A Kent town once dubbed "miserable" is now poised to become the UK's next major property hotspot, with experts predicting it will be "flooded" by Londoners forced out of the capital by unaffordable prices.
From Trading Hub to Commuter Haven
Gravesend, with its rich history as a vital Thames trading port and the final resting place of Pocahontas, transformed into a commuter town after local industry declined in the 20th century. Now, its fortunes are shifting again. The town's connection to London via the HS1 high-speed rail line, which puts Kings Cross St. Pancras just twenty minutes away, is a key driver of its newfound appeal.
The Numbers Driving the Change
The stark difference in property costs is the central catalyst. According to RightMove, the overall average house price in Gravesend over the last year was £347,179. This compares to a London average of £660,975. In Gravesend, terraced homes sold for an average of £326,428, with semi-detached properties at £395,615 and flats at £163,623. These sold prices were 6% higher than the previous year, nearing the 2022 peak of £350,539.
Observers on platforms like Reddit note the area is already changing rapidly. One user commented that north west Kent is a "very different place to what it was 20 years ago", with new "affordable" housing attracting thousands from London and overseas. Another remarked: "I can already see Gravesend becoming the next big thing once trendy Londoners are priced out of South East London areas like Peckham and Greenwich."
A Wider Kent Transformation
This trend is not isolated to Gravesend. The county is undergoing a significant transformation, drawing comparisons to the renaissance of towns like Margate, nicknamed 'Shoreditch-on-Sea'. In Folkestone, businessman Sir Roger De Haan has invested heavily in regeneration, and he predicts more Londoners will move down as high-speed train services increase.
Similarly, Canterbury is described as "basically one big university" due to its balance of London proximity and relative affordability. This influx raises questions about how "legacy locals" will fare in a gentrifying Kent, with some younger residents already leaving for other parts of the country.
The phenomenon even extends beyond Kent, with market towns in Somerset like Frome reporting tensions as newcomers seek to alter the local character. The message from some locals is blunt: "We don't want any more Londoners. We've fulfilled our quota." As London's affordability crisis deepens, the ripple effects are being felt strongly in historic towns across the South East, with Gravesend positioned firmly at the forefront of this new wave.
