Champion Hill Estate

[Amelia Noble]

We are hoping to move into the area very soon and we have seen a lovely place to live in Champion Hill, just behind the big East Dulwich Sainsburys. As we do not know this exact spot very well, I thought I would post a message to find out if anyone knows the reputation of the Champion Hill estates? They are pretty expansive, so are a dominant feature of the area. It would be great to get a bit of local knowledge, as we are planning to bring up our young family in the area :)

[cheryla]

Hi

We live on Grove Hill road and regularly walk through the estate when walking our dog and to East Dulwich Train station.

We pass through at different times of the day and night and its completely quiet, there is never any noise or people hanging around so I wouldn?t worry about it at all.

[Jeremy]

Are we talking about the East Dulwich Estate (red-brick buildings on the north-east side of Dog Kennel Hill), or Champion Hill (higher up the hill, perpendicular to DKH)?

They are both fine - I walk through the former every day, and have not had any issues.

[Cam123]

I've also been looking at flats in the area recently (into se15, se5 and se22) and our budget has had us looking at quite a few ex-local authority things. My thoughts are that the Champion Hill one does go for a premium over I think all of the similar size estates, including those right on the park. You can see that some of them have been developed absolutely beautifully too, which I think is a very good sign.

Also, for what it's worth an estate agent showing us a few flats this Saturday said that in his opinion that was the one that he would buy in before all others (and no, he wasn't actually showing us one there; he may be in the wrong job).

We're moving onto Champion Grove in January, so it clearly has my stamp of approval...

Good luck and i'm sure you'll love the area.

[Amelia Noble]

It is the estates around and on Champion Hill that lead down to Greendale (the pedestrian/cycle route) all up behind the big Sainsburys that we are wondering about. Great to hear that you guys haven?t found them to be a problem when you?ve been regularly passing through. I?ve heard that it is the student?s halls of residence that creates most disruption!

[Jeremy]

Ah, OK. I lived near there, on the Denmark Hill estate (Basingdon Way) for a while. To be fair it's not the most beautiful place to live, but it is fairly quiet... never found it dodgy or intimidating.

The nearby pub - Oriwu Spot - was a bit of a dump with some characters around, but I think it's now closed.

[kristymac1]

I used to walk through the estate most mornings and evenings to drop off/pick up daughter from nursery and it was always very quiet, clean and well kept. It's very well located for transport (Denmark Hill or East Dulwich - both 5 mins walk) and loads of buses on either side of the estate heading into town.

The pub, as Jeremy said is a real eyesore, but its been closed for a while and up for sale for even longer....

Good luck with the move!

[Cora]

Bessemer Grange Primary would probably be your nearest school - Just got a 'good' ofsted and rising. Great school.

[minder]

I grew up just around the corner from the Champion Hill estate and me, sisters and friends would have a good time in the area, roller skating down the Greendale, playing knock down ginger, two balls up the wall, rolling down the Wanley Road hills.

I'm not that old (really) but the Oribu Spot pub used to be The Greendale. It's quite sad that's it's run down now as it was the place to be for the Champion Hill and Denmark Hill estates in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. My Dad was member of the darts team at The Greendale and had competitions against other pubs in the area and beyond. They won lots of trophies which I believe are still on display in the pub.

The area outside the pub was kept immaculate for years.

The Greendale was a very popular pub for me and friends in the late 80s/into the 90s. Discos, pub quizzes, karokes, shoulder to shoulder every Friday, Saturday and sometimes Sunday night.

I've never found the Champion Hill/Denmark Hill Estates at all unfriendly but some people might have a different perspective in recent times. I still walk through and around them to visit friends/family during the evenings and don't feel worried but that's because I'm familiar with the area.

Myself and husband went to Bessemer Grange and my three children.

[humber]

I have links with the adventure playground which is located between the estate and Sainsburys. It is an amazing resource to have on your doorstep - the kids will love it and I've often wished that my kids could have grown up in the area.

[ibilly99]

Are these guys from the Dulwich hood on DKH.

[Dog-Kennel-Hill A.P]

Hello Humber, thankyou for you lovely comments...im intrigued, who are you? :) p.s its kate - one of the staff members

and ibilly99... the 'Dulwich hood' ....im sorry, whats this please?

[Dog-Kennel-Hill A.P]

P.S I have worked in this area for over 5 years and really do wish I lived round here, I think it's a wonderful area

[brain_opera]

I think it's a lovely estate! I live on Dog Kennel Hill estate, which I also think is quite nice. The flat I live in faces the train line, which itself is lined with trees and it's quite nice in the summer, and it's very quiet. I always find Champion Hill estate a pleasure to walk through.

[geneie]

Wow, I didn't know that the adventure playground was still there somewhere! Do you know the history of the first one on DKH? It was a long time ago, when we started holiday playschemes on the estate, then built the first one by the school at the top of the hill....which became the 'permanent' one on the site of the old day nursery.... memories!

[nbridgeman1]

Hi everyone, I've had an offer accepted on a flat in the new development just north of the Greendale playing fields, on the corner of Greendale and Wanley Road. This is right in the middle of the estate, but when I looked round the area it seemed really quiet.

My builder, on the other hand, who knows the area, said it's really dodgy round there. He is, however, the type for hyperbole, so I'm not that inclined to believe him. So I just wondered if people still think that estate around Champion Hill/big Sainsbury's is fine, or if it's a bit rough these days. Thanks!

[unlurked]

A well rough area, your builder is correct. Night time worse. Just take a look in the local pub,the Fox on Hill, well rough clientelle and your neighbours.

[nbridgeman1]

Hmm, just had a look at your post history. I think I'll wait for a second opinion, especially given that the posts above say it's absolutely fine.

[Jeremy]

The Champion Hill/Denmark Hill area is absolutely fine (including the Fox On The Hill - not dodgy in the slightest), but the Greendale footpath has a bad reputation.

[nbridgeman1]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The Champion Hill/Denmark Hill area is absolutely

> fine (including the Fox On The Hill - not dodgy in

> the slightest), but the Greendale footpath has a

> bad reputation.

Thanks for the info!

The Greendale footpath is right behind my flat... What sort of a bad reputation? Muggings?

[Jeremy]

Mainly just accounts of groups of kids loitering, and a general "dodgy" vibe. There was a recent post on here from a cyclist who was attacked along there, not sure how common this kind of thing really is.

Champion Hill itself is a v nice road which I've walked through a lot, at all times of day and night. Never had any problems.

[nbridgeman1]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Mainly just accounts of groups of kids loitering,

> and a general "dodgy" vibe. There was a recent

> post on here from a cyclist who was attacked along

> there, not sure how common this kind of thing

> really is.

>

> Champion Hill itself is a v nice road which I've

> walked through a lot, at all times of day and

> night. Never had any problems.

OK, will probably just avoid the footpath at night then. Thanks again!

[unlurked]

nbridgeman1 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hmm, just had a look at your post history. I think

> I'll wait for a second opinion, especially given

> that the posts above say it's absolutely fine.

Maybe you should qualify your posted requests with " I will check ynur posting history and if i dont like it i will disregard your view". As stated,dont take my word,go to that pub and see for yourself. Anyway, i think you should move there.

[DuncanW]

I was that cyclist - I escaped unscathed!

I still cycle that route, sometimes late into the evening and have had no problems since.

I think a bit of common sense will see you just fine. It's an alley at the side of a social housing estate in Camberwell. Act accordingly.

[nbridgeman1]

unlurked Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> nbridgeman1 Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Hmm, just had a look at your post history. I

> think

> > I'll wait for a second opinion, especially

> given

> > that the posts above say it's absolutely fine.

>

> Maybe you should qualify your posted requests with

> " I will check ynur posting history and if i dont

> like it i will disregard your view". As

> stated,dont take my word,go to that pub and see

> for yourself. Anyway, i think you should move

> there.

I've actually been to that pub as I had friends in King's College Hall. Seemed fine to me.

I checked your post history because your opinion didn't seem to tally with the rest of the posters in the thread, and I found that your posts tend to be fairly passive-aggressive and confrontational, and you tend to try and provoke a reaction for the sake of it. Hence why I'm more inclined to agree with others in this thread.