Chelmsford, Essex: Desirable Countryside

Long before the architects in Chelmsford of today were designing homes to meet the current housing demand, Chelmsford was popular as a place to live and work.  Located in the ‘v’ of the rivers Cam and Chelmer, since ancient times the site of the City has been valued for its riverside location as well as its proximity and good access to the historic towns of Colchester and London.  A town of some standing has thrived in the area since Saxon times.

By 1189 the town was known as Chelmsford, and its location on the Londinium – Camulodonum Roman road (the modern A12) ensured it prospered.  By the 13^th Century, Chelmsford had become Essex’s county town.  In modern times, Chelmsford has continued to be well served by excellent rail and road connections into London; to three major airports; City, Stanstead and Southend and the busy ports of Tilbury in 1914. Chelmsford became a cathedral town and finally, in 2012, it was granted City status by Queen Elizabeth II.

Morphing through the centuries from a market town, coaching town, industrial town and more recently into a townhome to the retail and financial sectors; as a place to live and work, the popularity of Chelmsford has not waned.

All the trappings of a city but in a rural environment

Sitting on the edge of the Greenbelt, 30 miles east of London, Chelmsford is a popular choice of home town for City and Dockland commuters seeking a rural lifestyle but reluctant to be too far from the buzz of the country’s capital as a short train journey of 30 minutes will take them back into London, Liverpool St station where they can reconnect with the buzz of capital city life.

However, living in the county’s only city, many find that all they require is to hand.  Chelmsford has a thriving entertainment and cultural scene.  The city hosts music festivals and has two theatres and a new state-of-the-art cinema complex.  There are impressive stately houses to visit and many beautiful parks to explore.  In the city centre, there is no shortage of independent restaurants, bars and cafes.  Many of the well-known food franchises have also invested in the area.  Chelmsford is fast becoming known as the foodie capital of Essex!  In fact, the city is so proud of its cultural facilities that it is setting its cap on becoming the UK’s City of Culture.

A major business based in Essex

Since Chelmsford’s elevation to city status, a boom in development has followed.  According to Experion, Chelmsford has become the biggest business based in Essex, proving an attractive and strategic location for businesses wishing to locate close to London and needing access to excellent communication infrastructure.  While the old manufacturing and engineering businesses such as Crompton, Marconni and Hoffmans have long since closed, Chelmsford is attracting investment from other major sectors such as finance, science and technology, moving away from its industrial past towards a city of modern high-value businesses and upmarket retailers such as John Lewis.  With so much investment in businesses in the area, commercial architects in Chelmsford Essex have experienced strong demand for their architectural services, carrying out feasibility studies, designing new shops and offices and retail outlets.

A surge in residential new housing and property extensions

Having decided the City of Chelmsford with its suburbs and surrounding villages is the right place for you to live you will find there is a variety of styles, sizes and values of property to choose to invest in.  In the city, there is a choice of large modern new houses on small developments and flats along the waterside. There are also roads with Victorian terraces, many of which are ripe for conversion into flats attracting the ‘buy to let’ investor.

With its ever-expanding population, the main borough of Chelmsford now incorporates all or part of the former parishes of Broomfield, Great Baddow, Galleywood, Writtle, Moulsham, Widford, and Springfield, including Springfield Barnes, now known as Chelmer Village.  Within these areas, there are properties reflecting the different architectural styles over the decades. These properties offer great potential for families to enter the market at a good price and Chelmsford architects are much in demand providing, extension and interior redesign services to upgrade them into modern, warm and welcoming homes.

Chelmsford has much history and in the city, and hamlets of the outlying villages, there is still the opportunity to buy a listed building, or barn, just looking to be converted.  MP Architects LLP in the past few years has completed hundreds of projects in Chelmsford; we have considerable experience in working with historic buildings and barns, updating them so that the current owners can enjoy the traditional features while benefitting, as far as is reasonably possible, from modern design and technology.

With quick commutes to London and important Essex towns, good schools, a university, pretty villages, and vast swathes of protected countryside and beautiful river estuaries it is no wonder that Chelmsford is a popular choice for buyers when looking at investing in property.

If you are seeking an architect to help you create a home in Chelmsford that reflects your lifestyle and meets your needs, MP Architects LLP have helped many families achieve the home of their dreams.  We know that when searching the internet for “architects near me” or “award-winning” you will find many options, but we consider we are one of the best architects in Chelmsford and Essex.  We are proud of the standard and diversity of our projects and our high-quality, professional service.  You can view examples of our previous work including house extensions, new build houses and commercial projects, by visiting our portfolio page.

If you are searching for professional, proactive and responsive architects in Chelmsford, Essex, contact us today.  The initial consultation is usually free.  We look forward to meeting you.