There's plenty going on in London's fourth most expensive borough. Here's our guide to the place, the politics, the property and the prices.
Where is it?
The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham is located in the west of the capital, with Kensington and Chelsea to the east, Brent to the north, Wandsworth to the south and Ealing and Hounslow to the west. In addition to Hammersmith and Fulham, the borough covers notable areas such as Parsons Green, Shepherd’s Bush, West Kensington and White City.
Major landmarks here include Westfield Shopping Centre, Olympia, The Hurlingham Club and Fulham Palace. Chelsea and Fulham football clubs also ply their trade in the borough.
Who lives there?
At the time of the 2011 census, the borough’s population was 182,493, with the average resident aged 32.
What is the political landscape like?
The borough has two MPs, Greg Hands (Conservative – Chelsea & Fulham constituency) and Andrew Slaughter (Labour – Hammersmith constituency), who both retained their seats in this year’s general election. In the most recent council election in 2014, Labour achieved 26 seats and the Conservatives 20, a swing of 22 seats towards Labour since the previous election. Overall vote share saw 41.9% to Labour and 38.1% to the Conservatives.
What do houses cost?
Hammersmith & Fulham has the fourth most expensive property prices in London, after Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster and Camden. Average prices here are £788,000, according to recent Land Registry data. House prices are more than 20 times the average local earnings, considerably above the UK average multiple of 8.8.
With everything from period homes to trendy riverside flats, the borough is in high demand with both local and overseas buyers. House prices are up by around 9% annually, although they have shown signs of decelerating in recent months.
Will the new government change anything?
The National Housing Federation has suggested that 18,000 homes in the borough could be sold off under the government’s Right to Buy scheme. Labour has expressed concerns over the number of properties that will be replaced, with London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan launching a petition to ensure that no homes are sold off without a guaranteed replacement nearby.
Regeneration
The council plans to regenerate some of the most deprived areas of the borough over the next 20 years, with several key areas earmarked.
Old Oak
Old Oak Common and Park Royal are undergoing significant regeneration, with High Speed 2 and Crossrail stations earmarked for Old Oak and up to 24,000 new homes planned by 2026. It is predicted that the overall project could fetch up to £6.2bn for the London economy.
White City
The White City Opportunity Area is focused to the east of Wood Lane and the north of the Westfield shopping centre, and includes the BBC Television Centre site. In addition to focusing on creating new jobs in the bio-medical industry, the plans also include new homes and improved facilities for local people.
South Fulham Riverside Regeneration Area
In the south of the borough, this regeneration area covers a total of 40 hectares, with a south-facing river frontage of 1,700 metres, and will provide a mixture of residential, commercial and leisure facilities.
Earls Court
The previous Conservative administration in Hammersmith and Fulham gave the green light to the £12bn redevelopment of Earls Court, including the destruction of Earls Court Exhibition Centre. Residents from the West Kensington and Gibbs Green estates have recently launched a legal bid to scupper the demolition of their homes as part of the wider development, and with the new Labour administration believed to be considering alternative development plans, the saga looks set to continue.
New Homes
Queen’s Wharf by Mount Anvil and FABRICA by A2Dominion
Hammersmith
Located next to the Grade II listed Hammersmith Bridge on a much coveted stretch of unspoilt Thames riverside, Queen's Wharf will incorporate the redevelopment of the world-renowned Riverside Studios – the original home of Doctor Who and a cornerstone of English artistic, cultural and television heritage. Three brand new, state-of-the-art studios will be re-provided, together with a cinema, café and restaurant.
A quintessentially British collection of 165 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, the development will be arranged across more than 100 metres of uninterrupted river frontage, offering breathtaking views of the Surrey Bend – the perfect place to watch the world-famous varsity boat race.
Price: From £585,000
Find out more at www.queenswharf.co.uk ; 0207 205 2973
Farm Lane by Affinity Sutton
Fulham
Situated in the heart of Fulham, just five three-bedroom apartments at Farm Lane remain, available on a Discounted Market Sale (DMS) basis. Housed in a contemporary style building, these apartments are perfectly designed for modern lifestyles, with open-plan living areas and most apartments boasting private balconies or terraces.
The development is just a five minute walk from Fulham Broadway station, from which residents can easily reach central London.
Through DMS, prices for the remaining three-bedroom apartments are fixed at £263,681. Applicants will need a mortgage and/or savings to cover the discounted price of the property and must also live or work in Hammersmith and Fulham.
Price: From £263,681
Find out more at www.affinitysutton.com ; 0300 100 0303
Fulham Riverside by Barratt London
Fulham
When complete in 2019, Fulham Riverside will boast 401 homes, from apartments and duplexes to family townhouses. Residents here will enjoy a wealth of amenities on their doorstep including a proposed waterfront café, badminton court, fitness suite and a lobby with 24-hour concierge service. The development will also open up one of the last undeveloped waterfront locations to the public by way of a riverside walk.
The apartment buildings at Fulham Riverside are set in beautifully designed grounds around an expansive communal garden. The open-area facing the River Thames has a three-metre waterfall and a provision for croquet, table tennis and chess in the gardens.
Price: From £769,995 to £2.33m
Find out more at www.barrattlondon.com/fulham ; 0844 811 4334