Moving from Medway/Kent to Essex- Where to Move?

[zoebee93]

I am looking to rent in the Essex area and I don’t drive but my husband does. We are looking around the Maldon area as that’s where his job is. There seems to be good bus links there too.

Any advice on other areas we should consider? We are looking at southminster, south woodham ferrers and burnham on croach- are these nice areas? I’ve heard mixed reviews about Wickford?

Thanks for any help 😄

Chelmsford is nice, south woodham has nothing there and I would avoid Burnham or south minster in the "dengie" as getting to shops or the hospital will take ages! Danbury would be good if you can afford it?

Wickford is very mixed too, I personally dislike it there!

I live in Maldon. It’s a lovely town. You’re just 20 mins by car from Chelmsford and surrounded by countryside. There is no train station but in 10/15 minutes you can be at Hatfield Peverel or Witham which are a 40 minute journey to Liverpool Street. I feel that both Burnham and Southminster are a bit too far into the Dengie peninsular whereas Maldon is just on the edge so far more accessible. Maldon itself has a lovely high street with lots of individual shops together with M&S food. We’re also on an estuary and the riverside is pretty.

Thanks so much for your advice Inferiorbeing and AlexiaAmbidextra!

When you say there is nothing in South Woodham, what do you mean? I’m not sure it would bother me if as there’s transport! Is it a nice area other than this? Yes, Maldon we are looking at too!

Well there is an asda, a pub and a chip shop.. my friend lives there and by his own admission there is no point visiting! Instead he comes to ours (braintree) or we meet in chelmsford. I grew up in bicknacre and honestly would avoid it there, very small minded and cliques!

SWF is nice enough though!

Maldon is lovely if you don't need a train station, we would live there if we didn't work in London. There are regular buses to Chelmsford, though they take ages compared to driving.

SWF just has nothing - it's just houses and a few shops. I wouldn't want to live there without being able to drive, you'd feel very stuck. But you get a lot more for your money and there's some lovely countryside around it. I have friends who live there and love it.

I don't like Wickford at all. Can't really explain why, just find it a bit grim. And I definitely wouldn't move to Burnham without being able to drive.

Chelmsford is fine, plenty going on, though of course housing is more expensive than the areas you're thinking of.