Most and least expensive London boroughs for garden space

A new study by outdoor living specialists White Stores looked at average house prices across 340 UK local authorities and compared them to Ordnance Survey data on the average size of private outdoor space.

The research found that Croydon offers the 'most affordable' gardens in the capital.

Emily Musk, buyer at White Stores, said: "Access to a garden is a non-negotiable for most people when buying a home, but it’s unlikely they are aware of the actual value of the land, so it’s interesting to see how the numbers vary across cities and regions.

"Whatever you pay for it, the desire for outdoor space is universal, and making that space your own is one of the real joys of homeownership."

With an average of 257.9 square metres of private outdoor space and a typical house price of £408,013, Croydon’s garden space comes in at £1,582 per square metre—the cheapest in London.

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However, it ranks only 292nd cheapest in the UK overall.

Bromley takes second place, with the second lowest cost per square metre of garden in London at £1,614.

The borough boasts the largest average garden among all 33 London boroughs at 331.1 square metres and an average property price of £534,443.

Bexley is third, with 240.2 square metres of garden space and an average house price of £410,560, amounting to £1,709 per square metre.

Sutton places fourth, where the cost of garden space is £1,768 per square metre, based on an average house price of £449,159 and 254 square metres of outdoor space.

Havering rounds out the top five with £1,804 per square metre, rooted in an average property price of £449,433 and 249.1 square metres of private garden.

At the other end of the scale, Kensington and Chelsea is the least affordable for garden space.

The average home there costs £1,184,811 but offers just 96.7 square metres of outdoor space—making garden space £12,252 per square metre.

This is not only the highest in London but also in the UK.

Westminster comes in second at £10,550 per square metre, followed by Hammersmith and Fulham at £9,074.

Other high-ranking boroughs include Islington (£6,845), the City of London (£6,850), and Wandsworth (£6,051).

According to the study, all 33 London boroughs are among the top 50 most expensive areas for private outdoor space nationwide.

• 1. Croydon – average property price £408,013; average private outdoor space 257.9m²; cost per m² £1,582
• 2. Bromley – £534,443; 331.1m²; £1,614
• 3. Bexley – £410,560; 240.2m²; £1,709
• 4. Sutton – £449,159; 254m²; £1,768
• 5. Havering – £449,433; 249.1m²; £1,804
• 6. Harrow – £527,884; 269.2m²; £1,961
• 7. Barnet – £603,111; 303.7m²; £1,986
• 8. Hillingdon – £472,983; 236.7m²; £1,998
• 9. Barking and Dagenham – £357,257; 171m²; £2,089
• 10. Brent – £542,514; 235.9m²; £2,300
• 11. Kingston upon Thames – £582,206; 244.5m²; £2,381
• 12. Redbridge – £472,936; 196m²; £2,413
• 13. Enfield – £476,864; 194.5m²; £2,452
• 14. Greenwich – £474,543; 166.7m²; £2,847
• 15. Hounslow – £528,405; 170m²; £3,108
• 16. Lewisham – £495,338; 158.9m²; £3,117
• 17. Ealing – £568,166; 161.8m²; £3,512
• 18. Merton – £608,575; 165.4m²; £3,679
• 19. Newham – £403,436; 103.3m²; £3,905
• 20. Richmond upon Thames – £767,961; 192.1m²; £3,998
• 21. Waltham Forest – £527,902; 128.7m²; £4,102
• 22. Lambeth – £547,962; 132.3m²; £4,142
• 23. Southwark – £596,674; 132.5m²; £4,503
• 24. Haringey – £613,428; 132.5m²; £4,630
• 25. Camden – £800,930; 160.9m²; £4,978
• 26. Hackney – £625,292; 116.3m²; £5,377
• 27. Tower Hamlets – £472,909; 85.8m²; £5,512
• 28. Wandsworth – £688,570; 113.8m²; £6,051
• 29. Islington – £685,840; 100.2m²; £6,845
• 30. City of London – £662,392; 96.7m²; £6,850
• 31. Hammersmith and Fulham – £738,593; 81.4m²; £9,074
• 32. City of Westminster – £866,170; 82.1m²; £10,550
• 33. Kensington and Chelsea – £1,184,811; 96.7m²; £12,252

Ms Musk said: "The analysis shows the average cost of garden space in Great Britain is now £823 per square metre, based on average private outdoor space of 332 square metres and an average house price of £273,695."

Looking beyond London, the most affordable gardens in Britain are found in Na h-Eileanan Siar (the Outer Hebrides).

There, the average property comes with 1,031.2 square metres of private outdoor space and costs just £139,617—making outdoor space £135 per square metre.

This is £100 cheaper than the next most affordable area, Argyll and Bute.

The White Stores study puts into perspective just how much Londoners are paying for a patch of green.

The figures highlight not only the growing demand for outdoor space but also the sharp contrast in affordability between different parts of the capital and the UK as a whole.