Property spotlight: How a Havering neighbourhood jumped on the garden suburb trend
Ben Lynch and Karim Camara
Romford Garden Suburb was constructed between 1910 and 1911, and was designated a conservation area in 1970 - Credit: Karim Camara
In 1909, plans for a development which would become a much sought-after Havering neighbourhood were put into motion; Gidea Park.
The country house Gidea Hall had stood in the area for several hundred years by that point, inhabited by famous locals including Anthony Cooke.
However, in 1909, inspired by the popularity of developments such as Hampstead Garden Suburb, Liberal MPs Herbert Raphael, John Tudor Walters and Charles McCurdy formed a company with the intention of building homes on the Gidea Hall estate.
Gidea Park, Havering - Credit: Karim Camara
Romford Garden Suburb, as it was then called, was subsequently constructed between 1910 and 1911, with a competition held to determine the best of the 159 homes built.
Some of the properties, including two on Reed Pond Walk, have since been Grade-II listed.
Another smaller competitive exhibition was held in 1934, as the suburb continued to develop.
It was designated a conservation area in 1970, which was later extended in 1989 to include the railway station.
Raphael Park in Gidea Park, Havering - Credit: Karim Camara
Today, Gidea Park continues to be a largely affluent area, with homes costing an average of £536,343 according to property website Rightmove.
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This is up 10 per cent on the 2019 peak of £486,868.
