Living in Braintree

Located in North Essex, Braintree is a flourishing market town that seamlessly blends relaxing countryside and busy city life. Offering easy access to larger cities, like Chelmsford and Colchester, as well as the capital city, Braintree makes for an ideal base for young professionals, families, and retirees alike. With its vibrant local offerings and a real community feeling, it comes as no surprise that more and more people choose living in Braintree.

There are countless attractions in and around Braintree, suitable for all tastes and preferences.

The gentle rolling countryside around Braintree offers excellent relaxation opportunities, and Great Notley Country Park and Discovery Centre is set within 100 acres of beautiful countryside. Chelmsford City Racecourse, which opened in 2015, has quickly become one of the busiest racecourses in the UK, hosting racing events all year round.

Stantons Farm is a great choice for a family day out, organising animal meet & greet experiences where children can interact with 10 different species of animal, including alpacas, goats, sheep, donkeys, and pony. Dating back to the 13th century, the medieval Cressing Temple is another unique attraction suitable for visitors of all ages.

Amongst the picturesque villages around Braintree is Finchingfield, described as "the most photographed village in England". This award-winning village features colourful cottages, a quaint windmill, a duck pond, and village green, offering a peaceful setting for an afternoon stroll.

Braintree is home to one of the hottest shopping destinations in the South East. On the outskirts of the town is Braintree Village Designer Outlet, where visitors come from surrounding areas to experience designer shopping at a fraction of the price. There you will also find leading restaurant chains, a multiplex cinema, and bowling alley.
 
The town centre features many independent retailers alongside 'high street' names, as well as a twice-weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There's also a plentiful supply of restaurants and bars to take the weight off your feet after all that shopping! Some of our favourites are:
 
Las Iguanas
The House by Hilly Gant
The Fowlers Farm
The Weavers Restaurant
The Real Greek
Wildwood
Pizza Express

In addition to its excellent amenities, the town also offers exceptional transport links.

Braintree Station lies on the Greater Anglia network, providing regular train services to a number of destinations, including Chelmsford, Colchester, and Norwich. London Liverpool Street Station is accessible in under an hour by train.

Locals and visitors can also benefit from the extensive First Essex bus network, which not only takes you around the local attractions, but connects Braintree to surrounding towns too, like Witham, Halstead, and Kelvedon.

For drivers, the A120 trunk road provides quick access to Chelmsford and Colchester, and the M11 just over 15 miles away, whilst in the other direction the A12 is close by. The A131 offers convenient links to Southend-on-Sea and the M25 motorway.

Located only 15 miles away, Braintree has easy access to London Stansted Airport, which can be reached by road, rails or bus (Airlink X20). Another close option is Luton Airport, roughly 50 miles away.

Not only that, Braintree could not be easier to explore on foot! It features a pedestrian-friendly centre, lots of quiet lanes, walking routes and trails. The town also boasts a dedicated cycle network and, like most of Essex, a flat terrain perfect for cycling.

Braintree offers a range of educational facilities. St Francis Catholic Primary School, John Bunyan Primary School and Nursery, and Great Bradford's Infant and Nursery School all have been awarded “Good” Ofsted rating.

For secondary education, the Alec Hunter Academy and the Honywood Community Science School are also rated “Good”. The Edith Borthwick School is a mixed special school catering to pupils from ages 3 to 19 with learning difficulties and autism.

Nearby Felsted village is home to the notable Felsted School - a private boarding and day school which dates back to the 16th century and stands in beautiful grounds.

If you are interested in renting or buying a property in Braintree, please contact our local branch.