Chellaston guidebook

Chellaston, one of Derby's upmarket suburbs, has seen a good deal of house building for some years now - and it's continuing apace.

The area appeals to families and commuters alike because of its great position right on the edge of the city; it's about five miles south of the centre bordering the gorgeous Derbyshire countryside.

A bus ride into the city centre takes minutes, and the M1 motorway in the opposite direction is only about a 20 minute car ride away.

Building took off here after the war, with a couple of substantial council estates and many large semis being built. But it’s in recent years that there's really been a big boom in housing in Chellaston.

Lots of new estates have sprung up with virtually every well-known house building company having a go, resulting in many different shapes and designs, and prices to fit every pocket.

And construction is still ongoing, with more than half the new houses being the three-bedroom variety, designed especially with families in mind.

Family Appeal

With Derby centre just a short journey away, Chellaston is great for families who want to be close enough to city facilities, but also close enough to the countryside and commuting routes.

It has several schools including a reputable technology college, a couple of little shopping centres with two small supermarkets, six pubs...and a great summer carnival.

Chellaston isn't an upbeat trendy area with bars and clubs; rather it's an expanding city suburb, and it's no surprise that families are drawn here.

Out of the 7,000 homes, just under half are detached or bungalows; about 30 per cent are semis; 13 per cent are terraced; and ten per cent are flats.
 
Nearly eight out of ten homes are owner-occupied, and almost half of the houses are three-bedroom properties making it an ideal family location. 

Of the remainder, a quarter of homes are two-bed, ten per cent are one-bed, 12 per cent are four-bed and the rest have five bedrooms.

Property in Chellaston

Where is it? Chellaston is located to the south of Derby, about five miles from the city centre.

It straddles either side of the A514 to Swadlincote Road and is close to the main A50 cross country trunk road.

What's there? The majority of properties here are either semi or detached houses, with some particularly big and upmarket examples on the main A514 road towards the A50.

A couple of large council estates were built here post-war, along with plenty of large, private semis.

The council housing is modern and many tenants have bought their homes, sitting comfortably alongside the new housing that sprung up alongside the council houses.

Modern semis have joined the originals, as well as lots of little detached homes and three-storey town-houses.

There is something for everyone and every pocket, as Chellaston now contains every property type from terraces and flats to big deluxe houses. 

Building is still ongoing on with four new schemes under way. About 1,000 more new houses are being built on the west side close to the route of the filled-in Derby canal.

There are two small shopping centres, so there’s enough for day to day needs and four schools - three primaries and the Chellaston secondary school, which is also a technology school and has a sixth form college.

Buyers: Families, and some first-time buyers and couples attracted by the good, reasonably priced housing in a pleasant modern area.

Pros: Homes of all shapes and sizes to meet each pocket. It looks very up-to-date because of all the new houses that are being built.

Cons: Despite its few shops, Chellaston is a bit short of facilities for its size. It needs more community development, or it will finish up as just a dormitory. 

Living here

Transport:

Train: The mainline station in Derby city centre is closest.

Road: The A514 cuts through the suburb but it gets very busy in rush hour.  The A50 which links Derby with Stoke and Nottingham is very close by, and the M1 is around 20 minutes away.

Bus: Good regular service to the city centre every few minutes.

Air: East Midlands international airport (EMA) is about 14 miles away.

Shopping:

Chellaston has two small shopping centres which provide enough for day-to-day living.

Eating and Drinking:

There are six pubs and a couple of takeaways but that's all; for more choice, the city centre calls.

Sports:

The district has a wide range of clubs and activities, including football, cricket, karate, and the very popular Chellaston Bowls Club.

Entertainment:

Rotates around the pubs. But for cinema and theatres, its all in the city centre. A local public library is expected to be built somewhere in the vicinity of the community centre.

Parks and Open Spaces:

The fairly-new Chellaston Park on Snelsmoor Lane includes a children's playground, football pitches, a cricket pitch and changing facilities.

There is also a children's playground next to the recently extended Chellaston Community Centre, which is situated on Barley Croft, off High Street.