What you need to know about Sutton
Alongside Croydon and Lambeth, The London Borough of Sutton forms part of South London and it shares borders with the boroughs of Merton and Kingston upon Thames. Notable areas within the borough include Rosehill, Cheam, Belmont, Beddington and Carshalton on the Hill.
In 2020, terraced homes made up most of the property sales in the borough and they sold for an average price of £447,325. Flats sold for an average of £292,463 and semi-detached houses fetched £561,941. Mitcham Junction is the most affordable part of the borough of Sutton, where average properties fetched £360,797. Conversely, Carshalton on the Hill is the most expensive part of Sutton, with property selling for an average price of £560,149.
In terms of affordability in relation to other South London boroughs, Sutton is in the middle. It is generally more affordable than Lambeth, which has an average property price of £660,727, however, it is marginally more expensive than Croydon where property fetches £449,220 on average. Overall, sold prices in Sutton have increased by 13% since 2018 when property sold for an average of £419,853.
What is living in Sutton like?
Sutton forms part of Outer London and was once comprised of several rural villages. Despite extensive development across the borough, it has successfully managed to retain this village-like feel. Sutton is also home to a range of designated conservation and heritage areas which bring an abundance of character to this part of London.
Sutton town centre benefits from a variety of amenities, including a four-storey library and the Sutton Life Centre, which is a community facility offering a range of services designed to encourage involvement and engagement within the community. In 2010, the borough was selected as one of four vanguard areas largely due to its robust sense of community and vibrant voluntary sector.
The borough benefits from several innovative environmentally conscious projects, including a housing complex comprised of 99 homes and more than 1,000 square metres of work space which operates with zero energy usage. The Sutton Ecology Centre is located in Carshalton village, which is an area of open space allowing visitors to learn more about composting, wildlife, organic gardening, and alternative energy sources. Carshalton Park hosts the Environmental Fair across the August Bank Holiday and Sutton Community Farm is the only not-for-profit social enterprise farm of its kind in London.
Living in Sutton pros and cons
Pro: Excellent schools
Sutton is home to schools which report some of the best exam results in the whole of the UK. Five of Sutton's state secondary schools are grammar schools and in 2016, two schools in the borough were named by the Times Educational Supplement as the best schools in the country. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the borough reports the highest rate of pupils achieving top GCSE results across London. The borough's schools also bucked national trends in 2012, reporting an increase in the percentage of pupils achieving five A*-C grades from 75.6% to 83.9%.
Additionally, Sutton College of Learning for Adults offers more than 1,000 courses that can be taken part-time alongside work and other commitments. Its main centres are located in Wallington and Sutton.
Con: Poor broadband infrastructure
Sutton is one of the 20 worst-off areas in London for broadband infrastructure. Although some postcodes, including SM1, SM2 and SM5 see high average speeds, median speeds across the borough are some 5.1% below the median in Greater London.
Pro: Strong cultural scene
Carshalton is home to the Charles Cryer Theatre, which hosts a variety of events across the theatre, film and music spectrum. Little Holland House can also be found in Carshalton, which was home to artist Frank Dickinson whose interior style was influenced by William Morris and John Ruskin. The Honeywood Museum is also located nearby, which houses objects dating back as far as the Bronze Age. Sutton town centre has many examples of public art, including mosaic murals and sculptures.
Con: Poor air quality
Although air pollution can be within WHO guidelines for as many as 26 out of every 30 days, this still translates to annual levels that are almost three times more than WHO yearly guidelines.
Pro: Good transport links
Rail services connect Sutton with St Pancras International, London Bridge, and London Victoria. Although it isn't served by the London Underground, nearby Merton is a short bus journey away and is served by the Northern Line. Sutton also benefits from good connections with Surrey, Sussex, and St Albans. The borough also benefits from Tramlink and London bus services, and has connections to the national motorway network via the M25 and A217. Sutton is situated 15 miles from Gatwick Airport and Heathrow Airport, both of which are accessible via bus and express coach, and the borough has a direct rail service to Luton Airport which sits 40 miles to the north.
Pro: Plenty of open space and park land
There are some 89 open spaces and parks located within the borough of Sutton, including Oaks Park, Grove Park, and Manor Park. Sutton Common is located to the north of Sutton town centre and Nonsuch Park is the last surviving corner of a more expansive deer hunting park created by King Henry VIII. There are also two lavender fields in Sutton, one of which is a not-for-profit community project spanning three acres.
Is Sutton a safe place to live?
With a 20.81 rate, crime in Sutton can be categorised as being very low. Between November 2019 and October 2021, there were 25,777 offences reported in the borough of Sutton. Just under 8,500 of those crimes were categorised as violence against the person offences, with the number of vehicle offences sitting at 4,278. Theft was the third most commonly reported offence, with 4,112 instances reported.
Conversely, the borough recorded low levels of robbery, possession of weapons, and sexual offences. Crime in the borough fell by 4.86% between September and October 2021, and by 6.16% in the 12 months to October 2021 when compared to the previous year.
Which celebrities live in Sutton?
Many famous faces have connections with Sutton, including musician Joan Armatrading who lived in the borough during the 1970s. The musical connections don't end there, as the likes of Jeff Beck from the Yardbirds, Mud's guitarist Rob Davis, and Johnny Borrell of Razorlight fame also lived in the area. Sir Cliff Richard attended Stanley Park Junior School and the co-founder of the Rolling Stones, Ian Stewart also once called Sutton home.
Playwright Noel Coward lived in Sutton until he was six, actress and comedian Tracey Ullman grew up in Hackbridge, and actress Penelope Keith was born in Sutton.
Things to consider when moving to Sutton
Sutton is an attractive borough for a variety of reasons. Not only does it have plenty of character and a charming village atmosphere, but property is also relatively affordable. In 2018/19, the average rental property was going for £1,100. During the same period, medium earnings in the borough were £35,617, which is markedly more than the £33,000 annual income required to afford this level of rent.
With myriad advantages, it can be easy to get carried away. So, it is vital to spend time considering your options and really delving into the detail in terms of whether Sutton is a borough that can deliver the lifestyle you're looking for.