New Build Investor Guide – Islington
Apr 2021
Buying a new build property off plan? Check out our Area Guide first
Are you considering purchasing a new build, off plan property in Brent? Want to get the latest information on house prices, demographics and other useful information before you commit to a deal?
Our Area Guides give you the latest relevant information from local governments, the Census and the Office of National Statistics (ONS) data. They’re designed for offshore, new build property investors to help you understand an area in detail so you can make informed investment decisions.
Read on for investor details specifically about Brent but if it’s more detail about the wider UK property market you need, you can download our latest report here. In our report we address two key questions:
1 Is investing in UK residential property still worth it?
2 If so, where are the best opportunities for property investors and why?
Islington, London
Islington is one of 12 inner London boroughs and is located in north London. Spanning nearly 6 miles², it is the second smallest London borough and third smallest district in England. The borough borders the City of London, Hackney, Haringey, Tower Hamlets and Camden. It includes the districts Angel, Clerkenwell, Finsbury Park, Highbury, Kings Cross and many more.
Regent’s Canal in Angel
Demographics
Islington’s population is forecast to grow by nearly 5% by 2030
| Population (2018) | 238,267 |
| Forecast Population 2030 | 249,455 |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Economically Active Population
A largely young, diverse, mobile population.
| Age Range | Percentage of population |
| 16 – 64 | 75% |
| Under 15 | 16% |
| Over 65 | 9% |
| Martial Status: | |
| Single | 60% |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Average Life Expectancy
The average life expectancy for those born in Islington between 2016 and 2018:
| Males | 80 (UK average is 79) |
| Females | 83 (UK average is 83) |
Source: ons.gov.uk
Population Density (2011)
Islington is the 2nd most densely populated local authority in England, with 16,321 people per km2.
Source: ons.gov.uk
International Migration (2018-19)
9,466 new residents from overseas, the 5th highest of all London boroughs.
Source: ons.gov.uk
Country of Birth
| Location of Birth | Proportion of Population |
| UK and Ireland | 67% |
| EU | 9% |
| Other countries | 23% |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Crime & Safety
| Crime Numbers (April 2017 – March 2018) | 31,452 |
| Crime rate per 1,000 population (April 2017 -March 2018) | 135 |
| Islington has the 4th highest crime rate per 1,000 people of all London borough’s |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Education
Schools
| Primary Schools | 58 (13 of which have an Ofsted rating of outstanding) |
| Secondary Schools | 20 (8 of which have an Ofsted rating of outstanding) |
| Schools and Colleges (16-18 years) | 17 (7 of which have an Ofsted rating of outstanding) |
Source: compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk
Universities
London Metropolitan University
City, University of London
Hospitals
The Whittington Hospital
Moorfields Eye Hospital
General Wellbeing
| Population considering themselves in very good health | 52% |
| Population considering themselves in very bad health | 2% |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Employment & Economy
77% of working aged people employed (compared to 75% across England 74% across London).
Top 4 Sectors of Employment
| Finance, banking and insurance | 27% |
| Public administration, education and health | 26% |
| Transport and communication | 16% |
| Distribution, hotels and restaurants | 15% |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Major Employers
In 2020, there were over 115 companies the borough employing more than 250 people and 400 companies employing between 50 and 249 people. (source: nomisweb.co.uk)
Jobs and Job density
Aproximately 26,657 residents of Islington also work in the borough. 111,643 people travel into the borough each day for work and 53,174 residents work outside the borough. The daytime population of borough therefore increases by 58,469 people each day. (source: data.london.gov.uk).
| Median Gross Annual Pay for full-time employee jobs (2017) | £31,365 |
| Number of jobs in the borough (2019) | 92,000 |
| Jobs per resident | 0.49 (London average 1.03 and UK average 0.87) |
Source: nomisweb.co.uk and data.london.gov.uk
Housing
| Number of residential properties in Islington | 107,490 |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
Property Ownership (2018)
| own property outright (no mortgage) | 15% |
| own property with mortgage | 15% |
| rent from a Housing Authority or the Local Authority | 38% |
| rent from a private landlord (representing approximately 33,300 private rentals) | 32% |
Source: data.london.gov.uk
| Household with no car or van (2011) | 65% |
Source: nomisweb.co.uk
Household Composition
| One person households | 39% |
| One family households | 44% |
| Other (sharers / students etc) | 17% |
Source: nomisweb.co.uk
Average House Prices
House prices in Islington are the 7th most expensive of all London boroughs. Islington saw the the third highest average price growth of the inner London borough’s.
| Average achieved price January 2020 | £665,846 |
| Average achieved price January 2021 | £712,428 |
| Increase/Decrease | +7% |
Source: www.gov.uk
Volume of Sales
During the COVID pandemic, the number of property transactions fell by 23%.
| Number of residential sales to year ending September 2019 | 1,875 |
| Number of residential sales to year ending September 2020 | 1,480 |
Source: ons.gov.uk
Achieved Rents (January to December 2020)
Mean monthly average rents in the borough:
| London Median Rents (per calendar month) |
Islington (per calendar month) |
|
| Studio | £950 | £1,343 |
| 1 bedroom | £1,200 | £1,517 |
| 2 bedrooms | £1,450 | £1,846 |
| 3 bedrooms | £1,750 | £2,343 |
Source: london.gov.uk
The Emirates Station, home of Arsenal Football Club
New Build Developments in Islington
Several notable developments in Islington are currently on the market, many of which have been launched in Asia and the Middle East.
250 City Road (Berkeley)
| Total Number of Apartments | 930 (616 private) |
| First Launched | January 2015 |
Average Prices – 250 City Road
| Minimum | Average | Maximum | |
| Price | £650,000 | £1,258,535 | £5,450,000 |
| Price per ft² | £1,031 | £1,411 | £2,194 |
| Area (ft²) | 496 | 877 | 2,950 |
source: Molior
| Minimum | Average | Maximum | |
| Studio | £655,000 | £655,000 | £680,000 |
| 1 Bedroom | £799,000 | £959,379 | £1,145,000 |
| 2 Bedroom | £957,500 | £1,445,711 | £3,400,000 |
| 3 Bedroom | £1,225,000 | £2,255,263 | £5,450,000 |
source: Molior
City North (Telford)
| Total Number of Apartments | 355 (308 private) |
| First Launched | Sept 2013 |
Average Prices – City North
| Minimum | Average | Maximum | |
| Price | £400,000 | £825,754 | £1,600,000 |
| Price per ft² | £548 | £857 | £1,102 |
| Area (ft²) | 463 | 988 | 2,674 |
source: Molior
| Minimum | Average | Maximum | |
| Studio | £400,000 | £437,500 | £475,000 |
| 1 Bedroom | £430,000 | £501,818 | £562,500 |
| 2 Bedroom | £610,000 | £786,111 | £970,000 |
| 3 Bedroom | £837,500 | £1,021,375 | £1,600,000 |
source: Molior
Kings Square (London Borough of Islington)
| Total Number of Apartments | 140 (42 private) |
| First Launched | August 2020 |
Average Prices – Kings Square
| Minimum | Average | Maximum | |
| Price | £685,000 | £812,000 | £905,000 |
| Price per ft² | £958 | £1,044 | £1,134 |
| Area (ft²) | 604 | 783 | 945 |
source: Molior
| Minimum | Average | Maximum | |
| 1 Bedroom | £685,000 | £685,000 | £685,000 |
| 2 Bedroom | £795,000 | £843,750 | £905,000 |
source: Molior
Environment & Leisure
Facilities in Islington include:
Sadler’s Wells Theatre
Regents Canal
10 Parks and gardens
10 libraries
7 leisure centres
3 nature reserves including Parkland Walk, London’s longest nature reserve
The tech hub of Old Street
Smithfield market
Transport
Islington’s underground and overground stations are in Zones 1 and 2.
Overground Stations
| Caledonian Road & Barnsbury | Cannonbury |
| Crouch Hill | Drayton Park |
| Essex Road | Farringdon |
| Finsbury Park | Highbury & Islington |
| Old Street | Upper Holloway |
Underground Stations
| Angel (Northern line) | Archway (Northern line) |
| Arsenal (Piccadilly line) | Caledonian Road (Piccadilly line) |
| Farringdon (Hammersmith and City, Circle, Metropolitan lines) | Finsbury Park (Victoria line) |
| Highbury and Islington (Victoria line) | Holloway Road (Piccadilly line) |
| Old Street (Northern line) | Tufnell Park (Northern line) |
Local Government
The Labour Party
Subscribe to Updates
Get the latest news from
PropTech Pioneer
Property Investment Calculator
Categories
As a property investor, there are two measures you should consider...
Got a Question?
If you’ve a property investment
question you’d like us to
write about, let us know
