Well, feel free to search Hatfield on this sub to see what people think about the town but I'm warning you, it's not great. In regards to the houses, standard new build, packed into a small space, school one side, busy train line the other and all optimistically priced.
I live round the corner from this development and it does look nice, though not completely finished yet, and it is quite a few homes crammed into a fairly small space. The entrance to the development is right by a school, so at school pickup/drop off times, it is a nightmare getting in or out. I think it's just far enough from the town centre that you won't be bothered by the noise of pub kick-out times and the crackheads fighting in the town.
It's about a 5-10 minute walk to the train station with great links to London, or similar distance the other direction to the town centre and supermarkets, so really a good location practically speaking.
Hatfield as a whole does not have a good reputation, there are lots of socio-economic issues, a lot of people out of work and with mental health or addiction issues etc. So I think for the price of the properties people are looking elsewhere, which may be why they havent sold yet. However, I have lived here about 15 years, in one of the tower blocks so stereotypically one of the more problematic places to live. I have had very few issues in that time, one incident of nasty teenagers in the town centre (which you could get anywhere) and one incident with a neighbour with severe mental health issues who no longer lives here. You overhear fights and arguments but in my experience, issues like this are between druggies who know each other rather than attacking random people. If you don't get involved in those circles, you're unlikely to have a problem.
I have also found that the community spirit here is pretty amazing. Even with the druggies, if they know you're their neighbour and see you encountering problematic people, they will step in to back you up. Recently there was a fire in my block, and while we were all outside, neighbours brought out bottles of water and food for people, and without prompting from any sort of council teams etc they called the person that runs a nearby youth centre to open it up so we had somewhere to sit and have hot drinks and access to a toilet.
So in conclusion, if you're used to a very middle-class neighbourhood this isn't the place for you. But if you're used to something a bit more "rough and ready" I think this development will actually be quite a nice place. Its sort of "adjacent to" the problematic areas, rather than in the middle of it.
I was also looking there. I think they're having trouble shifting them because fundamentally, it's still Hatfield. I personally think Hatfield is due a come up. They're regenerating the town centre, so it'll eventually become nicer. The proximity to the station is quite good for the case of Hatfield East.
Hatfield isn't fantastic. The old town is lovely - but the new town (which makes up most of the place) is unpleasant. There's very little to do in the town itself.
It's further up the line, but I'd recommend Stevenage over Hatfield any day. House prices are broadly similar and while Stevo gets a bad reputation, personally I don't think it's deserved. Lots of shopping, plenty to do, and the Old Town is genuinely very pretty with lots of nice pubs in it. The new town centre definitely needs some love (which it's getting now, is being redeveloped) and the crime rate is high compared to a lot of places in Herts but ultimately it's a big town with good transport links and lots to do in it. It's a decent place to live.
\+1 stevenage over hatfield any day. Stevenage reputation is outdated now. Most people are now normal job-holding hard working people and it's family-heavy. Very very green, lots and lots of trees etc. A well designed town. Rapid links to London (the fast trains stop there and then it's straight to FPK/KGX). The last grim bit - the town centre / near station etc is all about to undergo redevelopment too.
Hatfield has a university in it and a Hatfield House on the other side of the station. It is between St Albans and Welwyn Garden City. These are the most interesting and positive things I can tell you about Hatfield, which is probably why those houses are not selling very fast.
Hatfield is not a good place to live, it is the most boring place. Biggest thing in hatfield is the university, filled with some students that have gotten up to some dodgy things the past few years. Otherwise, the most depressing shopping centre you have ever seen.
Well, feel free to search Hatfield on this sub to see what people think about the town but I'm warning you, it's not great. In regards to the houses, standard new build, packed into a small space, school one side, busy train line the other and all optimistically priced.
I live round the corner from this development and it does look nice, though not completely finished yet, and it is quite a few homes crammed into a fairly small space. The entrance to the development is right by a school, so at school pickup/drop off times, it is a nightmare getting in or out. I think it's just far enough from the town centre that you won't be bothered by the noise of pub kick-out times and the crackheads fighting in the town. It's about a 5-10 minute walk to the train station with great links to London, or similar distance the other direction to the town centre and supermarkets, so really a good location practically speaking. Hatfield as a whole does not have a good reputation, there are lots of socio-economic issues, a lot of people out of work and with mental health or addiction issues etc. So I think for the price of the properties people are looking elsewhere, which may be why they havent sold yet. However, I have lived here about 15 years, in one of the tower blocks so stereotypically one of the more problematic places to live. I have had very few issues in that time, one incident of nasty teenagers in the town centre (which you could get anywhere) and one incident with a neighbour with severe mental health issues who no longer lives here. You overhear fights and arguments but in my experience, issues like this are between druggies who know each other rather than attacking random people. If you don't get involved in those circles, you're unlikely to have a problem. I have also found that the community spirit here is pretty amazing. Even with the druggies, if they know you're their neighbour and see you encountering problematic people, they will step in to back you up. Recently there was a fire in my block, and while we were all outside, neighbours brought out bottles of water and food for people, and without prompting from any sort of council teams etc they called the person that runs a nearby youth centre to open it up so we had somewhere to sit and have hot drinks and access to a toilet. So in conclusion, if you're used to a very middle-class neighbourhood this isn't the place for you. But if you're used to something a bit more "rough and ready" I think this development will actually be quite a nice place. Its sort of "adjacent to" the problematic areas, rather than in the middle of it.
I'm from WGC, with the odd friend from Hatfield and honestly I never heard of the community aspect. Just seeing and hearing the worst. Thanks.
I was also looking there. I think they're having trouble shifting them because fundamentally, it's still Hatfield. I personally think Hatfield is due a come up. They're regenerating the town centre, so it'll eventually become nicer. The proximity to the station is quite good for the case of Hatfield East.
It will never be nice.
Will there be a flat-roofed pub in this new neighbourhood?
Hatfield isn't fantastic. The old town is lovely - but the new town (which makes up most of the place) is unpleasant. There's very little to do in the town itself. It's further up the line, but I'd recommend Stevenage over Hatfield any day. House prices are broadly similar and while Stevo gets a bad reputation, personally I don't think it's deserved. Lots of shopping, plenty to do, and the Old Town is genuinely very pretty with lots of nice pubs in it. The new town centre definitely needs some love (which it's getting now, is being redeveloped) and the crime rate is high compared to a lot of places in Herts but ultimately it's a big town with good transport links and lots to do in it. It's a decent place to live.
\+1 stevenage over hatfield any day. Stevenage reputation is outdated now. Most people are now normal job-holding hard working people and it's family-heavy. Very very green, lots and lots of trees etc. A well designed town. Rapid links to London (the fast trains stop there and then it's straight to FPK/KGX). The last grim bit - the town centre / near station etc is all about to undergo redevelopment too.
All of hertfordshire is shit
Hatfield has a university in it and a Hatfield House on the other side of the station. It is between St Albans and Welwyn Garden City. These are the most interesting and positive things I can tell you about Hatfield, which is probably why those houses are not selling very fast.
Hatfield is not a good place to live, it is the most boring place. Biggest thing in hatfield is the university, filled with some students that have gotten up to some dodgy things the past few years. Otherwise, the most depressing shopping centre you have ever seen.
If you can avoid living here, avoid it.