Situated in the north-eastern corner of the London borough of Southwark, the district of Rotherhithe neighbours the districts of Bermondsey and Deptford. It sits on a peninsula on the River Thames' south bank and faces Wapping, Limehouse, the Isle of Dogs and Shadwell.
The average price of property in the residential district of Rotherhithe in 2021 was £545,679, which was lower than the £676,000 overall average seen across the borough of Southwark. Property in Rotherhithe was also more affordable than the borough's priciest area Dulwich Village, with its average of £1,533,449. Conversely property in Rotherhithe was noticeably more expensive than in the borough's most affordable area Newington, with its overall average of £491,250.
As in many other parts of inner London, flats accounted for most of the properties sold in the Rotherhithe area and they reached an overall average price of £507,210. Rotherhithe's terraced properties averaged £713,095, while semi-detached properties in the area were slightly more affordable fetching an overall average price of £633,182.
Between 2020 and 2021 property prices in Rotherhithe have increased by 4%. They are also 5% higher than they were in 2017, when the overall average peaked at £521,378.
What is living in Rotherhithe like?
Historically Rotherhithe was a bustling port and boasted working dockyards until the early 1970s. As industry left the area in the late 1970s and early 1980s, investment was poured into the area and was primarily focussed on converting warehouses into residential properties and constructing new-build developments to appeal to both families and young professionals.
The Jubilee line arrived in the area in the late 1990s, which started to offer connectivity to the likes of Canary Wharf and the West End. The London Overground arrived in 2010, which further improved transport links in the area and offered an efficient way to access the City of London. A process of gentrification is still taking place in and around the Rotherhithe area, with regeneration projects happening in parts such as Canada Water offering new retail units, residential developments and other facilities.
Rotherhithe is home to part of the Thames Path between Richmond and the Thames Barrier. It offers beautiful views across the river and ensures that most of the area's riverbank remains accessible to pedestrians.
Living in Rotherhithe pros and cons
Pro: Rotherhithe is home to a variety of picturesque locations
King's Stairs Gardens is a beautiful riverside park located on the districts border with Bermondsey. It is located within a conservation area, and has been protected by the Fields in Trust since 2013. Russia Dock Woodland is another beautiful area of parkland in Rotherhithe, which covers just over 34 acres and is home to Stave Hill, a 9 metre high mound and viewing platform offering stunning views across Canary Wharf, central London and the City of London.
Rotherhithe is also home to Southwark Park which spans more than 60 acres and was opened in the late 1860s. As well as a wildlife garden and landscaped lawns, the park has a café, boating lake, various sports facilities and a children's playground. Southwark ParkRun also takes place in the park every Saturday morning at 9:00am.
Con: Rotherhithe is within the ULEZ zone
Although Rotherhithe is outside the London Congestion Charge zone, it is within the ULEZ zone which has been established to improve the city's air quality. Drivers wanting to continue using vehicles that don't adhere to the scheme's standards when it comes to emissions will be required to pay the daily charge.
Pro: Rotherhithe is well-connected to other parts of the city
The district has three tunnels connecting it to the north bank of the river, and is served by three stations. Rotherhithe station is on the East London Line between Canada Water and Wapping. Services run through the station every five or so minutes between Monday and Saturday offering connections to Highbury & Islington, Clapham Junction, New Cross, Battersea Park and Dalston Junction.
Surrey Quays station is also on the East London Line and offers excellent connectivity to the likes of Sydenham, New Cross, Clapham Junction and Highbury & Islington. Canada Water is also located in Rotherhithe, and is located on the Jubilee line between Canary Wharf and Bermondsey. It is the busiest rail station with two platforms across the whole of the network and delivers millions of commuters to the likes of West Croydon and Stratford.
Rotherhithe residents also benefit from easy access to Bermondsey tube station, South Bermondsey railway station and London Bridge station. Additionally Rotherhithe is served by numerous bus routes including the C10, 381 and the N199 night service.
Is Rotherhithe a safe place to live?
There were 3,581 crimes reported in the Rotherhithe SNT area between January 2020 and December 2021. This was notably higher than in the neighbouring areas of Surrey Docks and North Bermondsey, however it was lower than many other areas within the borough including Borough and Bankside, London Bridge and West Bermondsey and Old Kent Road.
During this period there were 1,193 cases of theft, 839 violent crimes and 357 vehicle offences. Crime in the area peaked in October 2020, when there were 194 crimes reported in a four-week period. There were several slightly lower peaks seen in March 2021 and October 2021, however crime fell between October and December 2021 from 165 cases to 118.
Metropolitan Police data shows that there were 15 cases of miscellaneous theft reported in November 2021, 13 incidents involving theft from a person and six violent crimes. This contributed to the seven crimes per 1,000 residents in the local area, which is lower than the nine crimes per 1,000 residents recorded across the borough of Southwark, and the eight crimes per 1,000 residents seen across the wider London area.
Which celebrities live in Rotherhithe?
This inner London district has been home to numerous notable people over the years including actor Michael Caine and entertainer Max Bygraves, both of whom were born in the area.
Singer Myleene Klass spent time living in Rotherhithe in the early 2000s, artist George Lambourn was born in the district and Aaron Manby constructed the first iron-hulled seagoing ship here in the early 1820s. Marc Isambard Brunel and Isambard Kingdom Brunel constructed the Thames Tunnel which runs between Wapping and Rotherhithe, and sea captain and philanthropist Thomas Coram retired to the area where he spent much of his time campaigning for the creation of the Foundling Hospital.
Things to consider when moving to Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a primarily residential area with plenty of charm and a distinctly laidback lifestyle feel. So if you're looking to live in an area that is always bustling with a wide variety of entertainment day and night, this isn't the district for you.
However if you want to enjoy a slightly slower pace of life and take in beautiful city views during your downtime, Rotherhithe can definitely offer the lifestyle you're searching for. But this certainly isn't to say that there's nothing going on here. In fact there are more than enough pubs, bars, shops and cafés peppering both the riverbank and Rotherhithe's streets, including both well-known brands and independents.
Rotherhithe also has plenty to offer young and growing families, particularly with regard to local schools. Some of the most popular primary schools within a mile radius of Rotherhithe include Redriff Primary School, Albion Primary School and St Peter's London Docks CofE Primary School. Local secondary school provision isn't as strong however there are still options if you decide Rotherhithe feels like home.