Wanstead property roundup, 18.8.11; School’s out, yin & yang, and some kebabs

Summertime – and the living’s easy, or so Gershwin would have it.

However, busy estate agents would probably beg to differ, as they try to unite growing families with their dream property during the school summer holidays.

You’ve probably noticed the late flowering of signboards peeping over gateposts in the streets of Wanstead over the past few weeks (three visible in this photo, below, in Cowley Road alone). For the agent, the viewing days are longer, the list of potential buyers swells, and of course people disappear off on holiday at various crucial stages of the dreaded ‘chain’.

But on the positive side, houses certainly sell better when it’s warm; open windows and sunny gardens sell the property better than any sales chatter.

It also certainly helps that people moving just a short distance to gain that extra room or garden space often have a good idea of what they are looking for. Friendships, schools, kids sports and activities clubs, not to mention the convenience of commuting are all very comfortable habits once acquired.

With that kind of buyer in mind, I particularly liked the cut of this Sylvan Road property priced at £549k, and on sale with Petty Son and Prestwich. Five bedrooms means the place could comfortably accommodate a large family, with perhaps a spare room devoted to visitors or home working.

Better still there’s an entire basement floor in which the teenage members of the brood could avoid their elders. The downside – it’s close enough to Snaresbrook station to smell young Dan’s excellent coffee. This does seem fairly reflected in the price, and it’s worth bearing in mind that one’s inner ear soon gets used to reassuring, regular rail noise. I’d just turn the Gershwin up to 11…

First rung on the the ladder

Renting in the capital has probably never been more expensive, and mortgage deposits have rarely been so high. Mortgage lenders are beginning to re-introduce reasonable first-timer rates into the wild, but are girding their profits via ever chubbier fees. It’s a very frustrating situation for those hoping to save enough to enter the property market, especially in more desirable areas.

All hope is not lost: for those looking to fly the nest, or perhaps the landlord, here is an interesting starter apartment with attractive outdoor space (Selsdon Road, for £220k). I also like how well the vendor has marketed this towards couples – counterposing the yin (attractive interiors for her) with the yang (a natty little shed for him). Good luck to all who sail in her.

Pax Wansteadia

During the recent period of urban unrest, Wanstead was well protected. Winston Churchill glared from his perch across our High Street as ere he did in days of yore. The danger was met and passed with no resort to his ‘We will fight them on the beaches’ (updated for 2011 with references to the Co-Op, the Larder, or even one of the tanning parlours).

Since a number of our cherished local traders were requested to close early by Police, I’ve made sure to show them my continued support and appreciation. As Mrs Parker noted this week, I’ve been particularly appreciative and supportive of the barbecue skewers from AG Dennis – heaven – though each time I’ve forgotten to ask whether or not they missed out on any trading hours. Perhaps next time I pop in ..

Any property spots tickle your fancy? Let George know; georgecparker@wansteadium.com

Wanstead news roundup: A bumper summer edition, including a new Larder, new jobs, and some hedgehogs

• Plans for a homeless hostel on Cambridge Park were approved by the Redbridge Planning Committee. More than 150 Wanstead residents had opposed the plan. Voting on the committee was split, but the plan went through on the chair’s casting vote. Opponent Mick Goodenough told Wansteadium legal advice was being taken with a view to mounting a judicial review  indicated a judicial review of the decision was unlikely to succeed.
• Litter bins on Christchurch Green are too small for the amount of litter, the Wanstead Society has told Redbridge Council. That, or foxes, or something else,  might be the reason for the regular sight of overflowing litter, though tweeter Paddy Fantastic (below) has other thoughts. The council says it will replace the bins, when the current ones wear out.

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/PaddyFantastic/status/102973321167118336″]

• Welcome to the Larder Mark III. After opening a new branch in Bethnal Green, Wanstead’s favourite is also taking over the Butlers’ Retreat tea rooms in Chingford Plain. The Larder is turning into a Wanstead success story.
• Speaking of which, Little Bears nursery on The Green has announced a pretty big expansion. From having places for 35 children, it is growing by adding a further 90 places, and is creating 20 new jobs.
• They are not the only things growing. The ArcelorMittal Orbit (also known as that weird red sculpture next to the Olympic stadium) is now about a third of the way through its construction. When it reaches its full height, it will disrupt the Freeview signal to houses on Hermon Hill.
• Wanstead is gearing up for the second Wanstead Art Trail, which runs from 11 September. The event’s new website is taking shape too; it’s here.
• Where Wansteadium goes today, the Sunday Times will go tomorrow. After our efforts to prove – despite apparent odds – that hedgehogs still roamed through Wanstead gardens, the paper reported this week that:

Hedgehogs could be wiped out in Britain within 15 years, a study has warned. They are on a list of the 10 indigenous species suffering the biggest decline in numbers in recent decades, along with the cuckoo, left, turtle dove, brown hare and Scottish wildcat. According to the Eden Species Report, which measures native species’ populations and rates of decline, there are about 1m hedgehogs left in the UK — a decline of about 25% over the past 10 years. In some parts of Britain the fall could be as high as 50%. With populations becoming more isolated as a result of the decrease in numbers, naturalists fear that the species will struggle to maintain a sufficiently large gene pool to sustain a healthy and viable population.

• There’s a full calendar of events in Wanstead here. You can submit your events at events@wansteadium.com
• Wansteadium’s fledgling free classifieds advert service, which allows you to sell your unwanted items to other Wanstead residents, can be found here.

Choice tweets about Wanstead: EastEnders, blackberries, laughing

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/FeeeCobain/statuses/103180347549810688″]

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/HelenShields17/status/103143153871228928″]

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/fugueur/status/102096534786678784″]

 

 

South Woodford hit, Wanstead nervous

South Woodford was reportedly hit by looters last night, with a jewellers, and the Nationwide Building Society being hit (photos here and here). There was also reportedly a fire in a carpet shop on High Road, Woodford Green.

At 11.30 a tweet claimed a brick had hit a Central Line train at Leytonstone

Wanstead however seemed to escape any activity. Throughout Monday there were lots of jokes on Twitter and Facebook about what rioters and looters would do if they came to Wanstead (e.g. “They’ll be OK if they want olive oil/haircuts/secondhand books/etc” or “Nothing going on in Wanstead – no one knows where it is”), but there were signs of real nerves that trouble would spread, certainly after reports of Tesco in Leytonstone being targeted earlier in the day.

According to reports on Twitter, the Co-op pulled its shutters down early, the George Inn was not serving large groups, and both the George and the Cuckfield stopped serving about 9.30pm.

UPDATE – Tuesday, 1230BST

• One Twitter user who apparently bragged about taking part in looting in South Woodford has now removed his page, this tweet reports.

• Tension seems to have eased now; jokes happily reappearing

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/WansteadBirder/status/100860018810830848″]

• Redbridge Council issues statement

All Party Statement following civil disorder in Redbridge

Redbridge Council completely supports the quick and decisive action of the Police following isolated pockets of disorder in Ilford on Monday. Despite effective crowd control a number of shop fronts were damaged and shops broken into by small groups of young men.

Councillor Keith Prince, Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Bond, Deputy Leader of the Council, and Councillor Balvinder Saund, Deputy Leader of the Opposition said, “We are disgusted by the actions of these individuals and our community will simply not tolerate anyone who seeks to cause unrest with lawlessness and senseless vandalism.

“These are the actions of a small minority of criminals, and the Council will do all it can to help the Police bring them to justice. The Council are working with the Local Community ands Businesses to offer support and advice to keep our shopping centres open for business as usual.”

Plans are in place to tackle any further disorder should it occur and policing will continue in the Borough to keep the community safe.

You can contact the Police anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or through the new non-emergency 101 number. You should always call 999 in an emergency.

UPDATE: 16:30BST

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/nick_affleck/status/100953118921064448″]

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/AlasdairBain/status/100954728451682306″]

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/simonflavin/status/100945438101876737″]

UPDATE 17:00 BST

Wansteadium reader Jane reports being turned away from the Co-op as it is closing “by order of head office”. Blush Temples florist boarding up windows, she says.