This part of Wood Green is anchored around its well-known shopping centre - The Mall. The Mall is home to not just large stores like H&M and Primark, but also has many eateries and a cinema. Families in the area can find pretty much anything they need at the shopping centre. It’s unlikely though that this is the sole reason as to why so many families and young professionals move to the area. It is more likely that the neighbourhood’s offerings of affordable Victorian terraced houses and many transport connections are what draws its residents in. For those looking to stay away from the busy shopping centre, there’s always the independent shops along the High Rd. Whether it’s a kebab at Tarshish Mediterranean Grill, dessert at Kaspas, or round of pints at Spouter’s Corner, there’s something for everyone in Wood Green!

It’s probably no surprise given its name that Wood Green was just a rural clearing back in the 16th century. By the 1800s though, the village had begun to develop. When the railway arrived in the mid-19th century, many new roads had been laid out and quickly filled with villas to house the incoming middle-classes looking to escape from the polluted inner city. Later on, during the 20th century, more modest terraced houses were built for the working-class. Following the Second World War, the neighbourhood became well known for its commercial businesses and retail shops. By the mid-20th century, Wood Green was a sort of shopping destination for Londoners. This led to the creation of the Wood Green Mall which still stands today.

The well-known Ducketts Manor House was once an important building in the neighbourhood. At one point owned by the church, the house was passed through many hands throughout the medieval ages. Much later on, the house, which was surrounded by a moat, became a school and was, sadly, eventually demolished.

With Mall Wood Green located in the centre of the neighbourhood, the area can feel a bit hectic at times. Even so, residents find that the convenience of the shopping centre outweighs the annoyance of its chaotic crowds.

Housing developers have been interested in this area for a while. The project between 22 and 42 High Road is the largest scheme currently under way in the area, comprising 197 homes, a premier Inn hotel, as well as retail and office space. Meanwhile, there is a slightly smaller project nearing completion on Caxton Square which will stand at nine storey’s at its highest point, providing new homes and flexible commercial space. Looking further forward, plans are currently being considered for an expansive residential scheme in the centre of Wood Green that could include several hundred new homes centred around two new public squares. On top of this, development is likely to further escalate if Wood Green station is included as part of the Crossrail 2 project. Yet despite £1.8 billion being invested in the scheme in 2020 it is unclear when the line will materialise as plans have been underconsideration in different forms since the 1970s.