CONTENTS: INTRODUCTION - ASHFORD, KENT - BATH, SOMERSET - BECKENHAM, KENT - BEDFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE - BILLERICAY, ESSEX - BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE, BIRMINGHAM - BOURNEMOUTH, SUSSEX - BRENTWOOD, ESSEX - BRIGHTON, SUSSEX - CAMBRIDGE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE - CANTERBURY, KENT - CARDIFF, WALES - CHELMSFORD, ESSEX - CLEETHORPES, LINCOLNSHIRE - COLCHESTER, ESSEX - EPPING, ESSEX - GRANTHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE - GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK - GUILDFORD, SURREY - IPSWICH, SUFFOLK - KETTERING, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - KINGS LYNN, NORFOLK - LEICESTER, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - LIVERPOOL CITY CENTRE, LANCASHIRE - LUTON, BEDFORDSHIRE - MANCHESTER, LANCASHIRE - MILTON KEYNES, BEDFORDSHIRE - NORWICH, NORFOLK - OXFORD, OXFORDSHIRE - PETERBOROUGH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE - READING, BERKSHIRE - ROMFORD, ESSEX - SOUTHEND-ON-SEA, ESSEX - ST ALBANS, HERTFORDSHIRE - STANSTED, ESSEX - SWINDON, BERKSHIRE - WELWYN GARDEN CITY, HERTFORDSHIRE - WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE
| Area: | COLCHESTER, ESSEX | |||||||
| Category: | A | |||||||
| Investor Profile | Pension, Retirement, University, Downshifter, Business and Cash&Equity | |||||||
| Population aged 15+: | 82,121 | |||||||
| Actual | National Average | |||||||
| Percentage Class ABC1: | 53% | 44% | ||||||
| Crime: | Violence | Sexual | Burglary | Motor | ||||
| Per 1000 population | 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| Yield Range: | 4.8% - 8.6% | |||||||
| Price Ranges | Low £ | Hi £ | Low £pw | Hi £pw | Low | Hi | ||
| Flats&maisonettes | 51,200 | 76,800 | 85 | 115 | 7.8% | 8.6% | ||
| Terraced | 77,600 | 116,400 | 102 | 139 | 6.2% | 6.8% | ||
| Semi-detached | 93,600 | 140,400 | 131 | 178 | 6.6% | 7.3% | ||
| Detached | 156,000 | 234,000 | 161 | 218 | 4.8% | 5.4% | ||
| Valuations above the national average by: | 4% | |||||||
| Actual | National Average | |||||||
| Capital growth last 12 months: | 25% | 18% | ||||||
| Capital growth last 4 years: | 79% | 74% | ||||||
| Large employers in the area: | Linklater Alliance, NatWest, Allied Dunbar and AXA Direct | |||||||
| Demand For Letting: | Good | |||||||
| Average void period: | 2 weeks | |||||||
| Total (out of 10) | Capital Growth (out of 5) | Yield (out of 5) | ||||||
| Out of 10: | 8 | 4 | 4 | |||||
| Summary: | Still providing great value properties in what is essentially a commuter town to Chelmsford and London. | |||||||
| Description: | The historic town of Colchester is going to see a lot of inward investment from the government and privately, via the university, by establishing a Research Park on its Wivenhoe Park Campus. When complete it will provide a direct link between the existing University Campus buildings and the town of Colchester. Its flexible accommodation and infrastructure will suit new and growing, UK and international, knowledge and technology-based businesses that are developing and trading in innovative products and services. This will bring Colchester close behind Oxford and Cambridge for their fame in research. There are around 7,000 students that attend the University of Essex and is regularly ranked as one of the top twelve universities for research. With the onset of the Research Park, migration of students could be low with many students staying on and building a career. The Colchester Business Park has successfully attracted the right mix of financial services and high tech sectors to make Colchester be seen as a premier location within the east of England. Due to this the Park is still growing, as demand exceeds supply. I predict that the working population will rise by 5% by the year 2010 and hence, growth in capital looks strong. With the rise of Chelmsford, Colchester is the choice of young families who want to a better quality of life because they can get a larger property with a decent garden. With salary levels within these areas being higher than average, property prices will always be sustainable in the long term. | |||||||
| Mainline railway station: | 55 minutes to Liverpool Street, London | |||||||
| Road Access: | Main access A12 65 miles north east of Central London 35 miles from M25 | |||||||
| Local Newspaper | Colchester Evening Gazette 01206 506000 | |||||||
| Estate Agents: | Name | Address | Tel | Web | ||||
| Fenn Wright | 146 High Street Colchester Essex CO1 1PW | 01206 763388 | ||||||
| Gallant Richardson | 5 Culvar Street West Colchester Essex CO1 1JG | 01206 768555 | ||||||
| Bairstow Eves | Headgate Corner 6-10 Headgate Colchester Essex CO3 3BY | 01206 768336 | ||||||
| Desmond G Boyden | 57-59 Crouch Street Colchester Essex CO3 3EY | 01206 762767 | ||||||
| Grier & Partners | The Old Shop The Street East Bergholt Colchester Essex CO7 6TF | 01206 299222 | ||||||
| Letting Agents: | Name | Address | Tel | Web | ||||
| William H Brown | 42, St. Christopher Rd St. Johns Colchester Essex CO4 0NA | 01206 765177 | www.sequencehome.co.uk | |||||
| Boydens | Aston House 57-59, Crouch St Colchester Essex CO3 3EY | 01206 762276 | www.boydens.co.uk | |||||
| Gallant Richardson | 5, Culver St West Colchester Essex CO1 1JG | 01206 768555 | www.home-sale.co.uk | |||||
| Essex & Suffolk Lettings | The Coach House, Headgate Colchester Essex CO3 3BT | 01206 571111 | www.essexandsuffolk.co.uk | |||||