What is Chelmsford like?

Big!

Some expensive areas, good shopping centre (John Lewis, M & S, White Company) good connections by train to London.

Plenty of restaurants, ice skating rink, outdoor activities.

Like all places it has its seedier areas.

Good shopping and a good market.

DD1 and family seriously considered living there and viewed several houses. In the end they decided to come back within the M25 on the Central Line, though their commute is probably just as long as had they been in Chelmsford and used greateranglia trains.
What I saw of it at the time, I quite liked. The town had all the usual shops and lots of eateries adjacent to the river. Little DGD had a procedure at the hospital and it was a good enough experience, if hospitals ever can be.
Much else I don't really know.

GrannyGravy13

Big!

Some expensive areas, good shopping centre (John Lewis, M & S, White Company) good connections by train to London.

Plenty of restaurants, ice skating rink, outdoor activities.

Like all places it has its seedier areas.

You forgot it has a prison 😂

Depends whereabouts in Chelmsford as GG13 says.

Housing is more affordable further out....I am in Colchester....but train fares are more!

So funny I live in a very cheap housing area in EA and so many people from Chelmsford and similar come to live up here 🤣
I guess the whole world is on the move bit by bit

I used to live in Chelmsford (in one of the 'seedier areas' which was very nice) and would go back if the differential in housing prices wasn't so great. Its great for shopping and access to London but it has got very built up and the traffic is heavy. Great for young people.

Colchester is even better - love Colchester - why did I ever leave?

Lots of new housing being built. It has a new station on the edge of one of the new housing areas. Travel into London is fairly fast but not cheap. The schools are good and apparently Waitrose are moving back!!

Thank you all for your comments which I am passing on to my son!

Big and noisy, but great transport links and some good shops, pubs and venues.

Like most of Essex, drive for 10 minutes or so and you’ll find nice small towns, green spaces and villages.

Why not do an AirB&B there for a week and get the feel of things.

Samsara1

I used to live in Chelmsford (in one of the 'seedier areas' which was very nice) and would go back if the differential in housing prices wasn't so great. Its great for shopping and access to London but it has got very built up and the traffic is heavy. Great for young people.

Colchester is even better - love Colchester - why did I ever leave?

I too live Colchester and its surrounding areas.

*love! Not live