10 reasons to move to Hertfordshire this year

Hertfordshire isn’t the only county bordering London, but its excellent road and rail connections make it feel very close to the capital. Somehow, the transition from city to countryside happens faster when you’re leaving London for Hertfordshire. Rail commuters take the train into King’s Cross, Euston, St Pancras, Moorgate or Liverpool Street. At the same time, road users have the M1, A1 and M25 to get them into and around London.

The Green Belt was initially devised to stop the urban sprawl northwards. Much of Hertfordshire is designated Green Belt, so it has miles of unspoilt countryside, woods and hills, providing endless choices for walking, riding and cycling. Bushey, the location for Heathbourne Village, is surrounded by farmland and golf courses, making you feel that you’re in the countryside.

As well as rural delights, Hertfordshire has some beautiful towns. Ware, Harpenden and Hertford also have a beguiling mix of historic buildings and pretty streets. Bishops Stortford, Hitchin and Tring, are also famous for their excellent commuter links and sought after schools. St Albans, officially a city thanks to its magnificent cathedral, has a lively and sophisticated centre with excellent restaurants, and lots and lots of pubs.

Northeast Hertfordshire, in particular, has some lovely villages that also offer brilliant gastro pubs and restaurants and browse-able independent shops along with historic buildings. The Hertfordshire Mercury puts Much Hadham, Standham, Flaunsden, Hunsdon, Barkway, Braughing and Fairfield on its list of favourites. There’s also an entirely new village, Heathbourne Village in Bushey, recreating the traditional community way of life with luxurious new houses and apartments.

Much of the 26 miles long, 10,000-acre park is in Hertfordshire, taking in Cheshunt, Broxbourne and Hoddesdon as it follows the course of the River Lea. There’s a fantastic range of reasons to visit the park. Sports, many of them water-based, including Olympic standard white-water rafting, but also cycling, golf and horse riding. Nature, parks, gardens and heritage sites such as Waltham Abbey Gardens and Rye Meads Nature Reserve. There are walking trails, kids’ activities, cycling routes and marinas too.

The town has been undergoing several major regeneration projects – business, retail, housing and transport – to secure its future prosperity. The Atria shopping centre (formerly Intu) has a great range of mid-market fashion shops and eateries, plus a cinema and ten pin bowling. And Watford is also on the tube, with a Metropolitan Line route direct to Baker Street and the City.

There is numerous annual ‘best place to live, ‘best place to raise a family or even ‘happiest place to live’ rankings, but Hertfordshire and its towns frequently come out near the top. St Albans has been voted no. 1 for families by the Sunday Times, and East Herts the best place to live in the UK in the 2020 Halifax Quality of Life survey.

Government statistics* show that Hertfordshire residents earn far more than the national average, probably because they can commute easily to high-paying jobs in London. There are also more jobs per resident in Hertfordshire, reflecting its proximity to London and the M25 employment corridor.

*Hertfordshire Area Review 2017

Good schools in the state and independent sector abound, with 121 schools rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted**. A higher than average number of pupils (42.2%) go on to higher education.

**www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

Our exclusive new village community, in Bushey, offers beautiful Arts and Crafts style houses and apartments in gated, leafy surroundings. Living here, you can experience many of the benefits of Hertfordshire life, including Green Belt countryside, convenient commuting to London, good schools and a traditional village lifestyle.