After more than three years of delays and various blown budgets, the Elizabeth Line (also known as Crossrail) is finally set to open. Despite some difficulties along the way, the impact it will have on London is slated to be enormous.
Property values are expected to rocket (and already have done in some parts) along the new line. These places will be well-connected by the new super-fast connection, with shops, cafés and restaurants expected to pop up around the stations.
Here are our picks of the best places to live along the new Elizabeth Line – from chichi city centre penthouses to affordable first-time buyer homes.
Oxbow
Nearest station: Canary Wharf or Custom House
Price: from £437,000. Help to Buy is available
These stylish one and two-bedroom apartments sit on a bend of the River Lea, just opposite the Bow Creek Ecology Park. Residents at the new community get access to a gym, concierge and landscaped gardens. There is also an airy work hub, which is equipped with fast, free Wifi. This leads on to the residents’ lounge, which has a drinks fridge and 75-inch screen.
The modern styling of the apartments, developed by EcoWorld London, is inspired by the original warehouses of East India Docks. which once stood on the site.
There’s lots to do in the area. Just 5 minutes walk away is Republic, a vibrant campus with brunch and coffee spots and fitness classes. New retail and amenities are also on the way – including a healthy grocer, wellness cafe and community centre. A short walk away on the opposite bank of the Lea is London’s Royal Docks, where you can go open water swimming.
Oxbow is around a 20-minute walk/9 minute cycle to either Canary Wharf or Custom House – both of which are on the new Elizabeth Line.
TwentyFive
Nearest station: Bond Street
Price: from £1.4m
TwentyFive is a chic residential scheme of 23 apartments and 2 penthouses by developer Native Land. Most of the residences have Juliet balconies and all come with access to a fully equipped gym, secure basement parking, extensive storage facilities, concierge and 24-hour security. The residences offer lateral living, ensuring rooms have the breadth and height for open and fluid interiors space.
TwentyFive is located within walking distance of both Hyde and Regent’s Park. It is a stone’s throw from Marylebone’s independent shops, boutiques, cafés and restaurants, with excellent transport links – including the new Elizabeth Line station at Bond Street, which is a 10-minute walk away.
The wider development around TwentyFive also includes four retail units which will house high-end shops and eateries.
Abbey Place
Nearest station: Abbey Wood
Price: TBC
The new Crossrail connection will halve journey times from Abbey Wood to many central London destinations – making this corner of east London much more attractive.
New homes are being built – including Abbey Place by HUB, two buildings connected by a shared residents’ garden that will sit on top of new shops/cafés at ground level. There are one-, two- and three-bed properties both to buy and to rent. Residents will save on energy bills – as the homes have high-quality insulation. There will also be around 10 tennis courts’ worth of new public space.
The 245 new homes will be less than a five-minute walk from Abbey Wood station. Across Abbey Wood, there are also plans for new biodiverse green spaces and community events as part of the wider Crossrail-inspired transformation.
The Landing
Nearest station: Maidenhead
Price: TBC
Around 100 metres from the new Maidenhead Elizabeth Line station, these 424 new homes (also by developer HUB) will be just 35 minutes from Paddington by train. The 3.5-acre site will have a landscaped public square surrounded by shops and restaurants.
The new homes will be very energy efficient to reduce residents’ energy bills and solar panels on the roofs will supply some of the energy.
Maidenhead has lots of good schools and an attractive riverside location. There is a monthly farmers’ market and new craft brew houses and tapas bars have opened recently.
By Hannah Cox
