To ask where would you move to?

[boobtube]

Looking to leave South East London in the next year or so, we have 2 dc 5 & 3 but 1 on the way. DH needs to commute into the city 3 days a week & I will wfh p/t as I do now. Budget 850k ish.

Want
more space
less pollution
good schools
maybe the sea

Don't want
to drive everywhere
to not be near a high street

Does this place exist?

Tunbridge wells

Kent (Canterbury, Whitstable) would easily fit into your budget. Canterbury is an hour by train from at pancras but it depends on which area of London you need to get to. Also worth noting that it's a grammar school area

Its interesting that Kent has been suggested as this was where I was going to look at first. I have some friends who have moved to Surrey & I'm not that keen but obviously I don't know all of Surrey. I was born & raised in London to Maltese parents & DH is also born & raised to immigrants so our knowledge outside of London is pretty limited. I like the inclusiveness of London. Is the grammar system good or bad?

Cornwall

It makes sense to move into Kent, e.g. Canterbury, unless you have no ties of friends and family to lose.

DH needs to commute to Liverpool street

Leigh -On-Sea or the outskirts of Southend? Colchester?

Harwich, Clacton etc

How 'maybe' is the sea?!

Colchester. You would get a lot for you money with that budget.

Caversham near Reading. No sea, but a great river.

If he needs to commute to Liverpool St you need to look at Essex.

Punkatheart I was thinking Henley-on-Thames or Wallingford, that's why I asked!

Caversham near Reading. No sea, but a great river.

And a very quick little drive into Reading with a pretty good high street, and to the train station.

Also, a nice little Waitrose, a great Italian, and a really good Persian and Lebanese. Some good pubs too!

Colchester have been mentioned and along with Clacton, go direct to Liverpool st. Clacton is smaller though, not a good reputation and not great schools.
A friend lives in Bishops Stortford. Just on the border with Essex, but technically in Hertfordshire. Apparently good schools, but not on the sea.

Edinburgh. Lots of flights or trains to London

Saffron walden is nice. Although it is in essex it isn't too essexy and is close to cambridge. There is a trainline to liverpool street from wendens ambo.

Woodbridge is nice & has a train station. My friend lives there with her family & loves it.

Some interesting suggestions & lots to investigate. Weirdly I've never considered Essex even though it's a great commute as vast majority of our friends are in Surrey, Sussex, Kent or outer S london.

If you want to stay in that area, I'd suggest taking a look at Oxted and Sevenoaks. And Tunbridge Wells, as suggested by a PP - really nice town centre, and quite a lot of cultural stuff going on, plus close to lovely countryside.

If you're prepared to go a bit further, Tenterden is rather nice.

Actually, all along the Kent-Sussex border there are lovely small towns and villages, and a surprising number of them have stations.

For Liverpool Street you'd be better off in Essex. I wouldn't move to Tunbridge Wells as they are building flats on every corner, it's losing its character and traffic is gridlocked. Unless you are in walking distance to one of the stations parking is a) difficult and b) expensive. The waitlist for a parking space at Sevenoaks station for example is many years and close to £2k a year if you get one.

Another option is north east Kent where you can get a fast train to Stratford and change there for Liverpool St.

Any views on Folkestone?

I was going to say Guildford but the commute to Liverpool Street is a ball ache. You need to decide what's more important in terms of length and ease of commute or being near family and friends.

St Albans Guildford Oxted or Sevenoaks area. Look at slower train lines as well like Dunton Green and Knockholt those areas are great value.

Folkestone is wonderful but I would never do the commute to London - long and expensive, probably only works if you leave work by 6pm and have highish pay.

Essex also has free selective grammar schools - in Chelmsford, Colchester and Southend.