Loughton/Debden

[MoiJeJous]

This is my first ever post so I hope it works...

Wondering if anyone knows the Debden/Loughton area? My partner and I are hoping to buy soon and came across these areas. We live in North London so don’t know Essex/East London very well. We have no kids yet but hope to have some in a few years. Wondering if any of you know these areas well? Are they nice areas? Would you recommend? We would be looking to be within 1.5miles of a station.

Any information would be incredibly helpful! Thank you!!

I've lived and worked around Loughton & Debden for quite a few years - but I'll caviat my answer with the fact I have a job that takes me to the very worst places in any area and mean I know the worst about it, rather than seeing the good bits.

There is a lot of variance - parts of Debden are largely not that nice estates (eg I'd avoid the areas off of Oakwood Hill, and Hillyfields) whilst parts of Loughton just 5-10 minutes walk away from those areas are huge £million+ houses.

The high street is nothing to get excited about but some nice chain restaurants. I've worked in lots of the schools and think they are generally pretty good.

On the whole I quite like it as an area but there are definitely patches I would avoid - areas I know there are issues with drug dealing, antisocial behaviour etc

Epping and Buckhurst Hill are largely "posher" but that comes with a higher price tag!

Is there anywhere in particular you are looking at?

That is so helpful, thank you so much for taking the time to respond . We haven’t started viewing yet so I don’t know the areas too well yet, but i saw a few houses online in the areas you mentioned so I will definitely bear that in mind. I’ve also seen some houses around Jessel Green - do you know what that’s like?

Would you say it’s quite clear to spot the less desirable areas/roads from just walking around or is it something you come to realise after you spend a bit more time? Asking because i know sometimes you can immediately tell an area is rough whereas other times you only realise this when summer comes and people spend more time outdoors... i want to make sure we don’t get fooled by initial impressions.

Thanks again!

I would avoid Debden, I moved from there two years ago and it was awful. We downsized and moved to Buckhurst Hill. Really like it here and preschools are lovely.

I would avoid Debden, it’s not that nice. Jessel Green is right in the middle of the less nice bit and there were plans to build on the actual green. It’s cheaper, but it’s cheaper for a reason.

What’s your budget?

Wow, this is so useful.

Oh gosh @Juststopit what was awful about it? Is it the same kind of stuff as Galley mentioned?

@SylHellais the budget is £475k and we need a 3 bed

Noisy at night with mopeds and cars racing up and down , loads of anti social behaviour, shame really as our neighbours were lovely but a few families spoil it.

Include Chingford and Highams Park in your searches. They have mainline stations into Liverpool St and there are some really nice areas there. They’re also only a couple of miles from Loughton.

The whole South Woodford, Woodford, Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, Debden, Chingford, Highams Park area is quite close together.

Am not keen on Debden for reasons stated...used to go there for a keep fit class some years ago...also the shopping parade is run down and lots are shutting up due to the competition of the new shops near the vw garage etc...Loughton near the station can be very posh...i tutored some children there and houses were massive...£2m etc ...high st a bit dull...Chingford North is nice as is highams park...not sure if you have enough budget tho for a 3 bed..buckhurst hill pricier still....I think there ia a small pocket of anti social stuff in loughton, not sure which part..?...i suggest visiting day and evenings and weekends....but avoid debden...i found it depressing...huge swarthes of 50's council housing etc....for a while there were quite a lot of muggings around loughton station as thieves knew victims carried nice bags and phones....seems to have stopped now.

I’ve worked in Loughton so I know it reasonably well. It’s on the central line which is a big plus. I’d stay away from Debden for reasons pp have mentioned. I’m not sure why Highams Park and a Chingford have got such a good reputation on Mumsnet. It honestly baffles me as I spent many years living there and I would not move back if you paid me. But ultimately there are “rough” areas everywhere. Which is especially true in London. If you’re keen on the East London/Essex border, for your budget, I’d be looking at South Woodford to raise a family personally. Although I’m not quite sure it would stretch to a 3 bedroom - I haven’t looked at properties in that area recently. You could also look at Wanstead which has a nice village feel...

If you are happy to walk 1.5 miles to a station that's fine but if you are thinking of a short drive and parking think again. It's expensive and not guaranteed.

Have you looked at Forest Gate. Up and coming and you might just be lucky with your budget.

@PerfectlyImperfectx

I’ve worked in Loughton so I know it reasonably well. It’s on the central line which is a big plus. I’d stay away from Debden for reasons pp have mentioned. I’m not sure why Highams Park and a Chingford have got such a good reputation on Mumsnet. It honestly baffles me as I spent many years living there and I would not move back if you paid me. But ultimately there are “rough” areas everywhere. Which is especially true in London. If you’re keen on the East London/Essex border, for your budget, I’d be looking at South Woodford to raise a family personally. Although I’m not quite sure it would stretch to a 3 bedroom - I haven’t looked at properties in that area recently. You could also look at Wanstead which has a nice village feel...

I did mention loughton possible has a pocket of asb etc...dont know it too well...HP has changed loads...now very popular with young families who left hackeny etc to walthamstow and now move to HP...north chingford is nice...S woodford is pricey and lots of asb issues around the bars and the club on parade of shops..always shut down for drugs etc...someone mentioned FG...now pricey and yuppy but has some awful rough parts....

Slightly alternative view for you: I’ve never lived there, but have visited Loughton a fair few times and I’ve always thought it was lovely! Would agree Debden isn’t as nice though.

To be honest, for your budget, I don’t think you can stretch to a 3 bed in Higham’s Park, Buckhurst Hill or North Chingford. You’d be looking at South Chingford, which is also nice in my book (just not as ‘naice’!). If I were you though, I’d be also be looking at outskirts of Epping and agree with recommendation of Forest Gate.

I think you will struggle to find a 3-bed in Forest Gate on your budget.
Tbh, Forest Gate has its charms but it isn't leafy Loughton.

Gidea Park or parts of Romford might work for you.
This sold near us recently, for example www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/77065068#/

You're on the new Elizabeth Line (Crossrail), the new trains are already running on that section of line, its 30 mins to Liverpool Street so pretty well connected.

Primary schools are good, secondaries a bit of a mixed bag. I moved here from Walthamstow 15 years ago and have always felt safer walking home from Romford Station than I ever did from Walthamstow Central or Wood Street after dark. Town centre gets a bit rowdy on a Friday or Saturday night (pre-covid - quite a few bars and clubs) but otherwise its fine.

Debden had a lot is social housing built in the 60s and 70s. As a result, it’s always been looked down upon locally. It’s not bad housing, mostly semis with reasonable gardens, green spaces, and near the tube.

If you need value for money and are thinking of housing for a family you might consider going out into Essex on the Queen Elizabeth line.

If you need value for money and are thinking of housing for a family you might consider going out into Essex on the Queen Elizabeth line.

Yes, Brentwood or Shenfield could be an option, or other areas of Essex, but if you need to commute in then Romford, Gidea Park or Harold Wood (all London Borough of Havering) are in zone 6, so your travel fares will be less.

I can’t thank you all enough. Your responses have been invaluable. I think we’re now a bit put off by Debden so will exclude that. We’ll look at Loughton and pay close to the area.

Based on suggestions, we’ve now expanded the search to Harold Wood/Gidea Park, from an initial search it looks very promising. The new line is definitely very attractive as we’ll need to commute.

Re Forest Gate, i’ve heard mixed views about it and think it offers less in terms of proximity to green space, but we’ll keep it in mind.

Thank you all again! The search continues so if anyone has other comments/suggestions, keep them coming

If you have any questions about the area feel free to PM me

@Empressofthemundane

Debden had a lot is social housing built in the 60s and 70s. As a result, it’s always been looked down upon locally. It’s not bad housing, mostly semis with reasonable gardens, green spaces, and near the tube.

If you need value for money and are thinking of housing for a family you might consider going out into Essex on the Queen Elizabeth line.

I think it’s fair to say that that architectural style of social housing and area is not to everyone’s taste, and I’m not even being snobby about it. Friends of mine lived near Jessel Green for a couple of years and the street they lived on was great and they loved the house, but on other streets nearby there were significant anti-social behaviour problems.

There are nicer areas to live in around there.

I know them both pretty well and agree with everything that has been said about Debden. I'm not personally that keen on Loughton either - the traffic is quite bad and there were bars on the High Street that often seemed to have fights break out. What about Epping? It's only 2 stops further on than Debden and, IMO, is nicer than Loughton.

I wouldn’t fancy Debden either, but I’m trying to be objective. Loughton wouldn’t be my cup of tea either. High street is always a jam. Chigwell is a bit naff for me and has an infrequent station.

My favourites are Buckhurst Hill, Monkhams Estate Woodford Green, Wanstead or North Chingford. But Southwoodford, Theydon Bois and Epping are all good too.

When looking at the towns at the top of the Central line, the neighbourhoods West of the train tracks are always considered “better.” The low land which is the Roding Valley, East of the train tracks has more social housing (nothing rough) and is cheaper. When I moved to the area 20 years ago, old matrons would sniff about people who “lived below the line.”

Have you checked out these spacious 2 bed apartments? My husband's company just finished building them and they are lovely and really well located a stone's throw from Loughton station
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/82512337#/media?id=media0&ref=photoCollage

[quote Allaboutthatbass]Have you checked out these spacious 2 bed apartments? My husband's company just finished building them and they are lovely and really well located a stone's throw from Loughton station
[[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/82512337#/media?id=media0&ref=photoCollage]][/quote]
So they're round the side of M&S?

Just asking out of curiosity, they are lovely.

Excellent music on the video, what is it please?

Yes just next to M&S 😀. Sorry I don’t know what track they used on the video but I’ll
update if I find out 🤔