Fitzrovia: Best Streets & Locations Guide

While Fitzrovia is a relatively compact area, the differences between one street and another can be surprising.

Fitzroy Square, with its Grade I listed Georgian terraces and private garden, sits minutes from Grafton Way, a largely commercial corridor with little residential appeal. Choose the right street and you’re in one of central London’s most considered addresses, but a poor location choice could mean paying W1 prices for a home that doesn’t meet your expectations.

The neighbourhood also spans two boroughs, Camden and Westminster, with postcode boundaries running through the middle of it – meaning different school catchments, planning regimes, and prices.

So, if you’re looking to live here, then keep reading for an overview of the different streets and areas you’ll find within Fitzrovia – and explore how they compare.

Key Streets in Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia’s most sought-after addresses share a common set of characteristics that include Georgian or Edwardian architecture in good original condition, proximity to the area’s garden squares, and enough distance from the commercial noise of Tottenham Court Road and Euston Road to feel residential.

Here are a few notable examples:

1. Fitzroy Square – the east and south sides of the square are Grade I listed, designed by Robert Adam in the late eighteenth century, and among the finest Georgian streetscapes in London. The north and west sides, completed later in stucco, are Grade II listed. Properties here rarely come to market, and when they do, they attract buyers who have already decided this is where they want to be. The square’s private garden, which is restricted to keyholders, is a significant draw in an area where private outdoor space is scarce.
2. Conway Street and Fitzroy Street – these run south from the square and carry much of the same architectural character. Fitzroy Street in particular has well-preserved Georgian terraces and benefits from the square’s immediate proximity. These streets attract buyers who want the address and the period fabric but are priced out of Fitzroy Square itself.
3. Charlotte Street – this street is primarily commercial at ground level, with restaurants and offices dominating, but the upper floors and adjacent residential streets benefit from these amenities.
4. Percy Street and Rathbone Street – these run east from Charlotte Street toward Tottenham Court Road, and have a denser residential character which suits buyers who prioritise walkability and access over living on a quiet street.
5. Maple Street and Mortimer Street – these streets offer larger Georgian and Victorian stock and benefit from easy access to both Oxford Street and the Goodge Street area. Mortimer Street in particular is likely to appeal to buyers looking for flats in converted period buildings.

In the Camden portion of Fitzrovia, Grafton Way and Warren Street are primarily commercial, but the streets immediately south, including Tottenham Street and Howland Street, have a stronger residential character and sit within walking distance of both Warren Street and Goodge Street stations.

Distinct Areas within Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia sits across a borough boundary, and its character shifts noticeably from north to south and east to west.

And while Fitzrovia is ever-changing, each area does tend to have its own character and advantages. Explore what some of these are below:

Other considerations for buyers, tenants & investors

The character of each area is not your only consideration. Here are a few other factors to think through before you pick a place to live in Fitzrovia…

• Conservation area boundaries – the conservation areas are designated by both Camden and Westminster, and cover much of the historic core and impose restrictions on alterations to facades, windows, and external features. For buyers, this is generally positive as it protects the streetscape and limits unsympathetic development. If you’re investing or want to develop a property, this will act as a limitation to what you can do.
• School catchments – these are worth checking if you’d like to move to Fitzrovia as a family. Properties in the Camden portion fall under Camden’s admissions arrangements, while Westminster properties use Westminster’s. Camden’s school admissions information and Westminster’s equivalent offer application guidance.
• Transport options –while you shouldn’t have to worry much about transport due to the glut of options in front of you, there are differences from street to street. Goodge Street (Northern line) serves the southern and central parts of Fitzrovia well. Warren Street (Northern and Victoria lines) anchors the northern end. Tottenham Court Road station is the most useful transport hub in the area and makes the eastern edge of Fitzrovia very accessible.

Typical Property Types by Street in Fitzrovia

While plenty of buildings and homes are from the Georgian period, these are often broken down into flats depending on the street. Here are what property types you’ll tend to find as you explore the area:

Overlooked Streets & Areas in Fitzrovia

As a premium part of central London, Fitzrovia has plenty of streets which are well known and priced accordingly.

But, there are other areas where the value is real, and the streets are smaller, tucked away and lesser known. Here are a few spots you may not have heard of, but which are well worth considering if you want to move to Fitzrovia.

• Tottenham Street and Whitfield Street – these offer period stock at lower prices while also remaining quieter than much of Fitzrovia. They feel genuinely residential, and are close to both the Warren Street and Goodge Street stations.
• Colville Place – this is a unique looking, pedestrianised street running between Charlotte Street and Whitfield Street. It’s narrow, quiet, and tastefully lined with plants on the flagstone walkway. Properties here rarely sit on the market for long, which is itself a signal of how well regarded it is among those who know it.

Rental & Owner-Occupier Character in Fitzrovia

Fitzrovia’s tenure is diverse. Recent statistics suggest that 25% is owner-occupied, 51% is privately rented and 24% is social rented. Even so, this broad split conceals plenty of variation by street.

The streets running around Fitzroy Square and in the conservation area tend to be more heavily owner-occupied. On the other hand, the streets closer to Tottenham Court Road and the eastern edge of the neighbourhood have more rental stock, partly due to the presence of UCL and other academic institutions, and partly because of the structure of the buildings themselves.

Anecdotally, the strongest rental demand can be found in the southern and eastern parts of the neighbourhood, which lie close to the Elizabeth line at Tottenham Court Road. The large number of employers within walking distance makes the area attractive to local tenants.

The northern part of Fitzrovia, closer to Warren Street, is known for a more mixed rental profile which includes a combination of longer-term tenants in older stock and shorter-term lets from the professional and academic population associated with the Knowledge Quarter institutions nearby.

Development & Infrastructure

The most significant development proposed for Fitzrovia is the Euston Development Corporation. The proposals would establish a locally led Development Corporation by 2027, covering a large area around Euston Station that takes in the northern part of Fitzrovia, including streets south of Euston Road as far as Grafton Way, Warren Street, and Fitzroy Square.

The scale of what’s proposed is substantial: up to 2,500 new homes and 34,000 new jobs, concentrated in the Knowledge Quarter cluster of life science, healthcare, technology, and higher education institutions. In the medium term, the regeneration is likely to improve the public realm, transport, and the overall quality of the area around Warren Street and Grafton Way. In the near term, the planning process could create uncertainty for specific sites.

And of course, planning decisions can shift, as can the eventual outcomes of any development – so it’s worth keeping an eye on this.

Two other developments worth mentioning:

• Euston Tower – this is being redeveloped as a life sciences and innovation hub, following Camden Council’s approval. The new building will retain the same overall height but expand total floorspace to nearly 560,000 sq ft.
• The Museum of Illusions – this opened on Tottenham Court Road as the first London venue in the worldwide chain, adding to the area’s footfall and retail offer on the eastern edge of Fitzrovia.

Looking to Buy or Let in Fitzrovia?

We hope this guide has helped you identify where you’d like to live in Fitzrovia, and if you feel its right for you, simply get in touch with Kubie Gold’s local estate agents today.

You can register as a buyer or tenant to be kept informed as suitable properties come to market – or simply start your property search on our website.

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