When choosing whether to lavish wealth on chic city apartments or plush country piles the average high-flying executive has rarely thought about Sutton.

Now a concentration of wealth in one pocket of the borough has challenged traditional assumptions and prompted experts to coin a new housing category: superbia.

Savills estate agents has identified South Cheam as a super superb, with average house prices hitting £570,565.

The area was also ranked 11th in a league table of outer London enclaves.

Acacia Avenues here are apparently growing bigger and richer as green spaces and secure neighbourhoods combine to lure young professionals to South Cheam.

Lucy Yeend and her husband are among the converts, having just snapped up a five-bedroom property in the exclusive Downs Side area of SM2.

She said: "We were initially attracted to Cheam because of the high-quality schools, village atmosphere, green land and easy commute.

"We knew we could start a family and be happy here.

"When we realised the potential to extend it into the family home we required without losing any of its obvious charm, character and individuality, we just knew it was for us."

This week estate agents in Cheam Village were abuzz with excitement as they described the unprecedented property boom.

Paul O'Shea, director of Fine and Country, said buyers were "up-sizing but down-pricing" by shunning Wimbledon for local period properties.

Lucian Cook, Savills' head of research, estimated that 50 per cent of super-suburb properties were being sold to high-ranking executives.

"And almost half of buyers are employed in investment, finance and business services, which means that City money is now piling into these areas," she said.

Among the beneficiaries are Cuddington Golf Club and Fluke in Sutton, which sells U-boat watches for £1,200.

Recent customers have included the sportsmen Danny Murphy, Phil Tuffnell and Robbie Earle.