Moving from Ruislip to Essex

[Moonmom39]

Hi, I’ve recently put my house on the market and planning to make a move to Essex.

Where I live in Ruislip is very nice, tree lined roads, cafes, libraries, as well as Waitrose/Sainsbury’s/Aldo/Lidl.
Ruislip Woods and Lido is great for DD and the dog and so being near to similar is preferable.
In terms of quaint and local shops the choice in Ruislip in large. As well, the people are friendly, and there is a real sense of community. It is one of the few places I know where you can walk down a street and wave to someone because you’ve seen them before. I’d like to adopt the same in a new area where I am able to afford more for my money.

Hillingdon Council gives its residents a residents card, this allows us to park within the borough for a significantly reduced charge. I doubt I’ll get that anywhere else as
I’ve not heard of other council’s offering the same. Just thought I’d put that out there in case there is such a thing anywhere else.

Now that I’m planning to move to Essex and I’ve explore a few areas, I wondered could anyone help in determining any areas I should stay clear of places I need to hone in on.

So, Benfleet/Thundersley, Braintree Great Notley, Black Notley, White Notley, Chelmsford or Brentwood.

I’m looking for a 4 bed detached up to £450k.

My DD is 7 and so a good CoE primary school is a must. I’ve done schoolchecker on Rightmove and St Michael’s is one which keep coming up.

Any ideas, advice you could give is greatly appreciated.

Looking forward to hear back.

Chelmsford and Brentwood are much larger than the Notleys , and Braintree . Have you discounted Witham for any reason ?
Witham has (imo) better choice of schools , shops and is a direct train line into London. With Braintree you have to get into Witham for the train.

Personally if you can afford it I would look around Billericay. Schools are very good and it has the community feel that you have in Ruislip. I grew up in Ruislip in the 80's and would go back in a heartbeat! I have family in Billericay and they love it.

I think you'd struggle with £450k for a detached in Billericay. You'd probably get a semi for that amount. We've been looking there and for the size you're after they tend to be £550k plus. Billericay does have great schools though and a good high street.

Chelmsford is a bit more reasonable in price but further out from London, it does still have grammar schools which is appealing to some.

I’d been researching the Notley’s and understood that they have a good reputation as areas in Essex go.

Apparently the further up you go in a Essex the better the area get??!?

I wasn’t too impressed driving through Chelmsford into Braintree tbh. Quite diverse I’d say.

Ruislip is diverse, but at the same time it’s foundations are conservative and what holds that together the sense of community.
That’s what I’m looking for really.

So I work from home as a counsellor/psychotherapist and so being near to transport links is a must.

One afternoon a week I volunteer at dd’s school helping with reading.
Ideally, I’d like to get de into a good/outstanding CoE school, also where they encourage parent helpers/participation/fundraising etc.

I’ve not considered Witham because I hadn’t heard of it until now to be fair.
I drove to Halstead, for example, and it had the quaint feel about it but that was it. I didn’t sense anything else going on that I’d love to start a new life around.

When I look at a high street/local parade of shops, if it has too many bookies or funeral homes, it’s a no.

Having checked out Witham online today, it’s above my price bracket of affordability sadly.

As near to the M25 corridor is best as I would need to be able to drive back to my parents’ who live off the A40 Western Avenue.

I live in braintree (just outside of notely) and it's fine but there isnt much here! Halsted is where I work and I could bear to live there it's so so small. Chelmsford is nice and you would be just about in budget.

I would say the Notleys are a good compromise so long as you know for shopping and nightlife etc you would need to travel to chelmsford or colchester

I also dont like shitham (witham) but that's the snob in me!

Why are you moving?

How could you leave Ruislip OP😊

Card is excellent

How about do any of you know/or can offer insight into Waltham Abbey or Cheshunt?

Yes the Hillingdon Resident’s Card is very good for parking.

Moving for a fresh start.

Witham is a bit too far north than what I’m looking. I’d like to stay near to the M25 belt as poss.

I like Essex. I’ve also considered Wooburn Green / High Wycombe areas, for price and affordability, and now I’m exploring both options to find the right area.

For anyone moving to Essex I would suggest that as a rule of thumb they stay north of the A127. South of that tends to be the industrial uglier part of the county. Tbh, the further north to you the nicer it is.

I wasn’t too impressed driving through Chelmsford into Braintree tbh. Quite diverse I’d say.

I can never get over how people think it’s okay to say these things out loud on a mainstream forum.

I wasn’t too impressed driving through Chelmsford into Braintree tbh. Quite diverse I’d say.

I can never get over how people think it’s okay to say these things out loud on a mainstream forum

I don’t think OP is being racist as it certainly is not a racially diverse area. Perhaps she can clarify what she means by diverse in this instance.

"Ruislip is diverse, but at the same time it’s foundations are conservative and what holds that together the sense of community.
That’s what I’m looking for really. "

Take a big FU from "diverse" Labour Islington North, OP. Go stick your Tory values up your derrière.

Driving from Chelmsford into Braintree :- diverse :- industrial buildings :- roads without trees :- an area with housing and next nothing for miles until you hit a succession of roundabouts :- followed by an estate of offices.

A word to the wise!!

I don’t know what planet you are from but where I live on earth we don’t consider talking about buildings and roads fashioned with 70’s architecture to be offensive.

In terms of accessibility from the M25, Chelmsford to Colchester is comparable time wise to Chelmsford to Braintree.

Driving from Chelmsford into Braintree :- diverse :- industrial buildings :- roads without trees :- an area with housing and next nothing for miles until you hit a succession of roundabouts :- followed by an estate of offices.

I imagined that was what you meant OP. I suspect the other poster thought you you were implying the area was racially diverse, which as it’s local to me I know it certainly isn’t.

Take a big FU from "diverse" Labour Islington North, OP. Go stick your Tory values up your derrière.

Totally unnecessary MonnaLiza. I think, like another poster you’re seeing something that isn’t there.