Good areas buy a property in Colchester

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sumali106
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:38 pm

Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by sumali106 »

My DD will be starting year 7 at Colch Girls Sep 2016.

We are looking to move near to school, as we now live in East London and I really do not want her to do the dreadful journey.

I also have a 6 year old, who will be in year 2 by that time. Therefore I am looking for a good area to move in. Ideally a commute within 30 mins to Colch girls and also within a catchment of a good primary school.

Both myself and my husband need to commute to London everyday.

Our budget is around £400k. Can someone please suggest a few areas? :)
Ipswich-mum
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:04 pm

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by Ipswich-mum »

I really like West Bergolt - it has a lovely village feel. Close to Colchester North Station and also 2.5 miles to the school. Good luck with the house hunt x
Two-at-once
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 5:54 pm

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by Two-at-once »

My DD will also be starting ColCHS in September and we live in Colchester. The Lexden area of Colchester (same area as the school) is very nice but fairly pricey. Highwoods is another good area on the opposite side of Colchester to the school. There are regular buses that go all the way through town and up past the school. The bus should take about half hour but the traffic can be quite busy getting across town. There is a good mix of house prices with some in your budget near the country park. The comprehensive school in catchment to most of Highwoods is one of the better ones (in my opinion) and there are some good primary schools too. St.John's is another area worth looking at. There are also a number of out of town areas but I don't have much knowledge of these or other areas on the same side of town as COLCHS. Good luck with your new home search!
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by KB »

Have a trawl back through the old threads as there was a lot of chat about this at least once a while ago.

The traffic getting in to the town centre and the station is pretty awful in the mornings so be aware that a short distance can take time. For example after 8 am the Lexden Road is horrid!

Do you need to be in walking or cycling distance of the rail station?

It could be worth looking at villages out to the west along the mainline - Marks Tey and maybe as far as Kelvedon. The trains aren't as frequent but it's easier to get in and out and houses are cheaper than Braiswick / West Bergholt.

If you want to be within walking distance of school and North Station there isn't much apart from very central areas and I'm.not sure about primary schools.

Prettygate is easy walk to the school but a drive to either North Station or out to Mark Tey. There are some very good primary schools that way though. Generally it's better value than Lexden Road.

There are over subscription issues with some of the more popular primary schools so do check - living close to the school might not be enough to get your youngest a place.
ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by ToadMum »

I cannot help with advice on where to buy a house or which primary school is best. However, I will say, please take time to explore Colchester. The Castle Museum is fascinating, as are the Natural History Museum and Hollytrees, the museum of social history. I always tell my 'new' StoryRhymers when we sing 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star' that it is worth the journey from Shoeburyness to Colchester to visit Hollytrees and the nursery of the girls who were the authors of the rhyme :D . I live in hope that one week, someone will tell me that they have actually acted on my suggestion since I last mentioned it :lol:

Oh and I'm sure your little one (and possibly your not so little one) would love a 'Day out with Thomas' at the East Anglican Railway Museum at Wakes Colne.

http://m.cimuseums.org.uk/
http://www.earm.co.uk/events
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Proudmumregardless
Posts: 304
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2015 9:09 am

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by Proudmumregardless »

We are in the Lexden/prettygate/Stanway/shrub end part of town and find it to be lovely. Good choice of primaries - gosbecks, prettygate, home Farm, Stanway and Stanway fiveways. We live on an estate that is a 5min walk to open countryside and easy commute to the a12.

The 15 bus goes to the station in the early hours for commuters but it is possible to cycle to marks Tey if you're fit.
Minesatea
Posts: 1234
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:08 am

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by Minesatea »

Another vote for West Bergholt, great village, good primary school, good transport links and lots to do, guides, sports clubs etc.and cheaper than Lexden.
sumali106
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 4:38 pm

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by sumali106 »

Thank you for all the replies :D
We are hoping to explore the areas suggested before buying.
Malli
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2015 2:02 pm

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by Malli »

Hi

Do you live in east London?
I live in Essex but planning to take my child by car rather than moving.
Good luck with your plan.
Please let me know if anyone else is in my situation, i.e looking to travel to Colchester from our part of London.
ToadMum
Posts: 11945
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Good areas buy a property in Colchester

Post by ToadMum »

Malli wrote:Hi

Do you live in east London?
I live in Essex but planning to take my child by car rather than moving.
Good luck with your plan.
Please let me know if anyone else is in my situation, i.e looking to travel to Colchester from our part of London.
I thought that you had organised a minibus service? Are you seriously going to do a 90 - 100 mile round trip twice a day, or do you also work in Colchester?
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
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