Paddington: Getting to know Paddington

How do you solve a problem like Paddington? With a vast regeneration project, that's how. This district of London was, until recently, much maligned by Estate Agents and potential residents alike, although a massive restoration effort is thankfully - and rightfully - condemning its murky reputation to the past.

Paddington is part of Westminster and therefore benefits from being extremely close to the city centre, in addition to excellent transportation links to the rest of the country. The area is known for being home to Paddington Station (where the Peruvian bear of the same name from children's literature famously passed through), St Mary's Hospital and Paddington Green Police Station.

Housing

But you'll never find out what you need to know about living there from the books of Michael Bond. For one thing, they do little to convey the sheer beauty of some of the residential buildings located in Paddington. Ranging from graceful 19th century works of art to stunningly bold contemporary structures, you're guaranteed to find something suitable whatever your taste.

Because of its proximity to the centre of town, superb transportation links and the ongoing restoration work being carried out in the area, Paddington is far from cheap. Flat rentals start at around £400 per week, but expect to pay £714 on average. Prices can soar as high as £1,400, while buying a house outright will set you back between £210,000 and £5,800,000.

Regeneration

The current big news surrounding the district, however, is the Paddington Waterside project, which aims to transform former railway and canal land in what has been described by the Independent as "the largest Central London redevelopment scheme since the Second World War".

While the initiative is still five years off of completion, a number of benefits have already been brought to the forefront, including improvements made to Paddington Rail Station and the creation of a new hotel at Three Kingdom Street. Future plans will see an encouragement of activity on and around the canal north of Westway up to Little Venice, with floating galleries, cafes and restaurants planned.

Transportation

Where transportation is concerned, Paddington has nothing to worry about. Served by the usual army of London buses and cabs, you'll have no problem getting across the capital at short notice, while the Tube network is served by four major lines - District, Circle, Bakerloo and Hammersmith & City.

Rail services are also excellent and the main reason for Paddington's reputation as a transportation hub. Trains serve Reading, Oxford and Slough among the major calling points.

Heading out

As if all of this wasn't enough reason to buy a home in Paddington, the area also has an abundance of activities to keep you occupied. Around the picturesque Regent's Canal - which looks as though it belongs in the country rather than in Central London - you'll find a number of trendy places to eat and drink.

The district is also a short walk away from Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, both of which are gorgeous places to spend a couple of hours. You've also got easy access to Serpentine Gallery, the Albert Memorial and much more. So while you'll undoubtedly have a gorgeous house to stay in, you're unlikely to want to spend much time in it with the abundance of fun to be had in the surrounding area.

Published 20th March, 2013

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