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DANGER ZONE

We live on Britain’s ‘most dangerous street’ where police sirens used to blare constantly – it’s undergone a huge change

RESIDENTS on a road named Britain's "most dangerous street" say that it's now "perfect".

Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, South London was rocked by the 1981 Brixton riots before acquiring a reputation for violence and drug use.

Coldharbour Lane was named Britain's most dangerous street in 2003
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Coldharbour Lane was named Britain's most dangerous street in 2003Credit: Ray Collins
Police cars still race down the road at night, with crime-scene tape often seen in the area
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Police cars still race down the road at night, with crime-scene tape often seen in the areaCredit: Ray Collins

It was named Britain's most dangerous street in 2003, with more than £1million of crack pushed there every month.

But the area is now unrecognisable after local trouble spot Liliford House had its car park turned into a housing block with glass balconies, pushing up house prices while driving down crime rates.

A four-bed house on Coldharbour Lane recently sold for more than £1million, while many others have been converted into flats for young professionals.

Resident Henry Wood, 28, said: "It's not even an up-and-coming area, it's already very gentrified.

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"It's a weird mix of young people, families and old people who have been here forever.

"I've only lived here for two years so I don't remember what the area was like before, but it's now pretty nice."

Lara, 24, said: "It's alright. The area itself is decent and busy a lot of the time, it's not too seedy.

"The location is perfect, you can take a bus anywhere from the other side of the road."

Alex Fraser, 30, said: "It varies lots as you go up and down the road. Up towards Camberwell it's all gentrified with cafes and flats but down towards Loughborough Junction there are lots of vacant lots.

"It's a good place to move in with a family, it's as well connected as anywhere in South London and not too raucous.

"Sometimes you get police cars racing along the street at night with their sirens blaring, but it's only every so and often that you get crime-scene tape here - it's nothing like the old days."

It comes after a man who bought a house on Coldharbour Lane for just £5,000 revealed that it's now worth £1million.

The area was hit hard by the 2011 London riots but is now 'very gentrified'
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The area was hit hard by the 2011 London riots but is now 'very gentrified'Credit: Getty
Coldharbour Lane was rocked by the 1981 Brixton riots before acquiring a reputation for violence
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Coldharbour Lane was rocked by the 1981 Brixton riots before acquiring a reputation for violenceCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Locals say Coldharbour Lane is a family-friendly neighbourhood
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Locals say Coldharbour Lane is a family-friendly neighbourhoodCredit: Ray Collins
Nearby Brockwell Park is one of the area's main attractions
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Nearby Brockwell Park is one of the area's main attractionsCredit: Ray Collins
A house on Coldharbour Lane recently sold for £1million
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A house on Coldharbour Lane recently sold for £1millionCredit: Ray Collins
Liliford House has had its car park turned into a housing block with glass balconies
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Liliford House has had its car park turned into a housing block with glass balconiesCredit: Ray Collins
Many local houses have been turned into flats for young professionals
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Many local houses have been turned into flats for young professionalsCredit: Ray Collins
Residents praised the area's transport connections, including bus and train links
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Residents praised the area's transport connections, including bus and train linksCredit: Ray Collins
Lifelong residents say the area is unrecognisable after crime rates plummeted
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Lifelong residents say the area is unrecognisable after crime rates plummetedCredit: Ray Collins
Coldharbour connects the South London neighbourhoods of Brixton and Camberwell
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Coldharbour connects the South London neighbourhoods of Brixton and CamberwellCredit: Ray Collins
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