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!

I don't like Epsom town centre - I find it a bit down at heel and depressing. If either of you commute, you might want to check as I think Epsom is served by Southern Railways and who knows how long this strike is going to go on!

As another PP has mentioned, Claygate is very green with a bus service that goes to Surbiton and Kingston (as well as a train), so might be good if you want access to Kingston shops/friends.

Epsom is served by both Southern and South West trains, it's one of the attractions of commuting from here - double the options! (if the words commuting and attractions can actually be used in the same sentence...)

Thank you all so much - this has been a really useful thread.

Leatherheadluvie - you're right about not a lot being on the market in Godalming - just had a look. Hardly anything!

To the posters suggesting Claygate - this is within our search area and I quite liked it. Again though, not much on the market and it seems like you have to be careful which area you're in to get into hinchley wood school.