Living in Hertfordshire: new lakeside homes in Rickmansworth have added bonus of Tube line and 30-minute rail links for London commuters

With fast rail links to London and access to the countryside, new homes in Rickmansworth offer the best of both worlds.
David Spittles27 February 2018

Fast rail links to King's Cross and Liverpool Street combined with quick access to the countryside and pretty villages make Hertfordshire a favourite with home buyers working in the capital.

Prestige family homes are significantly cheaper than in Berkshire or Surrey, and though the county has no equivalent to Surrey's monied Ascot or Weybridge, the M11 business corridor is becoming as important as the M4 commercial zone.

Hertfordshire is pretty huge, sprawling just north of Greater London, and is home to Watford, St Albans and Stevenage. At one end is Cambridge, with its tech and bio-med industries, and at the other end is Docklands and Canary Wharf.

The growth of Luton and Stansted airports is another bonus. With more flights to more places, Hertfordshire folk can avoid the trek around the M25 to Heathrow or Gatwick.

As well as trophy houses for industry bosses, developers are building affordable middle-market homes for young families leaving London, and flats for first-time buyers. Even glamorous City-style penthouses are on offer.

Rickmansworth lies just inside the perimeter of the M25 at the confluence of three rivers, allowing for smart waterside homes.

Elmswater, a new development of 48 apartments, borders charming lakes and is set within lavishly landscaped grounds close to the town centre. Prices from £570,000. Call St William on 01923 889 862.

The town is served by the Metropolitan Tube line, while overland trains to Marylebone take less than 30 minutes.

From £570,000: lakeside apartments at Elmswater in Rickmansworth, Herts (01923 889 862)