Where it is
The British Properties climbs the slopes of Hollyburn Mountain above Park Royal, mostly above the Upper Levels Highway. The streets follow the contours of the hill, so many homes face south over the Lions Gate Bridge, Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver, and on clear days out across the water to Vancouver Island. Downtown is just across the bridge, often around 20 minutes away outside rush hour.
How it began
In the early 1930s the Guinness family’s company, British Pacific Properties, bought about 4,000 acres of this mountainside and planned it as a residential estate. To bring buyers over from Vancouver, the same company built the Lions Gate Bridge, which opened in 1938. The Capilano Golf and Country Club was laid out at the heart of the plan, and it still sits there today.
The homes
This is a neighbourhood of detached homes on generous lots, far larger than most of Metro Vancouver, as the figures above show. The houses range from West Coast Modern classics of the 1950s and ’60s to new contemporary builds.
Much of the British Properties was laid out with a registered building scheme: covenants on title that can govern lot size, building height, siting and use. They protect the character of the neighbourhood. They also matter when you buy, renovate or rebuild, so I review them with every client before an offer.
Living here
Cypress Provincial Park is minutes up the road for skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. Park Royal’s shops and the Ambleside and Dundarave waterfronts are a short drive down the hill. In winter the higher streets see more snow than the waterfront, which is worth knowing when you compare driveways.
Schools
Homes here are in the West Vancouver School District, and the public school catchment depends on the exact address. Check it for any home you’re considering before you fall for it. Two independent schools, Collingwood and Mulgrave, are both in Upper West Vancouver. Why catchments matter
Buying in the British Properties
I look at three things on every home here:
- The title: the building scheme, covenants and any easements.
- The site: slope, drainage, retaining walls and the driveway.
- The view: what you see today, and what could be built in front of it.
The numbers above tell you what the market is like today. A walk-through with me tells you whether a particular home is worth its price.
