Colchester Area

[DecisionIsTough]

Hi, I'm posting here for traffic.

My husband just got a job in Colchester and we are planning to move closer to it in order to reduce his commute which is currently 1hr each way from where we live at the moment.

The problem is: we don’t know the area. So, could someone who lives in or near by Colchester advise on the best places to live near by, please?

We are happy to relocate to any small village 10-20 minutes driving from Colchester.

Our main worry is school. We have a 6 year old (year 1) and a 3 year old (nursery), so would like to move somewhere with good schools and nursery.

Can anyone help, please?

Prettygate and Stanway are popular with families, both have good schools. Both have local shops, library and excellent bus service into the town centre.

Great Horkesley, West Bergholt, Fordham, Wormingford, Layer de la Haye and Nayland are all lovely villages on the outskirts of Colchester. I’ve lived many places in the town, but my little village now is by far my favourite.

I would avoid Greenstead, Monkwick and Old Heath... but that’s just me.

I don't really know the area (helpful ) but I loved Mersea Island when I visited.

Mersea Island is lovely to visit but not quite so much to live (IMO). Road to the island cuts totally cut off twice a day, that very quickly wore thin!

As Colchester has grown very quickly recently, there can be difficulty in getting the children into any school, regardless of how good it is!! There are plenty of private nurseries.
I agree with Eifla about the villages and Mersea. Rowhedge is pretty as well but parking is a devil and you always seem to have to drive round the town centre to go anywhere. Wivenhoe, near the Uni is great but an access nightmare.
I have PM'd you. ( I think)

Kelvedon is a nice village

10 to 20 minutes drive will be your issue if travelling in Rush hour. It takes me 35 mins to go less than 5 miles, from outskirts to Town Centre of a morning. I'm in Stanway. Lots of development going on. Not really villagey.

Earls Colne is a nice village with a good school. Also Marks Tey seems quite nice too and Eight Ash Green.

Wivenhoe's lovely - with a train to Colchester.

I'd agree on Prettygate or Stangate for a suburban part of Colchester. Whereabouts are you at the moment? An hour isn't a huge commute and some of the nicer villages will still involve a commute of some sort.

It’s going to depend an awful lot which side of Colchester he’s based. Eg Ipswich side and Dedham could be a 20min drive. But if he’s based over on the south side it would be hopeless.

Dedham is beautiful, don’t know about the schools though.

Are schools a consideration for you?

Oh and I agree with avoiding Greenstead. Lived there for 2 years and a very rough estate.

It depends what you like. I live in the town centre and like it.

MrsPatrickDampsey, yes, huge one!!

Thank you everyone who's answered, houve all been VERY helpful! Huge thanks!!!

DH grew up in Great Bentley, about 7 miles out of Colchester; a very lovely village and it has a train station. West Bergholt is very nice as well.

Lexton in Colchester is also lovely.

MIL lives in Longridge, Colchester, as does DSIL. It’s near the Greenstead estate (which is quite rough) but in the 20 plus years they’ve lived there, there has never been any issues.

id die of boredom in stanway or prettygate, but you do get some decent sized houses. Id also avoid greenstead because its either students from the uni, or deprived hard to house families. I know people are happy there, but i grew up there and wouldnt go back.

If you like villages, wivenhoe and rowhedge are nice