Rochester and surrounds information needed

marmitepotato

How about this.

Check out this property for sale on #Zoopla http://zo.op.la/1nc6dM via @Zoopla

Cheeky_Monkey

The house in Northcote Road is so cheap because it is waaay too close to Darnley Road :eek:

Windofchange

Thanks for the replies. The bungalow is not for me, but will have a look at the areas. Tunbridge and Sevenoaks are nicer yes, but I doubt I will be getting a large(ish) house there for the money that I have. Will have a look at the other two. I had never heard of Darnley road before, but this is the sort of information I want - building up a picture of somewhere I have little knowledge of.

Having said that, on my run last night around the river I saw a man getting his scooter stolen by a group of youths in broad daylight just off the Chelsea Harbour (knife point), and then I got threatened (read one of them lurched into my way and made a punching motion before laughing) by another large group of youths coming back down through Battersea right outside the new development of million pound flats.

The conclusion is that scum exists everywhere, and even if I had a few million for a Chelsea penthouse, I'd still have gangs of ferile youths marauding around my neighbourhood. I guess the difference is there would be fewer of them!

I suppose the point I am trying to make is that I'm not after complete peace and tranquility, but just want somewhere reasonably safe. If we go back to strood and the surrounds, is the whole area a no go zone, or just the Darnley road part?

Tassotti

How about a bit closer to London like Ebbsfleet, or Dartford.

Ebbsfleet is 'up-and-coming' and 17 mins into London

Windofchange

Had a quick look at Ebbsfleet - thanks for the suggestion and I will add it to my list of areas. As per previous post I am on a big motorbike, so train links are a secondary consideration, but I guess for the odd boozy night out it would be a bonus...

Any thoughts on how rough or otherwise it is?

Cheeky_Monkey

You're right, scum gets (almost) everywhere but then you are talking about London :eek:

I happen to be lucky enough to live in a desirable road in Rainham (borough of Gillingham) and I've lived here for 10 years with not so much as a sniff of trouble. Although that could in part be due to the fact that it's a no-through road.

Back to Strood. I don't know the whole area very well, I just have to work there sometimes. However, most people who live in Medway have generally heard of Darnley Road and not for the right reasons :eek:

Windofchange

It would appear that within farting distance of darnley road is a big no no. Ebbs fleet and surrounds looks promising. Can't afford Tunbridge and surrounds for what I want - could get a flat, but will probably outgrow that in a few years time and have to move. Who knows by then what prices will be doing, but if the spill out from the carnage that is London continues then I'd rather get in now than 3 years down the line.

charlamine

Northcote road has a fairly busy main road in front of it where parking would be a mare and behind all the gardens is the main track in and out of London, the recreation ground in front of it can also attract large group of teenagers drinking in the summer.

Darnley road is apparently not as bad as it used to be, but there is I believe still a fair bit of dealing, and anti social behaviour in some parts.

Frindsbury and Wainscott are definitely the best areas in Strood.

We are moving to Hoo which might be good for you if u are not reliant on train to commute, you come down four elms Hill out of Hoo and your straight on the A2. It has more of a village type feel, local shops in the town bakery's etc, lots of farmland, near to river. There are a lot of new builds going up so development going on in terms of schools etc.

This is in Hoo at the moment

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52095419.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33978258.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52760951.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34716675.html

Running_Horse

Strood, Chatham and Gillingham High Streets are appalling by day and night with few decent pubs (none in Central Strood). Rochester is the best bet if you are considering Medway, with art galleries, a range of pubs and restaurants, and nice caf!s.

Maidstone is mostly OK, with Vinters Park, Allington worth a look. Someone said Aylesford which has nice villagey parts, but also lots of industry. Snodland is like Chatham transported to the middle of nowhere. Kings Hill can be very snobby and antiseptic.

Windofchange

charlamine wrote: »

Northcote road has a fairly busy main road in front of it where parking would be a mare and behind all the gardens is the main track in and out of London, the recreation ground in front of it can also attract large group of teenagers drinking in the summer.

Darnley road is apparently not as bad as it used to be, but there is I believe still a fair bit of dealing, and anti social behaviour in some parts.

Frindsbury and Wainscott are definitely the best areas in Strood.

We are moving to Hoo which might be good for you if u are not reliant on train to commute, you come down four elms Hill out of Hoo and your straight on the A2. It has more of a village type feel, local shops in the town bakery's etc, lots of farmland, near to river. There are a lot of new builds going up so development going on in terms of schools etc.

This is in Hoo at the moment

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52095419.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33978258.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52760951.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-34716675.html

Thanks for that. Numbers 3 and 4 tick most of the boxes. Number one would be just about affordable, but would get me back into a fair bit of extra debt ontop of a mortgage which I have worked hard to clear off!