Kingston Property Investment Guide

Superb riverside living, just 30 minutes to London Waterloo

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is situated in south-west London alongside the picturesque River Thames. It includes the town of the same name, together with Surbiton, New Malden, Chessington, Tolworth and Worcester Park. It is one of the least populated of the London boroughs. With a residency currently around 160,400, around 26% of these live in the town of Kingston upon Thames itself. Bordered by the borough of Richmond upon Thames and the county of Surrey, Kingston is the oldest of the four Royal Boroughs. It is also one of the smallest, covering a mere 38.5 square kilometres.

This affluent and historic borough is located some 12 miles from the City of London and is amply served by public transport with trains to London Waterloo taking 30 minutes are departing every 15 minutes. Access to the UK motorway network is also easy, with the M25 being just a short distance away.

In addition to the region’s excellent road networks, the borough is also home to no less than 9 rail stations in zones 4, 5 and 6. Also, the major international travel hub that is London Heathrow Airport – the busiest airport in the UK is located around a thirty-minute drive away.

This is a predominantly prosperous and affluent suburban area, with a relaxed ambience, and the housing market locally is generally very positive. Surprisingly house prices consistently maintain a level of around 10% below the average price for the Greater London area. Average annual earnings for Kingston residents who work full-time are higher than the London average and considerably higher than the average for the UK. The people of Kingston also have a higher than average level of qualifications when compared with the rest of London and the UK.

Statistics show that employment levels are high throughout the borough and the proportion of owner-occupiers in Kingston is higher than the London average, and around 1% higher than England as a whole.

Residential property prices throughout the borough have seen an increase of just over 8.2% over the last year, and just over 24% in the last five years. That means Kingston upon Thames property investment is perfect for you if you're looking for a predominantly prosperous and affluent suburban area.

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Economy & Employment

Kingston University and Kingston Hospital are major employers with high-paid earners commuting across London.

The borough’s business base is dominated by SME’s with average levels of business start-up and relatively low self-employment. Businesses are concentrated around Kingston, Surbiton, New Malden and Tolworth with higher paid earners commuting to across London.

Scandinavian furniture giant IKEA is in talks to build a new superstore in the borough. Several south London sites are being discussed with Kingston upon Thames the front-runner.

Kingston University is one of the borough’s largest employers with nearly 3,000 members of staff contributing around £500m to the local economy annually. Kingston Hospital directly employs 2,750 staff with around 300 further contractors. It is the largest hospital in south-west London and has an ongoing programme of investment and improvement. The theme park at Chessington is one of the borough’s major employers, with 250 permanent staff and 1,000 seasonal staff who are all recruited locally, and maintenance jobs are also tendered to local firms. There are also a number of industrial sites in business parks.

See the whole investment picture; download your copy of Kingston Property Investment Guide.

Investment

The multimillion-pound Kingston Riverside project ensures a selection of prestigious modern living for all.

Kingston College has recently unveiled their new £10-million creative industries centre. The new facility on the college’s Richmond Road site has a workshop, television studio and music suite and will house the college’s creative programmes including media and fashion courses.

There are plans to improve the road infrastructure in the Tolworth area of the borough, with one of the region’s main junctions being relocated underground. Talks are in the early stages, but a number of similar projects have been completed successfully in other regions and abroad. This project would also have the benefit of freeing up land for development.

The prestigious Kingston Riverside is the borough’s stunning new waterfront development, offering exquisite apartments that preside majestically over the river Thames and offer beautiful views in all directions. This attractive project houses an impressive selection of varying sized apartments and penthouses, with an interior specification that represents the ultimate level of sophisticated contemporary style.

Transport

Air: Kingston upon Thames is served by London Heathrow Airport, which is half an hour away by road and provides flights to 185 destinations in 84 countries throughout the world, as well as ample road and rail connectivity.

Rail: The region is served by a total of 9 rail stations, on the overground rail network.

Road: The district is located adjacent to the M25 London Orbital motorway, and a short drive to the M3, providing excellent links with the rest of the country’s road network.

Bus: The region is amply served by a comprehensive network of bus services, providing transport links throughout the greater London area and beyond.

Education

Kingston upon Thames has 36 primary schools, 11 secondary schools, 2 further education colleges and 12 independent schools in its catchment area.

The area is known for its excellent schools: Tiffin Girls’ School is ranked at 63 in the country, whilst the Tiffin Boys’ School is ranked at 152. Kingston Grammar School is an independent co-educational school, catering for pupils between the ages of 11-18 years and is ranked at 276 in the country. All three schools are currently ranked as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted inspectors.

Further Education: Hillcroft College, founded in 1920 is a residential adult education college for women and is located in Surbiton. Kingston College was founded in 1962 and has two campuses in the borough.

Higher Education: Some 23,000 students attend Kingston University, a public research university located in the borough. (Nearly half of the University’s students come from within a 10-mile radius of Kingston). Every year more than 6,000 students graduate from the University, generating a significant boost to the local workforce. It recently completed a £50million campus development project and plans to invest up to £80million in its estate during the next five years.

Shops & Leisure

Shopping & Dining: Shoppers have a great variety of choice, from large retail areas such as the Eden Walk Shopping Centre and the Bentall Centre with its 80 different shops and the pedestrianised Clarence Street.  Alternatively, Kingston Antiques Centre houses some 90 different dealers selling a huge array of items. In addition, there is a wide range of street markets and smaller artisan outlets throughout the borough. Diners too are spoiled for choice with a huge range of cafés, restaurants, hotels and bars. Head to Castle Street for its vibrant cafés, visit the Rotunda for a pre-cinema meal, or head to Charter Quay for riverside dining.

Sport & Culture: Gyms at fitness centres are available locally and for the less energetic, both Wimbledon and Twickenham are within easy reach, ideal for tennis and rugby fans. The borough is close to Kew Gardens and within easy reach of Hampton Court Palace. It’s also home to the popular theme park Chessington World of Adventures that welcomes around two million visitors a year.

Green Spaces: Kingston benefits from access to two Royal parks: Richmond  Bushy Park as well as three miles of riverside paths, along some of the most picturesque parts of the Thames with walks and cycle routes to nearby Hampton Court, Teddington and Richmond.

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