New Eltham is a quieter suburban neighbourhood just south of the Eltham area. The area mostly attracts families who are drawn to the wonderful schools, plethora of green space, and affordable detached post-war family homes. Despite the belief by some Londoners that the area is too detached from the rest of the city, the neighbourhood is easily accessed by multiple bus lines as well as through its Southeastern Rail station. While the area can feel sleepy at times, the tight knit community is extremely active through multiple groups, and enjoys the safety that this serenity allows. This doesn’t mean that residents have trouble finding ways to spend their leisure time though! Whether it’s attending a lecture at the New Eltham Public Library, grabbing a pint at local favourite, The Farmhouse, or lifting weights at the Coldharbour Leisure Centre, there’s more than enough to do in New Eltham.

New Eltham was originally a fairly rural village. However, once the railways arrived in 1878, development picked up slightly, and the Beehive public house was opened in 1897. It wasn’t until the 1930s though that significant streets were laid out in the neighbourhood. This brought in more residents, and eventually a public library as well. Following this growth, many industrial shops opened, though since then, many of these stores have sadly closed, but the neighbourhood has managed to maintain its quiet suburban feel.

The large rectangular blockhouse building behind the current public library once served as the Woolwich Borough control centre, part of London’s significant Cold War civil defences. However, once Greenwich Borough took over Woolwich in 1965, the building was no longer needed for management.

Unfortunately, Sidcup Road, one of the major routes through the neighbourhood, is lined with industrial sites, meaning that there are few independent shops and eateries in New Eltham compared to other suburban neighbourhoods. Still, locals don’t mind this. It’s only a short walk to other parts of Eltham where they can find a wide array of shops and restaurants.

There is not much development taking place in New Eltham at the moment. However, the local community continues to be active in looking for ways to better the neighbourhood. One community group is currently planning a day for volunteers to plant flowers throughout the area so that the local green spaces will be in bloom come spring. To the west of this postcode, the Vixen Heights development is under construction in Chinbrook, providing 20 one, two and three-bedroom luxury apartments over 6 storeys.