Nestled against the Thames and between the neighbourhoods of Greenwich and Woolwich, Charlton is quickly becoming a destination for young professionals looking for more affordable alternatives to central London. Between Greenwich Council’s designation of the neighbourhood as one with strong regeneration potential, and developers’ rising investment in the area, there’s plenty of change on the way. Still, even now, the neighbourhood boasts a quiet suburban feel with strong transport connections, like the Charlton Thameslink station. While the area might have more chain stores, like those at Greenwich Shopping Park, and less independent shops than other parts of the borough, families have been drawn here for years for the multiple Ofsted outstanding schools, and affordable Victorian and Edwardian houses and flats. While there are already some popular businesses lining the water, like The Anchor and Hope pub, we should expect to see many more exciting additions popping up in the coming years.

Locals love the neighbourhood’s Charlton Village Drinking Fountain. This fountain dates back to the start of the 20th century, when it was erected to celebrate King Edward VII’s coronation. The sculpture was presented by Sir Spencer Maryon Wilson as well as the community of Charlton. Additional monuments were later built around the fountain. In 1920, a war memorial was constructed, as well as a horse trough - both of which are surrounded by a traffic island today. Charlton Athletic FC’s stadium, The Valley, is also located in this postcode. Formerly the largest stadium in London before the ban on standing only stands, the stadium was rebuilt in the 1990s and now hosts a more modest 27,000 fans.

One of the handful of famous Charlton residents was engineer William Henry Barlow. He was well known for designing the train shed roof of St. Pancras station. At the time that it was built, it was the largest of its kind.

Charlton unfortunately lacks the quaint independent shops and eateries that other suburban parts of London boast. However, locals don’t mind this. They enjoy the unpretentious character of the neighbourhood and find that they’re more than able to find what they need in the local shopping centre.

There are plenty of exciting new developments coming to Charlton. One of the larger ones will be the Herringham Quarter, which aims to provide over 1,200 new homes by 2026, with 40% of the proposed apartments being classed as ‘affordable’. This massive new neighbourhood is part of the broader regeneration of Charlton Riverside, integrating residential development with modern industrial, office and creative employment opportunities. Along similar lines, Fairview Homes’s Victoria Way project sits on the site of former warehouses, and has brought over 300 new homes to the neighbourhood.