A Guide to Living in Acton

Where is Acton?

It sits within the borough of Ealing in sophisticated West London, close to the glamorous neighbourhoods of Chiswick and Kew.

What’s Acton like?

Full of green spaces, for one. Acton Park has tennis courts, a bowling green and a minigolf course known as Putt in The Park. Gunnersbury Park boasts 20 football pitches, 15 tennis courts and a cricket area. In addition, Wormwood Scrubs has a pony club, a sports stadium and a handful of nature reserves. All offer cafés and play areas for little ones, too.

The High Street is the lifeblood of the area. Expect the usual contenders (such as McDonalds and Morrison’s) along with more interesting independent butchers, delis and wine bars. There’s a great selection of listed pubs here, too. Local favourites include The George & Dragon (regular live music) and the Belvedere (big screen for sports).

Acton Market is a local institution. It’s based on Crown Street Fridays through Sundays, and its long-term vendors sell fresh fruit and veg, street food and antiques.

Getting to and from Acton

The area literally has a different station for every day of the week. East, North and West Acton are Underground stations served by the Central line, and you can catch District and Piccadilly line tubes from Acton Town. Acton Central and South Acton are on the Overground, while Acton Main Line offers National Rail services – and pretty soon, Crossrail. In other words, you couldn’t be better connected.

Where are the best places to live in Acton?

Acton’s property scene encompasses tree-lined avenues of Victorian and Edwardian properties, brand new apartment buildings and converted warehouses (the area was once an industrial hub for the motor industry).

One of the best places to live in Acton, according to reviewers on HomeViews is Tech West Lofts, a warehouse conversion of 48 stylish homes by De Vere Partners. Another Cinderella story is Field Day Developments’ Long Island Lofts – a beautifully converted Art Deco building near Acton Park.

“I’ve been living here for 3 years, and I really love it. It’s a great building and overall everything is perfect for me. I live here on my own and the whole apartment is incredibly spacious. Every room is amazing and big enough for me! The caretakers within the building are really nice and helpful, they’re understanding too, all really great.” – Ijeoma, verified resident at Tech West Lofts

“The quality is top notch, almost faultless. 2 very big bedrooms and open plan kitchen and living room. I even have an en-suite, so sweet! A pipe burst at one point so couldn’t shower for a day but it was fixed quickly, that’s my only complaint about this amazing apartment!” – Amelia, resident at Long Island Lofts

Homes in the area with onsite amenities

If you’re looking for more neighbours and onsite facilities to buy or rent in Acton, check out Acton Gardens, a joint venture from Countryside and L&Q. There are 3,400 new homes here and, impressively, every single one comes with its own balcony or terrace.

Another one of the best places to live in Acton, is Berkeley Homes’ West 3 London Apartments, which has 900 units and is neighboured by Acton Park.

“Nice flat in London in a nice area with a park view that you can come back to and chill. Public transport is good and there have been some new public amenities promised – like a coffee shop – which would really benefit the area, somewhere to hang out in before or after taking the kids to the park.” – Monika, verified resident at Acton Gardens

Prospective buyers and those looking to rent in Acton, can look forward to onsite parking and apartments in close proximity to four tube stations with Bellway’s Acton Square.

“The building management is good and efficient. The apartments are good value for money. The area has a nice feel to it. There are lots of shops nearby that shut late which is very convenient for me. The buildings are all modern and up to date.” – Anon, verified resident at Acton Square

Read more from residents by clicking on the developments below. Considering nearby areas? Check out our guides to living in Chiswick and Ealing.