ednewmy

As the OP, I'm going to resurrect this post as I have, despite bringing the topic up 10 months ago, only started looking seriously and with intent in the last couple of months due to finance only now becoming available. I have seen about 20 places all over SE London and the areas that keep cropping up within price range are Penge, Anerley, Sydenham and South Norwood. Realistically my top top budget now is 280-290k for a 2 bed flat, and they seem to be out there if you look well enough. Anerley and South Norwood seem the most affordable, yet in both cases there is a lack of a decent high street (price of course reflects this I'm sure). I'm not asking for Lordship Lane-like high streets here, it doesn't need to have all the fluffy bells and whistles. On LL I regularly use the co-op, SMBS, pharmacies, Dulwich DIY, AJ Farmer, Post Office and Dulwich Supermarket. So it's more a question to me of nearby practical "useful" (to use estate agents' term) shops. Penge and Sydenham high streets seem that they could offer equivalents, whereas Anerley has no high street to speak of, and South Norwood seems to offer a high street of chicken shops, nail bars, vacant shops and Crystal Palace supporters pubs. South Norwood *looks* like it has potential - for instance the area around the station approach and clock tower is attractive (though feels very tatty at the moment), but is that enough for useful small businesses to want to open up there? In my mind hardware stores, green grocers, fishmongers etc are the kinds of businesses you hear about having been in areas for decades, and not opening up anew - is South Norwood simply too far gone to ever have a lively high street? I hear that Barclays have recently left the area and the post office has moved into a convenience store - evidence even of decline rather than improvement? My worry with South Norwood if I buy there is that it's a bit of a black hole in a sea of reasonable areas that are improving, and it won't see any trickle over affect. Rather, it will become/remain a forgotten about area as all investment and businesses head into the surrounding parts of SE, and more shops and businesses will close and leave South Norwood. I know central Croydon is receiving a lot of investment but this doesn't seem to include any of its surrounding areas. Anyway, I am rambling now. Viewing flats in South Norwood, Anerley and Croydon this week. Oh and Woolwich just to keep me on my toes! Any input most welcome.

I remember when the cannabis farm was raided. At least the building was being used for something eh.

...bloody blow ins...

We were out down by Goose Green. Seemed to be off all along Lordship Lane too. We were only off for about 5 minutes then all came flickering back on.

I was wondering if anyone had a copy of the Standard from either of these dates that they'd be happy for me to have? Nick Mann, the man killed in the tragic accident at Old Street station at the weekend was a friend, and I understand the story and perhaps some tributes were on the front page, or at least in the paper, both days. I haven't really done much the last few days, so haven't had the opportunity to pick up the paper. If anyone does have a copy of either I'd be very grateful to have them. Many thanks.

They will dooubtless retreat and tend to their wounds for a while, all will go quiet, then they will come back and park their tanks on the lawn (as it were).

I did find that presentation interesting actually. Actually gives a decent idea of what all the work we've suffered through over these years is leading to. Though seeing the pictures of the old station did make me miss the old Victorian train shed a bit...

Just tried to call through (at 2PM) to make an asthma check up. Was on hold for 40 minutes after which time my call got cut off. DMC is a complete and utter shambolic joke.

Not sure if it's just me but I can't currently see any of the publicly made comments...

If there's anyone out there who "knows about these things" and can object to the proposals on issues of PLANNING, then I think that would be especially useful. Objecting on the fact that they are historic and part of the character of the area etc is all well and good (and what I intend to do as it's as far as my knowledge goes) but if people can come up with substantial and informed objections based on planning issues such as the 45 degree rule right to light, increased traffic, etc then this can only strengthen the case.

I emailed that NHS email address posted a few pages back and had a response this morning from someone with the title of "Senior Primary Care Commissioning Manager. GP & Pharmacy NHS England, London Region" saying that NHS England are aware of the issues and are "working with the practice to bring about a resolution". It's nice to get a response and I only hope that things will change...

I have written to the NHS email address given earlier in this thread. I don't hold out much hope that anything will be done, but you don't know until you try. This also brings to light the number of places where a complaint could be lodged. The GP practice, with NHS England, The CQC, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Healthwatch, the Department of Health itself...it makes it all rather confusing as to whom concers should be directed, and with whom the responsibility for doing something about this lies.

I will usually thank drivers who stop (even though as it's been pointed out, they are simply having to obey the law and really, they shouldn't expect gratitude for that) but in cases where the driver has clearly expressed through their lunatic driving actions that they are on so put out by having to stop for 10 seconds, then I'm afraid I employ the passive-aggressive-non-thanking approach.

(Copied and pasted this from the other thread about DMC) "a delay in getting access to their GP last week" Last week? Pull the other one! I've been registered with DMC Crystal Palace Road since 2011 and it's always been virtually impossible to get an appointment within a sensible time frame. At best you're offered one in about a month's time, at worse you're told there are none to give out and to call back at another time. There have been a couple of occasions during this time where I've been particularly unwell - unwell enough to be in need of a GP appointment that day to ensure that nothing too sinister is going on. The kind of appointment that would detect something serious in time before it developed, worsened, and resulted in a trip to hospital, at more expense to the NHS. It feels almost absurd to say that I was relieved that one of these occasions was at the weekend, as it meant I could be seen by SELDOC who provide a service that is out of this world amazing compared to the appalling state of affairs at DMC. The other occassion DMC had nothing for weeks, by which time it would be way too late. So I'm afraid to say I just waited til the evening and contacted SELDOC who saw me within a few hours and investigated everything the way I would have expected my GP to about 10 hours earlier. I felt like a burden on SELDOC, but frankly I was at a loss as to what else to do, and wasn't going to go to A&E. Frankly with the way DMC operates, it's enough to make you feel that the GP Service is no longer part of the service offered through the NHS. It's so difficult to get an appointment within a sensible time frame (or even within a ludicrous time frame) that it feels like the NHS is only there in times of dire dire need, which may start to happen more often if patients can't see a GP who can detect things early that may one day present themselves as a major problem. (Think I will copy and paste this rant to the NHS. Sorry it's so long and well done to anyone who managed to read it all - I tend to go on a bit!)

"a delay in getting access to their GP last week" Last week? Pull the other one! I've been registered with DMC Crystal Palace Road since 2011 and it's always been virtually impossible to get an appointment within a sensible time frame. At best you're offered one in about a month's time, at worse you're told there are none to give out and to call back at another time. There have been a couple of occasions during this time where I've been particularly unwell - unwell enough to be in need of a GP appointment that day to ensure that nothing too sinister is going on. The kind of appointment that would detect something serious in time before it developed, worsened, and resulted in a trip to hospital, at more expense to the NHS. It feels almost absurd to say that I was relieved that one of these occasions was at the weekend, as it meant I could be seen by SELDOC who provide a service that is out of this world amazing compared to the appalling state of affairs at DMC. The other occassion DMC had nothing for weeks, by which time it would be way too late. So I'm afraid to say I just waited til the evening and contacted SELDOC who saw me within a few hours and investigated everything the way I would have expected my GP to about 10 hours earlier. I felt like a burden on SELDOC, but frankly I was at a loss as to what else to do, and wasn't going to go to A&E. Frankly with the way DMC operates, it's enough to make you feel that the GP Service is no longer part of the service offered through the NHS. It's so difficult to get an appointment within a sensible time frame (or even within a ludicrous time frame) that it feels like the NHS is only there in times of dire dire need, which may start to happen more often if patients can't see a GP who can detect things early that may one day present themselves as a major problem. (Think I will copy and paste this rant to the NHS. Sorry it's so long and well done to anyone who managed to read it all - I tend to go on a bit!)

Using the pedestrian crossing near the Constituitional Club on East Dulwich Grove the other day a van came roaring down the road. I decided not to start going across just in case he was one of those motorists who don't believe in that pedestrian crossing (they are unbelievably many in number). He fortunately did pull to a stop, albeit half covering the crossing. I walked across and the driver proceeded to wind his window down and hurl abuse at me for not thanking him for stopping. Boggles the mind what these people are thinking.

The suggestion in the developer's covering letter that this and the development on the station side of Railway Rise will somehow "enhance" this area of East Dulwich are somewhat lost on me, frankly! And blimey, looking through the design and access statement for this proposed development has really hammered home just how massive the development on the station side is going to be. It's all terribly sad given how in the past when one has emerged from the station, it feels far less urban than other areas of the city. If they proceed, these two developments will certainly begin to put paid to that feeling.

Seeing these ripped down would be very sad. They add a lovely character to the place when you emerge from the station. There's enough redevelopment going on across the city as it is, erode enough of the "insignificant" places away and you're left with nothing but homogenised blandness. No thanks.

Yet another uninspired and bland modern building. Shame. Though I am in no way surprised.

Zebedee Tring Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Easy D? Like the Big Easy? Give me strength! > > I bloody well hope that ED doesn't get flooded > like New Orleans did. Might knock the house prices down a peg or two...

Again, I'd like to thank everyone who keeps chipping in. Really helping give some substance to all these areas that have up to now been just names in my mind. I don't expect it'll be a short search given I'm still not 100% sure on the search area - I'll have to have a few more recce outings to scout out all these areas, test commute times and what have you.

Thanks again everyone for the input. Work at the moment is at North Greenwich, so Sydenham would be good were it near to the overground station, likewise Penge if it were within a decent range of Penge West or Anerley. Catford wouldn't be too bad either looking at it. And in terms of getting about in general, I don't own a car so public transport is important. Budget is probably around 250-300, with maybe a bit of wiggle room on the top end. 2-3 beds. There is stuff around, some grotty, some pleasant. I would need to rent out the spare bedroom(s) for the time being, so they all need to be of a reasonable size. Otta - is there anything about Newham that particularly puts you off? I am not a SE London boy, though I do like it, and my brother and his family live in Beckenham, so I have ties here. East does have a pretty different feel and is an unknown quantity aside from a couple of nights spent at a friend's house in Wanstead (which did seem nice) a few years back.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to write with suggestions - I really really appreciate it. Nothing quite like hearing from people who actually live somewhere, or know a little more about somewhere than I do to give more to these places than just a name and my vague idea of what it might be like. Sydenham, Catford and Gipsy Hill now all on the list of possibilities. Have researched Honor Oak before and in general it seemed a bit pricy? Perhaps time to revisit and see... "close to good schools in the area." I should probably mention that this is not really a consideration given that I am a.) single b.) gay. But I appreciate the thought! I guess not being at all concenred about that kind of keeps the options more open too.

I know this may not be exactly the right place for this, but I figure there are enough people who post on here, some of whom may be ex-residents who've moved but still hang around on the forums. I've been fortunate to live in a decent house on a low rent just off Lordship Lane for the last 3 years or so, I love it here and feel pretty spoiled living cheaply in a nice house so close to shops/transport etc, but the time has come when I'm consideirng buying and I simply cannot afford to buy in this area. I'm wondering if there are any ex-residents, or even current residents who might have recommendations of areas to look at? Inevitably it'll mean going further out, or to slightly less, er, pleasant, areas than ED, but I accept that. Currently I've been thinking of Forest Gate in East London - It's affordable enough, and I feel it has potential for improvement with the coming of crossrail, the housing stock are mostly solid Victorian terraces, but it does at present feel significantly more down at heel than round here. Staying SE, I've considered maybe Penge/Anerley as it seems reasonably affordable (though my brother's flat in Anerley more than doubled in price over the last 5 years...good news for him, horrendous news for anyone buying). I have also considered around Lewisham, but haven't done nearly as much research about there. Anyway, all views and suggestions are welcome!

Not one of my favourite homes from the show, but impressive nonetheless.