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A guide to living in Essex

Excellent

69.5

Very Good

24.3

Average

3.9

Disappointing

1.1

Very poor

1.1

Best places to live in Essex

How is ranking calculated?

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and the amount of verified reviews over the past 12 months.

Viewing 1-5 out of 50

Development image of Leaf Living at Chesterwell, CO4
Rental Only
Award Winner 2024

Leaf Living at Chesterwell, CO4

By Leaf Living

Award winner 2024

4.25

4.25

(21 reviews)

Chesterwell is a new community located in Colchester, a picturesque city offering a unique blend of historical woodland and scenic parks. Colchester high street, just a short walk away, offers a flurry of various shops, restaurants and bars. This new development also has excellent travel connections to London and other major cities from Colchester station as well as easy access to the A134 and A12. For family days out, Chesterwell is close to Colchester Zoo, the well-preserved Colchester Castle and is a short drive from the coast.
1st

Ranked 1st out of 20 in Essex

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Development image of Ewing House, CM14
Rental Only

Ewing House, CM14

By Heimstaden

3.97

3.97

(16 reviews)

2nd

Ranked 2nd out of 20 in Essex

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Development image of City Park West, CM1
Rental Only

City Park West, CM1

By Notting Hill Genesis, Folio London

3.96

3.96

(44 reviews)

City Park West offers a contemporary collection of 391 one and two-bedroom apartments in the heart of Chelmsford, developed by Notting Hill Genesis and Folio London. Located adjacent to Chelmsford Station, the development provides exceptional transport links and is just a short walk from High Chelmer Shopping Centre. With its strategic positioning and modern design, City Park West delivers a dynamic living experience in one of Essex's most vibrant city centres.
3rd

Ranked 3rd out of 20 in Essex

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Development image of Spinning Fields, CM7
Rental Only

Spinning Fields, CM7

By Allsop Single Family Housing

4.73

4.73

(10 reviews)

Spinning Fields is a Packaged Living development, managed by Allsop Single Family Housing. Set in the heart of the Essex countryside, and just a few minutes from the historic town of Braintree. Spinning Fields offers all the benefits of a rural lifestyle along with superb local amenities and commuting links into central London.
4th

Ranked 4th out of 20 in Essex

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Development image of Leaf Living at Coggeshall Mill, CO6
Rental Only

Leaf Living at Coggeshall Mill, CO6

By Leaf Living

4.7

4.70

(8 reviews)

Sitting beside the scenic River Blackwater and with a town history dating back to Roman times, Coggeshall Mill provides a welcoming and vibrant lifestyle, with weekly markets and plenty of local pubs, shops and restaurants making it the perfect place to call home.The development features a primary school on site for children aged 5 to 11, with other excellent schools nearby. This thriving new community is well-connected, with Colchester and Braintree a stone throw away. Kelvedon Station, located 3 miles away offers train services to Liverpool Street in under an hour and London Stansted Airport is only a 30 minute drive away.
5th

Ranked 5th out of 20 in Essex

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Featured developments in Essex

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Latest Reviews in Essex

436 total reviews

Viewing 1-5 out of 436

anonymous (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Leaf Living at Coggeshall Mill, CO6

Jul 2025

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

4
4
This is rated 4.00 out of 5.00.
4

Taf especially has been the most helpful and professional young man

anonymous (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Leaf Living at Coggeshall Mill, CO6

Jul 2025

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

There is a local co op about 7 minute walk away. Problems with this is that it can be a very congested road. The pavements to the co op are very narrow so for a family a little narrow and slightly dangerous. I t would be great to have a shop on the estate especially as its such a big one with many families. Not very much visitor parking, not bad for us but we know there are many issues with parking on the estate on the road and complaints made. Bins are collected on time, no anti-social behaviour on our side of the estate, no traffic noise for us we have been happy here.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Not about the garden situation and mould in the bathroom which we have to be constantly on top of. Taf especially has been the most helpful and professional young man dealing with our enquiry yesterday. Very approachable, friendly, helpful and courteous]. Important for the ocmpany to recognise this..

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

That the houses are warm, no too overly hot in the summer, good size bedrooms, Nice to have an en-suite, good sized garden if you can use it, The vinyl is easy to keep clean. Nice and light and airy.


Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

Sam Mac (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Spinning Fields, CM7

Jul 2025

5
5
This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.
5

Happy days

Sam Mac (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Spinning Fields, CM7

Jul 2025

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Loved it since we have been here and looking forward to many more years could do with better takeaways in the area

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Yes within days problems all sorted nothing major has happened

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I think the shops should be put in asap ther is enough family’s here to warrant some amenities


HomeViews

Nusrat Jahan (Tenant)

Verified Resident

One Canalside, CM2

Jun 2025

3
3
This is rated 3.00 out of 5.00.
3

Maintaining properties

Nusrat Jahan (Tenant)

Verified Resident

One Canalside, CM2

Jun 2025

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

This part is very good..nothing to be concerned about. Parking availability good but need to maintain the door.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

No.I m living in flat 16 barge house. Maintenance is poor. I reported about toilet wall dam issue but for a long time no response. Before us the toilet lock was not working but no one cares. Bedroom doors are without grip. Kitchen hood no maintaining. Corridor outside light is not working. Everything was reported mailed but no response.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

It's good to stay here coz the building is really living friendly


HomeViews

Nat (Tenant)

One Canalside, CM2

Jun 2025

5
5
This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.
5

Lovely building

Nat (Tenant)

One Canalside, CM2

Jun 2025

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

I’m in love with the flat. Amazing natural light and quiet. Getting to the flat is not the easiest and there’s not a lot around connecting where the flat is and the high street. If I could suggest an idea to the developers, it would be to consider discussing with the council to be able to open local shops on the ground floors of the buildings (the way some developments in east London have done) - a supermarket, a bakery, a coffee shop. It would bring a lot more life to the area and would be very convenient to the residents. One key aspect is parking, that is a nightmare for when we have visitors. I thinks there’s room for improvement here. The booking system for bays for visitors needs to be reviewed.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Yes. All of them with a positive outcome and dealt with efficiency and proactively.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I am very happy with the area in general. Particularly the lack of noise and how lovely everything looks like. Again, special mention to the management team on site.


HomeViews

anneliese polan (Tenant)

Verified Resident

One Canalside, CM2

Jun 2025

5
5
This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.
5

Great place to live !!!

anneliese polan (Tenant)

Verified Resident

One Canalside, CM2

Jun 2025

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Canalside is excellently situated for shops bars and Restaurants all within a five minute walk from the town centre only one downside to this development is no parking for disabled and lack of parking for visitors

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Very very good indeed very responsive and get things Sorted quickly

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Should have disabled parking and more parking for visitors


HomeViews

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