Falconwood

Falconwood
Falconwood Location withinGreater London
Population	16,600 (2021 Census. Falconwood and Welling Ward 2021)
OS grid reference	TQ455755
London borough	Bexley Greenwich
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WELLING
Postcode district	DA16
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	SE9
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Eltham,Old Bexley and Sidcup
London Assembly	Bexley and Bromley Greenwich and Lewisham

Falconwoodis an area of south eastLondonwithin both the London Boroughs ofBexleyandGreenwich.It is north east ofElthamand south west ofWelling.According to the2021 census,Falconwood, has a population of roughly 16,600 (Falconwood and Welling ward rounded to the nearest 100).

The local area

Falconwood forms part of the Falconwood and Welling ward in theLondon Borough of Bexley,and borders the Eltham North and Eltham South wards in theRoyal Borough of Greenwich.

Falconwood is served by one National Rail train station.Falconwood stationwhich was opened in 1936, is served bySoutheasternon theBexleyheath Line.The station is situated inLondon Travelcard Zone 4.

TheGreen Chainwalking network runs through Shepherdleas Wood, Oxleas Wood, Eltham Common, Eltham Park North and Eltham Park South. All these wooded and open areas are accessible via footpaths from Rochester Way, Welling Way and Riefield Road.

Falconwood Community Centre, next to Falconwood Park, was opened in 1954. The Falconwood Community Association meets here 5 times a week along with many other groups. The Falconwood and District Horticultural Society stages the Annual Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Show on the third Saturday in August.

In 2008 the Mayor of Bexley, Falconwood & Welling Councillor Nigel Betts, inaugurated the Community Centre as the local Children's Centre.

The estate

The Falconwood Park Estate was designed and constructed by housing developers Ideal Homesteads in the 1930s. Situated betweenWellingandEltham,the estate occupies the site of the former Westwood Farm.

Regarding housing styles, the majority of the estate consists of semi-detached and terraced houses, with bungalows scattered across the roads within the estate. There are flats above the shops on Lingfield Crescent and Falconwood Parade (The Green). There are 3/4 storey blocks of flats on Lingfield Crescent, at the corner of Rochester Way and Riefield Road, near the A2 and Eltham Cemetery & Crematorium. Maisonettes are on Millbrook Avenue.

Education

See alsoLondon Borough of BexleyandRoyal Borough of Greenwicheducation services.

• Bishop Ridley CofE Primary School (Entrance gates on Northumberland Avenue)
• Harris Academy Falconwood, formerly Westwood College(Entrance gates on The Green)
• Stationers' Crown Woods Academy(Entrance gates are on Bexley Road,Avery Hill)

Bishop Ridley CofE Primary School was formerly Westwood Primary School until Westwood Primary Schoolit became aChurch of Englandschool. Westwood Primary School was formed from two separate schools - Westwood Infant & Junior Schools in the late 1990s.

Harris Academy Falconwood(formerly Westwood Secondary School and later Westwood College) is an academy sponsored by theHarris Federation.The academy occupied the original secondary school and the old junior school buildings, but was replaced by a £27 million new school in 2011 built on some of the old playing fields.

Stationers' Crown Woods Academy(formerly Crown Woods School and later Crown Woods College) is anacademysponsored by theWorshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.It is located in a £50million rebuilt school building and community learning facility that opened on 26 April 2011.

Transport and location

Post code districts and London Borough Boundaries

Falconwood forms part of 2 London boroughs and 2 post codes. These being:

• Bexley - DA16 (part) - The rest of DA16 being formed by Welling and East Wickham.
• Greenwich - SE9 (part) - The rest of SE9 being formed by Eltham, New Eltham and Mottingham.

The SE9 roads in Bexley became part of LB Bexley under the 1994 boundary change. TheRoyal Mailhave refused many attempts to change the postcode of these roads to DA16.

Rail

Falconwood stationconnects the area withNational Railservices toLondon Victoria,London Cannon Street,DartfordandWoolwich Arsenal.

Buses

• B15toBexleyheathviaWellingor toHorn ParkviaEltham.Operated byArriva LondonforLondon Buses.
• B16to Bexleyheath via Welling or toKidbrookevia Eltham. Operated byGo-Ahead Londonfor London Buses.

Main roads and access routes

Falconwood is a junction on the A2. London bound on the A2 will immediately lead to the A102 (Blackwall Tunnel Approach), and theBlackwall Tunnelunder theRiver Thamesto the A12 inEast London,unless changing onto the old A2 at the Sun In The Sands junction (Blackheath). The London bound A2 isn't accessible directly from Falconwood. Access is from the Eltham junction with the South Circular (A205). The Kent bound A2 is accessible from Falconwood.

Rochester Way leads toWell HallandElthamtown centre (continuing straight at the traffic lights junction with Welling Way). Turning right at the junction with Welling Way will lead to Shoulder of Mutton Green andWellingtown centre. In the opposite direction, Rochester Way will lead to the dual carriageway Kent-bound A2, unless bearing right on Riefield Road. This leads toAvery Hill(a left turn at traffic lights), andElthamtown centre (a right turn at the lights).

Lingfield Crescent leads towards theFalconwood Park Estate,Falconwood ParkandWellingtown centre (turning left onto Millbrook Avenue).

Nearest facilities and shops

• Lingfield Crescent (Falconwood stationshop parade).
• Falconwood Parade, The Green (surroundingFalconwood Park).
• BothWellingandElthamtown centres are also very easily accessible.

Natural areas and open spaces

• Eltham Common(part)
• Eltham Parknorth
• Eltham Parksouth
• Falconwood Field
• Falconwood Park(The Green)
• Oxleas Meadow
• Oxleas Wood
• Shepherdleas Wood