Moving to Maidstone

[Norr808]

We’re a family of 4 (have a young boy and baby girl) and we’re thinking of relocating to Maidstone from South East London (Kidbrooke/Blackheath) to be closer to family.

We’ve found a house we love in Cranborne Avenue/Marion Crescent but we wanted to find out if this was a good area to move to. We wouldn’t be needing to be close to a train station but would want a nice, safe, family friendly area to move to with an easy reach to London (my OH will drive to London daily to get to work in Blackheath).

What are those roads like to live in?

I live in Faversham and used to live in Rochester so basically the two towns either side of Maidstone.
I don’t know those particular roads but the Loose road which is nearby I often drive down and it’s one of the worst for traffic in the area. They closed off the link with Cranborne as there was talk of reconfiguring / streamlining ? the roads and the traffic is now worse
I think however they have decided to open it again, mainly because the council don’t have the money to sort the roads out anyway. Unfortunately that won’t help the traffic problem
Tbh the whole of Maidstone is awash with cars but coming from London you’ll be used to that and maybe think nothing of it.
Suggest visiting the area at the end of the school day. That often tells you a lot about an area

Apart from that I can’t help I’m afraid

If no one local comes on Suggest up you check online crime reports for those roads. Plus you can Google and get demographics etc

I spent my teenage years in Maidstone (a long time ago) and that area is not great. It was part of the large Shepway council estate but don't know if it has improved. As mentioned above the traffic on the A229 is terrible but any roads into Maidstone town centre are bad. I still visit friends in the area and can report the town itself has gone downhill but I think most towns in the UK have!

With your partner driving to Blackheath for work I would suggest the other side of town - Allington or Barming - as easier to get to the M20 to get to south east London. They are both nicer areas as well. Your children are still young but Oakwood Park has good secondary/grammar schools in that area.

Edited as I realised I live on the other cranbourne so reply not relevant!

Thank you for your messages, we’re reconsidering and looking at Barming and towards Sevenoaks

I commute into Maidstone and whilst both of those roads are ok with very nice 1930s houses, that area is as pp have said very congested. Getting to a motorway to get to Blackheath would be a nightmare start to your day, there is no direct or simple route. I would look at areas nearby where you can google and see easy access to the M20.

I think moving East of Maidstone will be better for you.

I commute from near barming twice weekly to Blackheath. It’s fine and a nice area