You may have heard the term ‘urban village’ before and wondered what it means.
We’re still wondering, too, to be honest!
But there’s one thing we do know: If Great Baddow is an ‘urban village’ then urban villages are for us.
With a population of around 13,000, Great Baddow is one of the UK’s largest villages.
And as such, the community feel and tradition of village life is coated with the amenities of a much larger town.
It’s also less than three miles from Chelmsford city centre.
Life in Great Baddow
Community is everything in Great Baddow and it’s that feel that attracts many families to the area.
Good schools and superb properties, many boasting genuine period charm and others full of practicality for growing families, mean this pocket of south east Chelmsford is highly sought-after.
The centre of Great Baddow takes you back in time, with more than 30 listed buildings.
But with four primary schools, a host of sports clubs, a shopping centre, medical centre and host of pubs, Great Baddow is very much a town in village clothing.
Great Baddow houses for sale
Property for sale in Chelmsford varies and Great Baddow’s mix of properties generally get ‘newer’ as you move out from the village centre.
There, you’ll find period charm in abundance as well as those stunning listed buildings.
Further away from the centre, there are 1960s and modern developments of family homes, such as those on The Spires or Millers Croft off Vicarage Lane.
There is also a good mix of modern homes and post-war builds around Great Baddow High School and close to Beehive Lane for access into Chelmsford City centre.
Flats to rent in Great Baddow
While Chelmsford city centre boasts the majority of modern flats in the area, Great Baddow is not without its superb smaller properties for those wishing to rent.
A prime example is this one-bedroom coachhouse style apartment just off Beehive Lane.
With great links back into Chelmsford, it would suit a young professional working in the city.
One or two-bedroom flats in the Great Baddow area command asking rents of between £750 and £950.
Schools in Great Baddow
Great Baddow’s popularity with families isn’t just due to the great properties in the village.
The schools are excellent, too.
Beehive Lane Community Primary School is rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, while Meadgate Primary School and Baddow Hall Infant School are rated ‘Good’.
Great Baddow High School, for girls and boys aged 11-18, is rated ‘Good’.
Shopping in Great Baddow
While the retail delights of Chelmsford’s Bond Street are only a short hop away, residents in Great Baddow are also well catered for on their own doorstep.
The Vineyards Shopping Centre sits on the site of an old Georgian property and caters for almost every need in the village.
The centre is home to a butcher, baker, green grocer, newsagent, charity shop, chemist, hairdressers, convenience store, hardware store, gift shop and a betting shop.
Places to eat and drink in Great Baddow
One of the most popular eateries in Chelmsford, let alone Great Baddow itself, is Russells on Bell Street.
Housed in a stunning 14th century converted barn, Russells serves classic fish and meat dishes – but save room for the sticky toffee pudding!
For lovers of Indian cuisine, the Baddow Tandoori is on Church Street, while traditional English pubs the Blue Lion and the White Horse are at either end of the High Street.
Chelmsford estate agents
At Martin & Co Chelmsford, we’ve been selling and renting superb properties in Great Baddow for more than a decade. Moreover, our director Stephen Frost is Chelmsford born and bred.
Stephen has been working in the Chelmsford property market for more than 20 years and his team at Martin & Co in the city are bursting with local knowledge.
If you’re looking to let, buy or sell in Chelmsford, pop in and have a chat with one of the team who will be happy to help.
