0

Pharmacies (800m)

1

Gyms (1km)

3

Sports (1km)

1

Convenience

Nearest supermarketForest Hill Supermarket · 350 m
2 swimming pools

Nightlife (500m)

0

Nightclubs

2

Late-night venues

D
866 licensed premises in borough229 late-night refreshment licencesHome Office 2023/24

1

Libraries (1km)

0

Cinemas (2km)

1.7km

Post office

Nearby shops

One Stop327 m
Wine Merchant762 m
Tesco Express1.1 km
IBS Traditional French Bakery1.1 km

Nearby cafes

The Teapot108 m
St David Coffee House216 m
The Guava Kitchen217 m
From the Forest254 m

Nearby restaurants

Tze's113 m
KFC118 m
Matoom122 m
The India Gate133 m

Nearby pubs

The Signal236 m
Dartmouth Arms315 m
Sylvan Post340 m
The Hill360 m

Nearby gyms

Energie184 m
Forest Hill Pools514 m

Nearby pharmacies

Perfucare Pharmacy1.1 km

Nearby health

London Dental Arts281 m
Food hygiene (5-star)44% of 84

Business

Local businesses registered here

Active businesses
0
New (last 12 months)
0
Dissolved (last 12 months)
0
Industry diversity
0
3yr survival rate
100.0%
Right-to-buy sales (5yr)
270

High street

A

High street health

Investment

Investment grade, yield and market outlook

50

Investment score

Moderate

Score reflects rental yield, demand & liquidity — not capital appreciation. See Price growth potential below.

Avg monthly rent
£1,425London avg: £1,950/mo
Gross yield
3.3% (average)London avg: 3.8%Below average yield — bottom 56%
Gentrification score47/100
Right-to-buy sales (5yr)Above average for outer London — neighbourhood in transition270
Sales last 12 months5

Rental market

High

Demand

Low

Void risk

Young professional

Tenant profile

+8.4%

Rent growth (1yr)

Market liquidity

Medium

Market activity

60d

Est. days to sell

42/100

Velocity score

Future outlook

66.9

Price growth score

B
Low

New supply risk

Strong gentrification momentumHigh investment qualityExcellent transport accessConfirmed 5yr price momentum

Infrastructure pipeline

Infrastructure score13/100
Bakerloo Extension route2,538m
Crossrail 2 route8,184m

Demographics

16 Jun

Population, deprivation and income

Decile 4/10

More deprived than average

Index of Multiple Deprivation

More deprived than average

Rank: 11,279 nationally

1,990

Est. population

10,942/km²

77%

Employed

67%

Degree educated

£50,300

Median income

9.7%

Claimant rate

Inner cityHigh densityYoung professionals

34

Community stability

Age profile

18%
33%
27%
16%
Under 1818%
18–3433%
35–4927%
50–6416%
65+6%

Tenure

13%
28%
46%
Own outright13%
Own (mortgage)28%
Private rent46%
Social rent13%
Shared ownership1%
Rent free0%

Ethnicity

47%
18%
15%
White British47%
White Other18%
Asian7%
Black15%
Mixed9%
Other3%

Employment & lifestyle

Managerial / professional56%
Routine / semi-routine12%
No car household58%
Unemployed4%
No qualifications8%

Housing tenure (Census 2021)

Private rent46%
Social rent13%

vs. London

Income vs London+19.8%
Price vs London+0.5%

Planning

Conservation areas and development

Conservation area
Yes
Article 4 area
Yes
Listed buildings (800m)
21
Borough approval rate
61%
Opportunity area
No
CIL rate (residential)
£150/m²
Coal mining risk area
No
Japanese knotweed sites (400m)
0

Housing pipeline (800m)

Homes approved
0
Under construction
0
Completed (3yr)
62
Largest scheme
52 homes · All land and buildings at 1-16, All land and buildings at 1-16, Clyde Terrace, Forest Hill, SE23 3JQ
Pipeline pressure
NONE

Named schemes (500m)

PHOENIX WORKS, PHOENIX WORKS, BIRD-IN-HAND PASSAGE, SE23 3HW26 homes
completed
SITE OF, 12, SITE OF, 12, DARTMOUTH ROAD, LONDON ROAD (7-9), SE2318 homes
completed
30-40, 30-40, London Road, SE23 3HF15 homes
completed
23 and 25, 23 and 25, Taymount Rise, SE23 3UG14 homes
completed
16-18, 16-18, DEVONSHIRE ROAD, SE2313 homes
completed

Politics

Local councillors and MP

Ward majority
Labour and Co-operative Party
Ward majority vote
20.5%
Election year
2022
MP
Ellie Reeves (Labour)
MP majority
18,397
Constituency
Lewisham West and East Dulwich

Councillors

Sophie DavisLabour and Co-operative Party
Peter BernardsLabour and Co-operative Party
Billy HardingLabour and Co-operative Party

Stamp Duty & Affordability Calculator

Stamp duty on median price (£522,500)

£13,625

Standard buyer

£4,875

First-time buyer

Save £8,750

Affordability check — your annual salary

£

Deposit

Affordability uses 4.5× single income and 4.75% indicative rate over 25 years. Not financial advice.

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Key facts for SE23 3XP

Full postcodeSE23 3XP
Postcode districtSE23
BoroughLondon Borough of Lewisham
WardForest Hill
Latitude51.440831
Longitude-0.056746
Parliamentary constituencyLewisham West and East Dulwich
CountryEngland
RegionGreater London

Trusted official data sources

Office for
National Statistics
LONDONDATASTORE
Ofsted
HM LAND
REGISTRY
Environment
Agency
DATA.POLICE.UK
GOV.UK
TfL
Transport
for London
NHS
Digital
Companies
House
Royal
Mail
Food Standards
Agency
Ofcom
Met
Office
Ordnance
Survey