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Original poster

North Essex

36 replies

Kim004 · 08/08/2023 12:33

Hi all,

I am thinking of moving next year with husband and 2 year old. We currently live in Rainham, Essex and would like to move to a nicer part of Essex. I still need to commute to London, so I think I would commute from Witham and no further up ( due to travel cost ) I don't really want to move to Witham, but a surrounding place that I can drive to the station. I don't want to be rural, but somewhere nice my son can have a good childhood. I am prepared to move again later on for secondary schools, if need be, so this will just be for the next maybe 6-8 years. I just want me son to grow up in a nicer, safer place. I think budget would be around 450k. Any advice or recommendations would be

OP posts:
Aworldofmyown · 08/08/2023 12:35

It depends how far you want to be from Witham, what kind of house? Those areas are still quite pricey.

Daisymay2 · 08/08/2023 13:12

When that house advert says close to the A120 they are not joking. Marks Tey is quite a bit further out from Witham, its really Colchester, and the trains out of rush hour are not that great. Similarly Kelvedon- the stop between MT and Witham.
Parking at Witham station used to be a nightmare, so check it out.
Coggeshall and surroundings are quite nice, and there might still be a commuter bus to Kelvedon. Braintree has a branch line from Witham but don't know what its like to live there.
OP I don't like to be alarmist, but before you look at North Essex too much have a good look at the National Grid's proposed pylon project . They want to put 180km of 50m tall pylons from Norwich to Tilbury, apart from in the Dedham Vale AONB where its going underground. Its already affecting sales of properties in Essex/Suffolk. There is a consultation going on at present.

RuthTopp · 08/08/2023 13:18

Witham is not all that bad , prefer it to Braintree . Have a look at Hatfield Peveral it also has a station , it was a very nice place but now has lots of new builds which may or may not be your thing. Also the noise from the A12 might effect some houses.

Original poster
Kim004 · 08/08/2023 13:23

Thank you! that property is lovely. As long as it is a decent property in a nice area, I am relaxed. 4 bed would be amazing, as that is what I have now, but if I need to downsize, so be it. It's is more about having a nicer place for my boy to grow up and obviously still being able to get to work easily enough. I looked at Colchester town, but a lot of people say it can be quite violent on a weekend.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kim004 · 08/08/2023 13:26

@Daisymay2 thank you! I will look into that now!

OP posts:
Quackajack · 08/08/2023 13:34

Colchester is lovely.

Original poster
Kim004 · 08/08/2023 13:52

Thank you all for responding, does anyone know what Tiptree is like?

OP posts:
Furries · 08/08/2023 13:54

You could also look at areas in and around Manningtree. Manningtree has fast trains to London with a journey time of around 50 minutes - I think they only stop at Colchester and Stratford before ending at Liverpool St.

UnderCarraigeWoes · 08/08/2023 14:10

here n price range and not a long journey to WItham station. Local school good too.

Daisymay2 · 08/08/2023 15:10

I quite like Tiptree and have looked at moving there in the past. There is new building going on there at the moment.
there seem to be quite a lot of clubs and organisations there. Don’t know about the schools. It has the wonderful Cheap Shop which is a Mecca for those who love crafts, upholstery and sewing, (It’s not cheap though) as well as the Tiptree jam factory, shop and tearooms.

SherlocksDeerstalker · 08/08/2023 15:16

Tiptree is lovely but I’d class it as relatively rural. We go at the weekends to the garden centre and to see the moor ponies on the heath. It’s a great village with a lovely butchers, good supermarkets and nice walking routes if you’re outdoorsy. Closer to Chelmsford you have Danbury, little baddow, Sandon villages (that whole area is lovely and good schools) or the other side towards Writtle, Roxwell, Springfield etc. good routes into London from chelmsford station.

Aworldofmyown · 08/08/2023 16:18

I've lived in Colchester all my life, I love it. Partner commutes from Marks Tey or Witham.

Tryingtomoveisdrivingmecrazy · 08/08/2023 18:50

I would recommend looking at Maldon. Really nice little town, lovely walks along the waterfront. Close to Hatfield Peveral station.

RuthTopp · 09/08/2023 07:26

Op wanted a railway station , for Maps on you have to get to Chelmsford , Witham , or Hatfield Peverel , all at least 20/30 mins in the car.

Bootoagoose123 · 09/08/2023 07:30

Maldon is lovely - you could drive to Witham Station - and a bit cheaper because it doesn't have a station of its own.

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 09/08/2023 07:31

RuthTopp · 09/08/2023 07:26

Op wanted a railway station , for Maps on you have to get to Chelmsford , Witham , or Hatfield Peverel , all at least 20/30 mins in the car.

Hatfield Peverel station is a ten minute drive from Maldon. I do it regularly. Maldon is a beautiful little town. Lots of lovely independent shops in the high street, a lovely waterfront and set in the middle of the countryside.

RuthTopp · 09/08/2023 07:38

@AppleDumplingWithCustard

what time of day ? I'm thinking of the traffic up / down the hill or the bypass .

AppleDumplingWithCustard · 09/08/2023 08:52

Various times from 8am to evening. I wouldn’t use the bypass to get to HP. Better to go via Langford and Ulting.

Gomez15 · 10/08/2023 12:41

I lived in Maldon all my life until about 4 years ago. It is lovely - getting quite big now, loads of new houses and not the infrastructure for them but I think it’s like that everywhere sadly. Wouldn’t personally live in the villages round about, though they are lovely, because I like to be able to walk to the shops but that’s a personal opinion.

StarbucksSmarterSister · 10/08/2023 14:00

I looked at Colchester town, but a lot of people say it can be quite violent on a weekend.

That's news to me! It's no worse than any other town.

Commuting can be a PITA, when it works It's great, when it doesn't ....

Surrounding countryside is lovely, beach 40 minutes.

StarbucksSmarterSister · 10/08/2023 14:11

Furries · 08/08/2023 13:54

You could also look at areas in and around Manningtree. Manningtree has fast trains to London with a journey time of around 50 minutes - I think they only stop at Colchester and Stratford before ending at Liverpool St.

They tell you it's 50 minutes ....

Minimum travel time I've ever done is 50 mins from Colchester (so easily 60 from Manningtree) and that was not at peak time when there are more trains. It's quite quick until you get near Shenfield when several lines meet up and then one delay causes a knock on.

Manningtree is gorgeous though. If OP didn't need to go to London daily it might be worth it. If it's a daily commute OP, don't look at more than a 40 minute train ride. Maldon would be ok. Braintree branch line isn't great according to colleagues who lived there.

Original poster
Kim004 · 10/08/2023 22:55

@Furries thank you for the info! I unfortunately do have to commute 4 days a week, sometimes 5. I have to get into London and then across. Looking for a 90 mins commute max. I’m currently on an hour but will stretch the extra for the right place. @StarbucksSmarterSister I don’t actually know anyone that lives in Colchester, it’s just people online, obviously I take it with a pinch of salt as Colchester looks lovely! I’m from Kent, living in Rainham Essex so this is all new to me. @Gomez15 I too like to be In walking distance of some amenities, but also like the look of a large village / small town. I don’t mind driving to station 10/15 mins In the morning, but I would hate to regularly get gridlocked. @Daisymay2 what did you like the look of tiptree? From all of the research I am doing, it seems one of the best suited as I want a place with a few supermarkets to choose from and there a few primary schools, maybe maldon might be the same. I want to be able to have things quite close but still be far away from the London mentality. Such a difficult choice! I appreciate all your input x

OP posts:
NutellaNut · 10/08/2023 23:13

Saffron Walden, lovely, great location. Prices reflect desirability though.