Friday 16 February 2018 1:19 pm

Focus On Chalk Farm: property prices, best streets and house price growth

Clustered in among some of London’s most popular neighbourhoods, Chalk Farm is a sort of dividing line between the tourists and the nightlife of Camden, and the exclusive neighbourhoods of Primrose Hill and Belsize Park. As such, it’s moments away from both – with 24 hour transport links now the Northern line has joined the Night Tube – but without the breath-taking price rises.

“Unlike its neighbours who have seen huge price increases, prices have been stable for five years,” says Richie Tramontana, director at Red Property Partnership. According to data compiled by estate agent Hamptons International and the DCLG, it seems there has been a 2.2 per cent price rise year-on year, which is relatively modest when put against London’s average year-on-year price rise of 3.8 per cent.

Still this is a Zone Two location, so the average property still sits at just over £1m. Hamish Gilfeather, associate director at nearby John D Wood & Co in Primrose Hill, values one bedroom flats at £400,000, maisonettes at around double that and houses from about £1m, all the way past £2.5m for semi-detached houses. “There are some beautiful and often colourful semi-detached houses on streets like Provost Road, but housing stock is predominantly more conventional Victorian terraces,” he adds.

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There are also lots of great value options for starter flats, as the area was once on the frontline of the gentrification struggle in the 1980s. “The struggle faced by London’s first time buyers isn’t new and the capital’s first micro-flats were built in Chalk Farm,” says David Fell, research analyst at Hamptons International.

“Designed in the early 1930s, they were marketed as affordable homes to help new buyers at the time. The quality of design means the layout of the 400sqft one beds and 600sqft two beds remains unchanged to this day. Grade one listed since the 1970s, Isokon is one of just a handful of apartment blocks in the country ever to achieve the top level of listing.”

Primrose Hill park is a short walk away

But that could all be about to change. While the area is too small to be a key regeneration concern or attractive to the larger housebuilders, there is value for smaller developers in creating mixed tenure developments out of old 1970s council blocks. One in 20 sales last year were new builds, and there are more to come with 700 new homes planned for the redevelopment of Morrison’s supermarket and the huge revamp of Camden Market by Israeli-Cypriot businessman Teddy Sagi.

The struggle faced by London’s first time buyers isn’t new and the capital’s first micro-flats were built in Chalk Farm

“It will definitely see an increase in demand in growth in the medium term,” says Tramontana.

For top level sales and the biggest properties, Hamptons International figures suggest looking further towards Hampstead Village and the western edges of Primrose Hill, where a record-breaking sale of £20m was achieved on Wadham Gardens in 2012. In Chalk Farm, 39 per cent of sales were over £1m. So get in quick, before it goes stratospheric.

Get stuck into a burger at KERB

Area highlights

You’ll never be stuck for a decent night out with the Roundhouse a short walk down the road. The performing arts venue is housed in a Grade II * Listed former railway engine shed. The Chalk Farm Road venue hosts club nights, live music and art installations. Right next door is Joe’s, a great place for a night cap with a late licence – it’s open until 3am – and a host of DJs, as well as live music. Expect rockabilly and ska. The Fiddler’s Elbow on Malden Road is also a solid local boozer. In true Camden tradition, there’s live music every night and plenty of wooden tables and comfy Chesterfield sofas should you need a bit of a sit down. Primrose Hill Park is your local green space, and what a great spot to call your own. The views over the city are some of the best in the entire capital. The food around Camden market has also gone up a few notches recently, with KERB opening up at the end of last year, offering 34 stalls of delicious street food from all over the world.

Area guide

House prices Source: Zoopla

DETACHED

£1.536m

SEMI

£2.24m

TERRACED

£1.868m

FLATS

£764,517

Transport Source: TfL

Time to Canary Wharf: 32 mins