Advice on safety in Hornchurch (Elm park side) , Hainault, Chigwell

Jlfortes

Hi there!
Me and my husband are starting to look for 3 bed houses around the areas of
-Hainault
-Loughton
-Chigwell
-Hornchurch
-Elmpark
-Thamesmead
-Woolwich
He works near waltham forest and I work near oxford street, so these are the only places that are within pur budget and where we can both travel comfortable. He will be driving but I wont.

Now my question is, which of this areas are the safest? I mean i think everywhere in London is rough anyways but somewhere where youd feel more safe? I also read a forum that Hornchurch is starting to be more troubled? There was also a post where there is discrimintation for non UK born peope ( we’re both from eastern Asia) so i was wondering whether discrimination will be a problem in hornchurh or elm park? Thanks! :-)

Jlfortes

Please let me know your thoughts on the people and general vibe of the areas above. Which one is better for starting a family?? Really really huge thanks for your replies! :-)

AFF8879

I would avoid Thamesmead or Woolwich. Loughton IMO is the nicest (and well connected) area you have listed.

bouicca21

Depends which bit of Thamesmead - much of it is a bus ride from a station, which makes commuting just that bit more difficult. Woolwich has some yuppified bits bang next to some awful bits. You would need to suss it out carefully.

But if either Thamesmead or woolwich are ok transport wise, why not look at Abbey Wood?

Cakeguts

If your husband wants to drive to work it needs to be the shortest drive possible. Otherwise he will waste hours and hours trying to go a few miles.



My advice would be to live as near as possible to his work and not try to get a station with a direct link to your job. Travelling into London by train is always going to be quicker than trying to drive anywhere.

wjr4

I have no issues with Hornchurch at all. However, it is not that close to where your husband works or the best place to live to get to Oxford Street. Ideally, you want to be living close to the central line so Hainault/Loughton/Chigwell is best.

ReadingTim

Go and visit these places yourself - there ain't no number of posts by random crystal ball gazing strangers on an internet forum that can tell you how "safe" or "nice" you're going to think an area is or isn't.

And if I did have such a crystal ball, I'd be using it on next week's lottery numbers, not a housing forum!

cattie

I live on the borders of SE London & wouldn't want to live in Woolwich or Thamesmead. Transport links might be excellent nowadays in Woolwich, but that's about the only positive thing going for it I feel.


I many be wrong as it's many years since I've been through there, but Thamesmead always strikes me as just a big housing estate with the amount of building thats gone on.

My sister lives in Woodford Green so I know the NE border area a little & I'd say Loughton & Hainault are much better choices. You have the central line with very frequent trains whisking you into central London or mainline/dlr connections at Stratford.

bouicca21

Yes, there’s a reason why Thamesmead is cheap, though I am told that West Thamesmead is more pleasant than the acres of housing in other parts. And tbh the thought of commuting by car from SE London to Waltham Forest fills me with horror.

hazyjo

I grew up in Chigwell (my mum's still there) and went to school in Loughton. Know the areas around there extremely well. Got lots of friends and my sis around the area (Woodford -ish).

Also lived south of the river. Rule Thamesmead and Woolwich out. You can't compare them with the others.

Forget anything south of the river actually. No point in you being south.

Why those areas? Just budget? Some seem a bit random. What is your budget?

I'd be recommending Highams Park, E4 to you both. May be over budget though.

Does he actually need to drive?

There's the occasional racist throughout the entire UK. It's not excusable at all, and anyone should take necessary action (police report or whatever). But I don't think you can tar a whole area by some numpty that may have said something to someone once and it made the papers or a forum. tbh it goes both ways anyway. My OH has been spat on and told to leave the area, and his ex wife (Indian) was racially insulted in Frinton on Sea once. You just have to believe that the majority of people are nice!

I would have thought that Hornchurch and Elm Park are fine. OH's aunt lives in Hornchurch, as does a bloke from my work.

Hainault was always a bit cheap with more council properties. It has improved a lot recently. Barkingside and Gants Hill used to be quite affluent but have gone downhill lately. I should imagine they'll both be on the up again at some point but not sure I'd buy there yet - still fairly pricey and I think you could live in nicer places for the money. Would suggest avoiding Ilford and Romford - not so nice any more.

jamei305

Until a couple of years ago when the last one died, I had family who lived in Hornchurch since the 1930s. It's one of the nicer parts around there, especially the Upminster side.


Commuting to Oxford Street from Upminster via Fenchurch Street would be a much better option than getting the tube around those parts (the District line is slow) You could also get the same Fenchurch street line and change at Barking for Waltham Forest.