Ashtead/Epsom/Hinchley Wood/Thames Ditton - any insider info you can give me?

[Falcon1]

We're looking to move. We want a 4-bed family home, decent commute to London, a leafy area with lots of green space, catchment to good schools and within walking distance to shops. Moon on a stick basically.

We're considering the above areas mainly because the secondary schools are good, they're not too far from where we are at the moment and they seem to tick a lot of boxes. Can anyone tell me about what it's like to live in any of these areas?

Ashtead - concerned that it might be a bit dull with not great shops? Would we spend our life in the car?
Epsom - does it have a good community feel?
Hinchley Wood - is the road noise from the Kingston bypass really bad?
Thames Ditton - is there much in the way of green space? Is flight noise an issue?

Yes, I know we need to go an look at all these areas ourselves and we have started to. Just want to get insider info from people who actually live there.

Thanks!

When are they doing that? Clearly not being paying attention. Will park in Hook Road then when go in and avoid!

Nowithoutmymerkin, can I be nosey and ask where you're moving to? Is there anything else about the town you don't like or is it just the shops?

The works start next week but it's phased. First they're moving the bus stand from the high street to near the entrance to the Ashley centre car park. Then doing something with the spread eagle crossing. Then moving the taxi rank and some other stuff in the high street. Then new junction where you come in from chessington to allow you to turn right up south street. Then works to the junction near the theatre. The two way part is the last part of the plan and will be next year sometime. Got to be honest, it's a watered down version of the original plan to sort the high street traffic hell and it's going to be a lot of disruption and I'm not sure much gain. I shall hopefully not be here to see the end result if our house sells but I'm not looking forward to resulting chaos in the meantime

K makes sens. Where you looking to move to?

I love Epsom, spent a large part of my childhood there due to both sets of grandparents living there. My grandad was long time landlord of one of the pubs mentioned upthread. I live in Reigate now but still taken myself up to the Downs to clear my head and gaze out over London.

Ideally we'd go back to Surbiton but houses in Surbiton proper (not the part of til worth that the estate agents are now calling Surbiton) are upwards of £1m so that's off the table. I think we'll go out towards Guildford - we want a village / very small town and a local small primary

It's not just the shops. There's also the traffic and some smaller things like it's a pain to get to Kingston. All of the mums in both my antenatal groups went back to work - I'm the only sahm in epsom it seems at times! So the provision of baby and toddler groups isn't as good as it is in for example Surbiton/Kingston where there aremultiple things to do each day. There's also the commute - it's much worse than Surbiton obviously. To stay we'd need to do a side return extension on our house and we don't love the town enough to do that. It's hard to put into words - I'm not sure if it's demographic related but it seems it as a town is still quite old fashioned - it doesn't feel very progressive. The town is improving - a few lovey independent shops, but it's got a long way to go.

Ideally we'd like a village with a small primary but close to a town with facilities - somewhere around Godalming would probably meet our criteria.

On the face of it epsom was everything we wanted, and there are so many positives including green space, access to m25 etc but it's just not been what we expected

I have always fancied godalming but out of my price range. Some of it is why we moved to Stoneleigh (my sil lives in surbiton don't see the appeal) and that is more community and a better commute. I have never got why surbiton has a fast train the couple of times I have Epsom is about the same time

I did my first maternity leave in Epsom (and went back 2 days so had 3 left) and there were things on everyday all the churches have playgroup and rhyme time at the library there were loads about and made new friends everywhere so surprised it's changed. The one at the rainbow leisure centre was always popular and met people there and it's on pretty much everyday

Don't get me wrong there are kids classes and things on - I'm not saying there is nothing. But nothing like what you'll find around Kingston/Surbiton.

The fast train to Waterloo is 16/17 mins Surbiton vs nearly 40 mins from epsom (and 30+ from stoneleigh)

I think Epsom market is demonstrative of what I'm trying to explain. The normal market has an awful fruit and veg stall, lots of cheap clothes stalls, one of those stalls that sells batteries and other random crap. It feels like an old fashioned fatty market. (Though the farmers market is ok). But again nothing like the farmers market in Surbiton which is rammed full of independent stalls, with a lovely cafe culture on maple road

*tatty

I meant when the train goes fast (goes Epsom to Waterloo) it's the same time the extra time is the stopping, I am no sure why surbiton gets one and not Kingston

Stoneleigh is 25 minutes 30 max if the trains are running well it's my commute.

Think it's personal preference though I never get surbiton

Think the area actually has one of the highest proportion of SAHMs in the UK according to ONS. Perhaps the SAHMs live further out of town - with one commuter and two cars housing is much cheaper out of the centre/walking distance.

We are currently in Kingston/Surbiton and believe me, if we could afford a decent size house, we would stay. Everywhere we've looked at is disappointing compared to where are now in terms of commute and town amenities. But that's why it's so expensive!

Just how bad is the traffic in Epsom? The high street seemed very congested - is that due to the works mentioned below or is that just what it's always like? Is it bad everywhere? To be honest, the traffic is Kingston and surbiton is pretty horrendous.

Notmymerkin - you've got me worried now. I'm scared we'll move somewhere that sounds great on paper and then find that we just don't gel with the area. We can't afford to move again if we get this wrong!

Interesting that you're thinking of goldalming. We considered there too but just seemed too far out and a bit 'dead'.

Falcon1 I live in Epsom and love it, I also know Surbiton well. Surely it is all down to personal preference? Sounds like Notmymerkin needs to move quickly!

A few thoughts, Ashtead is also lovely as people have said and seems to have a better community feel but you can't walk to an M and S food hall and the trains are not comparable. Community feel is good in Epsom (you often find you have friends/associates in common) and the traffic is much better than in Surbiton, by the time you move most of the roadworks should be complete. Agree that the shops could be better, good for basics and chains but too many 'cheap' shops and not enough independents. I never really buy anything except plants in the market.

My son is now at Uni having been to Glyn, daughter at Rosebery both the best you will get outside of private sector. Stamford Green area (and my children went there) and prefer it to College but that is also lovely. Live in a much smaller house than we would elsewhere because we like Epsom and were never prepared to move away. I was a Sahm mum but obviously can't say how many there are now. Always had a choice of playgroups/clubs etc.

I hope that helps and good luck with the move.

Thanks Whitewineandchocolate - that's really helpful and good to hear.

Dont be, all this thread has proved is that different people like and want different things. If the area and house feels right go for it. I loved my time in Epsom I love my time in Stoneleigh more but that is as much that I love my house and the friends I have made more than the area itself. To others Stoneleigh just looks like a set of houses to me its my home and community.

The traffic is traffic the plans are to hopefully reduce it.

If you know Surbiton would you not consider Berrylands? I've moved here from Surbo proper and I LOVE it. Lots of community, great schools, still can walk to Surbo, lots of lovely house for your money and a driveway!

Other options are Egham and West Byfleet/Pyrford.... friends who looked at the areas you're interested in ended up going to the above.

Don't forget Claygate (v close to Hinchley Wood); much more village-y and is semi surrounded by common land for walking. V good primary. Co-op, independent fishmonger and butcher, post office, two pharmacies, cafes, station. Two trains an hour each way, about 30 mins into Waterloo. You can get directly to Surbiton station on the K3 bus.

I think it's hard to know whether Youll like an area - like you, on paper we really thought epsom had everything we needed.

Traffic wise - the high street/one way system is bad at peak times. If you're coming in from Kingston you can avoid the high street by taking the worple road route, and in future if you're coming in at the end of the high street you'll be able to turn right so that will hopefully make it easier. It's no worse than Kingston tbf.

Weird how everybody gets a different impression. We see Godalming as more rural, more buzzing, more up and coming than epsom, for a similar commute time.

Anyway don't panic, I'm sure you'll love epsom, as others have proved we seem to be the exception rather than the rule

Godalming is lovely, lots of young families. I would also consider effingham/east horsley/bookham/Leatherhead on your budget. Lots of green space, great schools, easy access to London via effingham junction or Leatherhead stations, good community. Easy to go to Guildford, Dorking or Leatherhead for shops. But there is very little on the market at the moment!

Btw, I would choose godalming over Epsom any day. Epsom is a bit depressing imho.

I always thought Goldalming was out of my price range but Epsom property seems to have risen far more than Godalming which is interesting

Godalming commute time is longer and costlier, fewer trains.