Park Langley.

A garden suburb

The Langley family owned land here as early as the 13th century, and the estate later passed to the Goodharts. In 1908 they sold it to H & G Taylor, a Lewisham building firm, who began laying out a garden suburb in the spirit of the garden city movement. Wickham Way, Elwill Way and Hayes Way came first, in 1909, followed by Malmains Way, Whitecroft Way and Styles Way in 1910.

The architect Reginald Fry laid out the estate and designed most of the early houses. One of them, 2 Whitecroft Way, won the Ideal Home competition in 1910 and was rebuilt at Olympia for the 1912 Ideal Home Show. Building continued in phases right through to the 1950s.

A conservation area

The first phase of the estate, built between 1909 and 1913, was designated a conservation area in 1989. That protects its character, and it also means extensions and alterations there need more care and, often, more permission. It is worth understanding before you buy, and a selling point when you sell.

The homes

Mostly substantial detached and semi-detached family houses, many individually designed, set back on wide, leafy roads. Langley Park Golf Club, founded in 1910 on the site of the old Langley Park mansion, sits on the edge of the estate, and the Grade II listed "Chinese Garage" on Wickham Road, built in 1929, is one of the area's best-known landmarks.

Why buyers want it

Space, schools, greenery and a sense of quiet that is rare this close to London. Park Langley is the most requested area in our black book, and homes here are often spoken for before they ever reach the portals.

Selling in Park Langley

Because demand is strong and supply is thin, presentation and pricing matter even more here. A well-judged price can create competition; an ambitious one can leave a fine house sitting. If you're on one of these roads and have ever wondered, we may already have a buyer.