There is something joyfully unique about the chaos that is Southall Market, the beating heart of London’s South Asian community, and the go-to place to shop for spices and sari fabric and enjoy outstanding street food.The market has remained blissfully immune to the kind of gentrification which have turned other London street markets into bouji crafts-and-organic-food jamborees – despite the fact that this neighbourhood, affectionately known as Little India, is in the throes of a vast multi billion pound regeneration.Leading the charge is Berkeley Homes which started work building 3,750 homes on the 88-acre former Southall Gasworks in 2016. The Green Quarter’s first residents moved into their homes in 2019. However, it is expected that the project will take 25 years. Will Angel, a 23-year-old product manager at a tech startup, swapped his Battersea flat for a?400,000 one bedroom flat at The Green Quarter. He wanted to take advantage of the Help to Buy program which only requires a five percent deposit. He also wanted to find a location with good transport links to his West Kensington office and the West End. He said that there is a lot of money being invested in the area and that he wanted to be part of it. “The Elizabeth Line was one of the main reasons I bought at The Green Quarter; it will reduce my commute significantly. It will also make it much easier and quicker to travel into central London, which is fantastic. I can’t wait for the launch. “Average house prices in London since Crossrail began 2012:?227.5222022:?425,648Growth : 81 percentSource: Hamptons Prices in The Green Quarter start from?480,000 for two-bedroom flats. One-bedroom flats in Southall will be going on sale later this year. This open space is one of the reasons for Southall’s outperforming price growth of 14% since 2020, during the pandemic. Parkfield estate agents manager Amandeep Roopra explains that this growth can be attributed to strong demand, particularly for houses, and a lack thereof. Buyers will need to find a Southall semi with three bedrooms and a flat for around?500,000 to?600,000. Southall to Liverpool Street takes 29 minutes. Southall to Canary Wharf takes 36 minutes. Timings include a 10 minute interchange at Liverpool Street and eight minutes at Paddington. It is necessary until 2023. Roopra said that there was an initial surge of interest in Southall after Crossrail was announced. But then, when nothing happened, it died down. “I believe that people will be interested again now, and the new flats. The Green Quarter will have upgraded towpaths along the Grand Union Canal, a park, and an eight-acre wetland. New bridges will also be built along the canal to link it to Minet Country Park. HandoutThe future There will be shops and restaurants as well as a primary school. Southall’s plans to transform a former margarine plant half a mile from Southall Station in to a 2,000-home development with offices, shops and a park are leading the way. Outline planning permission has already been granted to reboot the Maypole Factory, plus Sunrise Radio’s former studio, to a design by Assael Architecture.Meanwhile, plans to replace the Arches Business Centre with almost 600 blocks in buildings up to 23 stories were approved by Ealing Council in December. The site overlooks the railway tracks and will have shops and offices. The Green site, which is located five minutes from the station, was granted permission last year to build 564 more homes. Half of the homes will be affordable and targeted at renters and buyers who are priced out. Transport for London and Grainger plc have jointly granted planning permission for 460 “build-to-rent” flats in Southall Sidings. This is a joint venture that specializes in renting homes. The work is expected to be completed by 2026. Future residents will have access to a communal lounge, workspace and gym. This project is being jointly led by Transport for London and Grainger plc, which specializes in building homes for renters. These homes will also be available for rent and will be affordable at 80 percent. A small market will also be available on-site.
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