Mind the value gap: new homes in Staines are a relatively cheap, fast commute from London with lower house prices

With fast commutes and cheaper housing, Staines's high street is being transformed by smart new flats with on-site amenities.
David Spittles22 January 2019

Since the great Victorian railway boom, home buyers have weighed up whether it is cheaper to live in London or face commuting costs and pay less for a property.

But it is possible to find a cheap, fast commute and a well-priced home. Take Thames-side commuter towns west of London.

Staines is 35 minutes on the train from Waterloo and has an average property price of £320,817. Kingston, nine miles closer in, with the same commute, has an average home price of £446,985.

More buyers are becoming aware of this “value gap”, which may explain why prices in Staines increased by 2.5 per cent last year.

Before the advent of the railway, Staines was a coaching stop famous for its inns.

During the interwar period it became known for Linoleum production, and later for corporate offices and urban sprawl because of proximity to Heathrow.

It has a conservation quarter, a modern shopping precinct and a riverside trail all the way to Windsor.

New homes have been in short supply, but a high street project by developer London Square has brought smart flats to the town centre.

London Square Staines upon Thames has four blocks linked by courtyard gardens.

There is a new square with shops and cafés as well as an on-site gym.

From £359,950. Call 0333 666 4242.

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