To ask for honest opinions about Chafford Hundred, Essex

[MumOfTwoSweethearts]

Good Evening All,

We are in the process of viewing houses in Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex and I was hoping to get some honest and frank opinion on here, please?

We are looking at a 4BR Semi Detached property in a cul de sac close to the Gorge. We like the area because it is quiet, well kept, and the ones we have viewed do not require much work or improvement.

I was hoping anyone who lived in the area could offer very frank and truthful opinion about the area in terms of safety, schools for children, healthcare, value for money and the neighborhood - the people living there, are they welcoming and neighborly?

Thank you all.

[engineersthumb]

I grew up in a part of Essex not far away. I'm probably one of those snobs people talk about as I don't have a kind word for the county at all. Once I moved away it was such an eye opener, life in Surrey was just so much nicer. Fewer people swearing at young children, much less vandalism and get this... people actually say hello in the street without looking to start a fight or rob you! Maybe I'm a snob, there are worse places...I don't want to live in those either!

[PippaPug]

I'm guessing the OP has decided to move or not move by now considering it's over 5 years old 🙄

[thisismeusernameything]

Have a look at property in Orsett. It's much smaller and quieter than Chafford and only an extra 5 minutes away.

[thisismeusernameything]

Away from London that is.

[CheshireChat]

The thread is really old and the OP never bothered updating!

[CatThiefKeith]

SlinkySaluki there is a high chance we know each other irl. Did you go to Little Thurrock school?

If anyone is thinking about moving to Chafford Hundred - don't!

The college estate at Woodside, Bulphan, Orsett or Badgers Dene are much nicer, Chafford Hundred has lots of crime these days.

Better still, move to Kent. My parents are still in Essex but I would never move back.

[AngeloftheSouth84]

Chafford Hundred = Lakeside. That's about all I know!

[CatThiefKeith]

thisisneysernamethingy the downside with Orsett of course is they are about to build a fecking great motorway through it!

Unless you're talking about lower Mucking/Upper Chadwell by the Orsett Cock?

[slinkysaluki]

Catthief yes I did ! And William Edwards Secondary....

[The80sweregreat]

The area is good - lots going on and close to lakeside and schools.
i know a few people who live in that area and they like it , train links to london are also reliable.
i can imagine the area around the stores could get busy though ( christmas and so on) but most places in Essex and the south east are busy - you wont get away from that unless you move right out to north essex or suffolk! The main A roads ( 13 and 127) are always congested, you have to pick your times to avoid the worst - close to the dartford bridge, which is an upside i think as i am not and makes journeys to the south coast even longer.

[CatThiefKeith]

Slinkysalunki me too! What year did you leave Willy Eds?

[slinkysaluki]

Sorry only just seen this Catthief......left school in 1985

[jellypi3]

Appreciate this thread is ooooold but I bought a house in CH in 2013, moved in 2015.

Good Points:

• Reliable and cheap train line
  
• Close to lakeside so no need to travel far for anything
  
• Cheap houses
  

Bad Points:

• Crime rate
  
• Proximity to Grays
  
• The traffic (basically going out after 10am at the weekend was a no go, if there was an accident on the Dartford Crossing/M25 you couldn't get out of CH)
  
• The schools weren't amazing
  

I wouldn't move back to that part of Essex to be honest.

[n0ne]

DSis and BIL lived there for a nunber of years until recently. It's chavvy as anything, with no amenities. I can't bear it.

[Spangles1963]

Nice big shopping centre nearby! (Lakeside).

[Plaintalkin]

I live in Basildon and I would never live in Chafford Hundred for one simple reason - traffic!!

It can be a nightmare especially at Christmas when it can be absolutely gridlocked ! There's no real way round it so to be stuck in traffic for an hour just to get in or out of my home sounds like a nightmare to me .

[Whiskeywithwater]

Omg! Can't believe Billericay has just been called comparable to Chafford Hundred! Never, ever. OP I would think very seriously about moving there. Despite the stereotypes there are lots of lovely towns in Essex ... CH is not one of them!

[NotAllBadLY]

For anyone wondering, depends where in CH, there is a "good side" and "bad side". The good side is near the station which is further away from Grays.

Pros -
Good transport links via train and bus.
A lot of people where I lived were city workers and wanted a nice quiet life.
It was nice to have friendly multicultural neighbours.
The schools - there's 3 academy's, 1 of which is a secondary school. There's another new one now, one of my friends has said it's a very good school and rated outstanding by Ofsted
A lot quieter than London and if you're in a house that's tucked away then you're unlikely to get any noise.
In all the years I was there, we had no issues with crime.
The nature reserve is a lovely place to go on a walk at the weekend.
There are lots of mum's groups about as well as running groups if it floats your boat.

Cons -
Traffic is an utter bastard due to Lakeside from October to end of January which covers Christmas shopping and January sales. Also, come to think of it, all of the weekends would mean traffic backing up on roundabouts there. However, you can walk to lakeside via the underpass at the train station if you did want to go.
Dartford crossing is a mare!
Living in Thurrock. Personally hated the stigma of living in a borough where other areas within it voted UKIP in. Otherwise, CH usually wins the Tory vote which I could just about live with.

[CatThiefKeith]

Aw I missed you Slinky - that's the year I started!

[Thegirlinthefireplace]

Not read whole thread but know the area well. Grays is horrible, charrfor Hundrd a little better. Traffic can be unbearable around there along the routes accessing lakeside and the bridge, Seriously horrific. Harry's Academythe secondary that I think is fatchment for CH is meant to be excellent.

[Thegirlinthefireplace]

Balls, just seen it's a zombie apocalypse thread. There was no warning note!

[The80sweregreat]

I wonder if the op did move there!