Around eight miles south of central London lies Beckenham – a suburb of Bromley (the capital’s greenest borough).
It’s often overlooked in favour of its more central neighbours, but property in this zone 4 hub could soon to be in demand, as TfL has long been in talks to extend the Bakerloo Line out to Beckenham.
The plans depend on the funding being granted by the UK Government, but TfL has already recruited architects and civil engineers to brainstorm design ideas for Tube stations there. And if it’s given the green light, construction will likely start in the 2030s.
That might sound like a while off, but the extension could come with a huge property boom, with new builds from Winkworth, Acorn, and Langford Russell already on the market in the area.
So, if you’ve got a house deposit ready to go and want to move somewhere that’s (likely) on the cusp of better transport links, Beckenham could be the answer.
House prices in Beckenham
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It might not sound like a super cheap deal, but house prices in Beckenham are considerably under the going rate in London, as data from Rightmove shows that, over the last year, the average house price in the area has rested at £615,248.
Comparatively, house prices in London have worked out at around the £678,340 mark, which is £63,092 more expensive – all valuable extra cash.
In terms of renting, the borough of Bromleyis also slightly cheaper than the rest of the city, with ONS statistics finding that the average rent in the borough is £1,617 per month on average.
Between April 2024 and 2025, rents in Bromley increase by 6.5% – which is actually lower than the rest of London (8.4%).
Only looking for a one-bedroom flat? You’ll be shelling out around £1,254 per month, while a two-bedroom option comes in slightly more expensive at £1,575.
How will the Bakerloo extension affect house prices?
It’s no secret that proximity to a Tube affects house prices in the capital.
Three years on from the Elizabeth Line opening, prices in Woolwich have skyrocketed by 87%, with many new residents drawn in for its speedy links to Canary Wharf.
As director of Benson & Reeves Marc von Grundherr tells Metro, the Bakerloo Line extension could give a 10% boost to property prices — we’ve already seen a similar situation after the Jubilee Line extension has driven rates up by 50% in areas including Canary Wharf and Southwark.
‘For London homebuyers, a tube station is always a primary factor when house hunting and this naturally drives up house prices for homes within a close proximity to one,’ Marc explains.
‘This can particularly be the case south of the river, where the tube network isn’t as extensive and tube stations are fewer and further between.’
Transport links in Beckenham
The transport links in Beckenham aren’t too bad at the moment, even without the extension.
There’s a direct Southeastern train from Beckenham Junction to Victoria that takes 23 minutes (and covers seven stops), and there’s also a Southern service to Crystal Palace.
If the Bakerloo Line funding gets approved though, Beckenham Junction could end up on the map – and directly connected to the likes of Waterloo and Elephant & Castle, alongside Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate, and Lewisham. Fingers crossed, hey?
Things to do in Beckenham
Thinking about making the move to this SE suburb? If you’re a fan of greenery, there are 96 hectares of it to be found at Beckenham Palace Park.
It’s also home to London’s first purpose-built swimming lake – and at 285 metres long, it’s perfect for a summer dip.
For a dose of caffeine, Piccolo Café serves up artisan coffee and brunch options including French toast, pancakes, and avocado toast. We’ll have an iced latte, please.
Other local foodie favourites include Jams On The Hill, Rendezvous Café, and The Lokanta, while you can find a tipple or two at The Jolly Woodman or The George Inn.
If you’re into museums that cover niche sections of history, the Bethlem Museum of the Mind tells the story of the Bethlem Royal Hospital, documenting the experiences of people living with mental health problems.
And in case you fancy a little bit of culture, there’s also Beckenham Theatre Company, currently stationed at the local Methodist Church, which has been putting on productions since 1948.
What locals are saying about Beckenham
Beckenham locals have long been shouting from the rooftops about how much they love their area – and it’s even been hailed as ‘a new South West London in the making.’
Over on the r/HousingUK Subreddit, @roobydoo76 noted that they’ve been living in Beckenham for the last 10 years and loves the ‘blend of facilities’ as well as having ‘lots of woods and parks.’
Meanwhile, Beckenham superfan @bromleylad labelled it an ‘outstanding borough’ – and reckons Beckenham is the nicest area in the whole of Bromley.
‘We moved here from central London and we are very happy here,’ they added.
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