Berhampore
A rising star, halfway between the city and south coast
Overview
​Often overlooked for more fancied Island Bay or Newtown, Berhampore is a very central Wellington suburb, containing many character homes that are usually cheaper than its more fancied neighbours. The main street is a thoroughfare to Island Bay and the shopping area has suffered from a lack of parking, and hence a lack of people stopping to explore. However, the suburb has been rediscovered in recent years, and this has led to significant and ongoing revitalisation.
Best Suited To
​Those who like a midway point between the city and the south coast. Anyone who enjoys character housing but would like a bit more land. People who enjoy green space, as there are a number of large parks in the area.
Population Profile
Berhampore is similar to its neighbouring suburb of Newtown in that it’s a multicultural hub. Where it differs is that it tends to contain more owner-occupiers, rather than renters. This is probably due to the lack of shops and services in comparison to Newtown.
Age groups tend to be across the board, but lean toward a younger demographic including many first home buyers. The area hosts a good number of Wellington Hospital employees, with the hospital situated a short distance away in Newtown.
Typical Homes
Most homes in Berhampore tend to be single level bungalows built 1920 to 1940. There are earlier cottages and some of these are semi-detached. Many homes have now been refurbished but maintain their attractive external character features.
There remain a good number of ‘project’ houses in Berhampore, for those wanting to add their own style and (hopefully) capital gain. Slightly further from the city, properties here tend to have larger sections than in neighbouring Newtown. This makes the area more suited to those with pets or young children.
Amenities
Berhampore’s shopping strip is situated on Adelaide Road, a main road from the city to the south coast. Over the years the shopping area became a bit of a mishmash of uninteresting and often vacant stores. However, there has been a resurgence in interest with enterprising locals opening new cafes, and some smartening up of the street and traffic calming by the Wellington City Council. Successful lobbying of the council has installed better signage and lowered the vehicle speed limit to 30km per hour. The shopping area still has a slightly grungy feel about it, but that seems to suit the suburb and make it more interesting.
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Berhampore Primary School (years 0-6, ages 5-10) is on Britomart Street, a central locality, handy to the main shopping strip. The school is diverse and multicultural with approximately 60% from non-English speaking backgrounds. The nearest secondary schools are located in the city or eastern suburbs, including Rongotai College (boys), St Patrick’s Kilbirnie (Catholic boys), Wellington High School (mixed), Wellington College (boys), and Wellington East Girls College (girls).
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One of Berhampore’s great attributes is the sheer number of parks and open space available. This includes Wakefield Park (with an artificial surface), MacAlister Park, and Berhampore Golf Course which forms part of the Wellington Town Belt. The beach and coastline is an easy, 15 minutes’ walk to the south, passing through the adjoining suburb of Island Bay.
Real Estate Trends
The trend toward renovating character homes is clearly apparent in Berhampore. The majority of the housing stock is from the period 1920 to 1940, so there are plenty of character homes to spend your weekends renovating here.
Berhampore lay relatively undiscovered, until about 2000. Prices then escalated quickly as first home buyers and investors snapped up those homes with the most potential. Properties with larger sites often have potential for subdivision. The demand for housing by Wellington Hospital staff will always help maintain a steady demand for property in this area.
Best Streets
Emerson Street – a quiet no-exit street, sunny aspect, bordering the Town Belt.
Stanley Street – a ridgeline position for sun, a short walk to Berhampore School.
Chatham Street – a quiet no-exit street with sunny aspect, handy to shops.
House Prices
2 bed unit from $450,000.
2 bed house from $800,000.
3 bed house from $1.1 million
Travel Times
Central city – walking, 30 minutes, driving 10 minutes.
Airport – driving, 15-20 minutes.
Hutt Valley- driving, 20-25 minutes.
Weather
Berhampore is well placed for sunlight, but particularly those homes that sit higher up, such as those at the southern end of Rintoul Street, and the streets that branch off. These positions, however, are more prone to wind, both from the north and south. Beware of any low-lying areas where poor drainage and flooding may be an issue in heavy downpours. A gently sloping site with a north or west aspect is likely best here.