Lying South of Cannock Chase’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is Cannock, an area with a rural setting, peaceful town, nature trails and numerous bike tracks. It is also known for its vast local woodlands forest surroundings and its medieval history as a coal mining centre.
The place offers attractive choices for the tenants and buyers and if you can find the right property, it is an ideal town especially if you are a commuter moving to the UK cities such as Birmingham for work and the Cathedral city of Lichfield.
Is Cannock a good place to live? Ye, Cannock is a rural town in a good location which makes it an ideal expat destination:
• Great Transportation links
• Near the M6 Toll, A34, A460 and A5 roads.
• Ideal place for property investment and property redevelopment.
• High rates of employment with unemployment approximately 2.96%
• Crime rates are below the nation’s average
• Well above average quality of life.
Whether you are working or running a business in Cannock Chase or Moving to city name to establish a property, redevelop or possibly establish a new base in the UK, you are here because you have questions on Cannock.
Read Also: Is Bolton A Good Place To Live?
So, do you want to know what the transport system is like? The number of schools? Accessibility to social amenities? Or whether there are neighbourhoods in Cannock that you should avoid? Well, to find the answers, read on.
Is Cannock a good place to live?
Transportation
Cannock town boasts of being located in an ideal place to settle for commuters working in various cities and towns. First, it is located within the reach of the city of Birmingham, thanks to the nearby M6 toll road which makes it easy to get there by car.
Additionally, there is a direct train that can be used to connect with Birmingham’s New Street station within a period of 40 minutes from the Cannock station.
If you are going to Walsall, it will only take 17 minutes with a train. Meanwhile, you can also use regular direct bus service in Cannock to travel to Stafford which only takes roughly 35 minutes.
Read Also: Is Wolverhampton A Good Place To Live?
Furthermore, it is approximately 10 miles from the nearest cities and towns such as Aldridge, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Stafford and Lichfield. Cannock is located within the vicinity of Penkridge, Burntwood, Hednesford, Bloxwich, Brownhills and Rugeley. In terms of location from other major cities, it is 80 miles from the City of Manchester, and 130 miles from London.
Schools and universities
Cannock has one of the best grammar schools in the county, the Chase Grammar School. It has topped in the county for more than a decade and even manages to be among the top 100 schools in the UK.
There are more than 10 secondary schools and 20 secondary schools. There are several colleges including the Cardinal Griffin Catholic College and the Cannock Chase Skills and Innovation Hub College. These schools ensure children in Cannock of different ages and stages have educational opportunities of the required standards right on their doorstep.
Read Also: Is Birkenhead a Good Place to Live?
Social life
Each Cannock’s suburb had their own villages and currently, it has maintained its high streets that contains traditional shops, restaurants and pubs including large retail parks. Moreover, every Friday, there is the Cannock Outdoor Street Market which complements the Prince of Wales markets and the Indoor markets.
There are further developments of designer outlet village, Mill Green, where more than 130 high-end retailers and also restaurants that are being established.
Neighbourhoods
Just like any other place, there are good bits and bad bits in Cannock and despite the few social issues, the region has the friendliest locals in the county. Places that you will probably find affluent enough is Heath Hayes, Wimblebury and bits of Hednesford. On the north-west of Cannock, there are well-developed properties with a good environment.
Read Also: Is Basingstoke A Good Place To Live?
Crime rates
The crime rates in Cannock is below the national crime rate average and less compared to other neighbouring areas such as the Stoke on Trent, Tamworth and East Staffordshire. In 2018, the rates of crime in Cannock Chase had reduced. There is also the Neighborhood teams that do community patrol.
Is Cannock a good place to work?
With a population of approximately 99, 100 people. Cannock has an unemployment rate of approximately 3.6 % lower than the national average rate which is 4.2% and that of the West Midlands of 4.5 %.
Cannock is regarded as more of a commuter town rather than a place where people are expected to work. It is a place where people live, and commute to bigger towns and cities such as Birmingham and Cannock Chase. There are plenty of opportunities within the region.
Read Also: Is Barnsley A Good Place To Live?
That said, the fastest growing companies in the region of Staffordshire are contributing £1.59 billion in revenues with some of the best employers being located in Cannock or in the surrounding cities.
People working in Cannock are mainly engaged by mining quarrying and utilities, manufacturing, construction, motor trades and wholesales. Another major area is the transport and storage sectors. The manufacturing and wholesale are the main sectors in the 4 LEP areas. The motor trade specialization is similar to that of Stoke on Trent, Coventry and Warwick and Black Country area.
Read Also: Is Aylesbury a Good Place to Live?
The Thyssen Krupp Tallent is the largest employer in Cannock and supplies both the Land Rover and Jaguar (JLR) materials among other vehicle manufacturers as well. Additionally, local tier 1 industry such as the Interlink Suppliers producing seats, doors and also bonnet striker loops for the JLR offer significant employment opportunities for the locals.
Other companies include the BI composites Amazon Fulfillment Center, the DedRed among others.
Staff wages are good compared to the national average salary and if you are working in Cannock the average salary is £ 25,000.
Is Cannock a good place to Buy a House?
If you have plans of Moving to Cannock, then you might probably be looking for a property for rent or buy. So, the average prices of a property in this region stood at an estimated £194,575 as of March 2019 just to ensure that you keep tabs on the current prices.
With a budget of £200,000, you will acquire the property you wish in an ideal affluent location. There are other cheap properties within the locality that you can buy or rent at much fewer prices.
If you are moving to the UK to invest then Cannock is the place to be. The property in Cannock is slowly appreciating at a rate of 0.89% since December 2018 a total rise of 12% in 2018 alone.
You can invest in real estate by developing and redeveloping residential areas. Furthermore, buying a house in Cannock can also be a major investment.
The incoming commuter class are increasing the demands for property which will further increase with the full implementation of electrification of the “Missing Link” in Cannock railway to other locations.
In a good neighborhood such as Rugeley, Heath Hayes, Wimblebury, near the railway stations and the north-west of Cannock, a three-bedroom house cost an average of £ 190, 000, five bedrooms cost an average of £ 300,000 to £ 560,000 depending on the type of house, while a one bedroom is £ 90,000.
Renting in Cannock is affordable with an average cost of £ 450
Is Cannock a good place to Retire?
Cannock is a very attractive place for affluent retirees. The locals are very friendly and some neighbourhoods are desirable too. Moreover, transport connections are numerous with multiple options. Healthcare is often a concern for senior, but in Cannock that is taken care of with the Cannock Chase hospital managed by Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, the Lifeways Community Care and the Cannock Hospital all offering quality care.
Amenities that ensure the elderly are engaged in healthy activities are available in the countryside.
Cannock offers a range of highly desirable retirement properties for sale to the retirees at affordable prices in the best locations such as Heath Hayes and Hednesford. They include a four to even a five bedrooms house and at significant discounts to the elderly buyers making it an ideal place to look at when searching for a retirement home.
For a single bedroom flat £ 65, 000 is an affordable price in Cannock’s retirement developments. A house is a little higher and goes for £ 95,000.
A three bedroom house can be as high as £ 400,000, while a flat is lower at £ 250,000.
Moreover, for retirees looking for a larger house of say five bedrooms, they will have to part with an average of £ 300,000 for flats and £ 550,000. In the most affluent streets in Cannock such as
Is Cannock a good place to Visit?
Cannock offers a rich British history with the town centre retaining its original streets and some historic buildings. To experience the whole history of the mining industry as it was during the heyday, the Cannock Chase Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into that and also the World War II role of the extensive forest of the region.
The history continues with a trip to the Moseley Old Hall an Elizabethan house containing a knot garden where, in the 1650s, King Charles II had hidden. The place has a café.
A visit to Cannock also offers a chance to “Go Ape Cannock”, an adventure-activity chain venue in which together with a group, you get the chance to explore the forest canopy by walking through a treetop rope course.
The nature reserve, Mill Green Hawks Green Valley, also offers a chance to appreciate the beauty of nature. There is also a walk through the 180-acre of Woodlands and lowland heath which adds to the Cannock Chase’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
For the bike lovers, Cannock offers one of the best countryside MTB trails and nature trails. The trails offer a chance to ride while appreciating the natural beauty of the region.
Other amazing regions include the Castle Ring, Wall Roman Site, Hednesford Hills Local Reserve, the Cannock Chase War Cemetry, the Wyrley and Essington Canal among other fascinating historical and adventurous places.
So, if you are planning to spend a night or two in the region, it is a place you can enjoy your short vacation. It has plenty of serviced accommodations that are a walk away from town, and luxury hotels facilities offering amazing services. The food and drinks options cater to all kind of visitors including American, Indian, Mediterranean and the good old British tastes. For sweater treats, there are bakeries and cafes distributed allover Cannock.