Originally this was a group of cottages in Green Lanes. Nearby was Broomfield house built in the 16th century. The local council bought the house and park in 1903. In the early 20th century, the area was opened up for housing development and became a fashionable Edwardian suburban.

The so-called Lakes Estate (because of some lake district connections in the road names) comprises Ullswater Road, Derwent Road and other roads west of Green Lanes and Palmers Green station. These streets contain large Victorian houses. South of Alldermans Hill, in the Broomfield Park area, are desirable houses in the streets off Powis Lane. On the east side of Green Lanes, south of Hedge Lane, streets such as New River Crescent contain Edwardian houses and houses from the 1930s. Streets become less desirable closer to the North Circular, and there are more recently built houses and flats just south of the North Circular.