Affordable Villages between Chelmsford and Shenfield

[Hoolahoophop]

Does anyone know this area? We are considering relocating for DH work. I don't really know the area at all, except from a quick look, its expensive. Is there anywhere affordable, close to a station and yet feeling a bit more rural Essex than London Essex in the area. Budget is around £650k but that's a stretch, currently a lot less than that has bought us 5 beds, nice garden, close to pretty small down center.

Thanks.

What station does he need for work?

Shortest hop possible into London really, he's looking at a few positions in west London and just wants to cut the commute as much as possible.

Are you definitely after village life rather than a town? Because you’ll have to drive to a train station. Whereas if you’re in Shenfield, Brentwood or Billericay (for example) walking to the station is more doable.

Going back to villages, off the top of my head, I can think of Stock (pretty expensive I’d say), Ramsden Heath, Ramsden Bellhouse, East and West Hanningfield...

The only station between Chelmsford and Shenfield is Ingatestone. Is he planning to drive to the station and park? If so you could look anywhere around there, Ingatestone has plenty of parking (though it's pricey of course). It will definitely feel more rural than London Essex, once you leave a town/village you're out in the sticks pretty quickly.

A commute to west London would be awful though - I commute from Chelmsford into Liverpool St and that's enough.

You might get something in Writtle for that price.

Dh would prefer town and walking to the station. I'm already going to have a bigger commute (work in North Essex close to Suffolk boarder) and I prefer village or at least small, market town life. So we both end up making a compromise. Also, need to consider schools, have two primary age children. I think I've been to Hanningfield Reservoir. Ill look at that for a start. Thanks

Do not move to Essex if you are looking at working in West London!!! Even the North London Line is slow......
650K is not much for most of South Essex certainly in easy reach of a station.
If working nearish Liverpool Street then look at Kelvedon.

Currently he's working at Stratford, but more jobs coming up in west London in his area. Obviously cant move any better for those than South Essex without me leaving my job (which actually has the potential to have the higher income when I return full time) Its not looking easy!

Don't forget you've got cross rail opening up in the future so it'll make it much easier to get across London.
I'd echo Kelvedon as a recommendation.

Just looked at Writtle, lovely, agricultural college and close to Chelmsford for secondary schools. Broomfield also popped up. I suspect that Dh will want to get closer to London. But its a start!

Be careful with the ones on the Burnham on Crouch-Wickford branch line - so Rettendon Common/East Hanningfield - anything with South Woodham Ferrers, Battlesbridge as the nearest train station. The line is notoriously unreliable and prone to cancellations. I think a lot of people end up driving to and from Wickford instead.

There are some nice villages around Witham and the Witham to London Service is o.k, but that would be a drive to the train station in most cases.

Agree Kelvedon was my first thought when I saw your post. But the roads around Shenfield train at commuter rush hour get gridlocked very easily.

After your latest post, villages with access to Marks Tey might be worth a punt, BUT there is a lot of concern about a "garden village aka West Tey" being developed around there which could be off putting. Car parking at MT station is not brilliant.
Broomfield is not really a village- it has become part of Chelmsford and the hospital is there and attracts a lot of traffic.
Also bear in mind that traveling from South Essex to North Essex/ South Suffolk can be a nightmare. The A12 can be a dog in both directions in the rush hour- there are alternatives but they are rural roads.

One of us, or both of us are going to have a horrible commute, to like in a worse house than we do now in a location we like less. Not sure this is a good plan.

My post got all mangled as I meant to also suggest Kelvedon Hatch, which is near Shenfield.

But it does sound like a flawed plan. Or a case of misery loves company.

Easiest commute to Stratford would be the Shenfield line, but Shenfield isn't a village and doesn't have that 'feel'. Writtle is lovely, I lived there for a year - it is very much villagey but a train commute would be very difficult, especially if it ends up being West London.

If you come any further in (Romford, Upminster) the commute is better but you'd be living in a town, although Upminster is nice and v much on the edge and close to lots of land etc. However, you'd be lucky to get a decent 3 bed anywhere near the station for £650k! I work in Upminster but couldn't afford to live there.

This is why people don't like living in the south east

Writtle is quite a way from the station in Chelmsford and rush hour traffic in Chelmsford is terrible. Kelvedon Hatch is worth looking at. You could consider Ongar but that would mean a 15/20 minute drive or bus journey to Epping or Brentwood and difficulties with parking.

Honestly, I would look into whether a different job might be a possibility for one of you.

Unfortunately you're right - mid-Essex to west London is not something I'd choose to do (even getting home from a gig occasionally is a nightmare), and it doesn't seem feasible for you both to have a long commute in different directions - especially with kids.

My partner and I both work in London with long commutes (mine 1hr 20, his 1hr 40), and it's daunting starting a family with that travel time. I can work at home a lot, which might help if one of you could wrangle it?

Going into Stratford would be fine, if your husband could stay around there instead of west London? But I'm afraid you're going to struggle to get a large house near a station in a nice small town or village around Chelmsford/Shenfield unless you're right out in the countryside and drive to a station.

It really does look like back to the drawing board. I cannot really change jobs (I'm one of the company owners). Could possibly work from home a but I think its important to go in and see and be seen. But I don't want DH to be stuck in jobs he hates or having to commute 2 hours a day. He has been doing a lot of that since we have been together.

I’d skimmed over the West London part. Honestly, that would be soul destroying. I used to commute from South Essex (on the c2c line) to Oxford Circus in my early 20s and that was pretty brutal. But I was young free and single and it didn’t matter then. No way could I do it now I’m old and knackered.

Maybe consider herts/beds. Somewhere like Hitchin. Would obviously be a long drive for you but it's got more main road options than just the A12. Trains go into Kings cross.

Ingatestone is one stop after Shenfield and one stop before Chelmsford. It is a nice village/town with a mainline station. It is situated close to the A12. Commuting to Stratford or Liverpool St will be easy from there and driving north on the A12 to North Essex is doable as it's one road right to the Suffolk borders. The A12 does get busy around the Boreham Interchange (Junction 19) but I do think this would be the best option for both of you. Obviously if DH works in West London then that is another hurdle to cross.

This property is in your budget and within half a mile of the mainline station.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56602263.html