One for downsizers: Finchley homes with high ceilings and communal gardens would suit Hampstead's empty nesters

Finchley has been easy commuting territory since the 1820s, when a daily stagecoach ran to the City.

The building of Finchley Road, bypassing Hampstead, made the journey quicker and more convenient. The area never looked back, with trains and later the Tube forging even closer links with central London.

This prosperous suburb has had a low profile in recent years due to the regeneration spotlight shining brightly on inner-city districts.

But developers are back and, in keeping with the tradition of the area’s Victorian and interwar housing boom, are creating spacious homes in these leafy surroundings.

With its gabled red-brick and rendered façade, The Halley, in a tree-lined road close to Finchley Central station, offers large apartments with high ceilings.

Ranging up to 2,669 sq ft, these homes would suit downsizers leaving a Hampstead house, plus there are communal gardens and underground parking.

Prices from £999,999. Call 020 3828 0128.