Balham, South London

 

A major transport hub, the Victorian suburb of Balham has become a magnet for young professionals. Its origins can be traced back to the old coach route out of London to the south and west. But serious development only came with the opening of the railways in 1863, according to Wandsworth Council's official history. Balham's Art Deco tube station was designed by Charles Holden and opened with the extension of the Northern Underground Line in 1926.