130 High Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 2LN
Telephone: 0115 922 9090
Email: letting@robertellis.co.uk
11 Derby Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham, NG10 1LU
Telephone: 0115 946 6946
Email: longeatonlets@robertellis.co.uk
Toton is a suburban village in the Borough of Broxtowe. It’s on the south-western edge of Greater Nottingham, with Stapleford to the north, Chilwell to the east, Long Eaton to the south-west and the Derbyshire border immediately across the River Erewash. It’s a place defined by its edges. The A52 and Bardills roundabout to the north, the historic railway sidings to the west, and Chetwynd Barracks to the east. The area itself is a quiet, overwhelmingly residential village that families target for one reason above all others, and everyone locally knows what it is: the schools.
Start with the tram. Toton Lane, opened in August 2015, is the south-western terminus of Nottingham’s tram network, with a large park and ride site and a journey of about 30 minutes to Nottingham station. The line runs right through the city and ends at Hucknall, so Toton bookends the network. For a village this size, a fixed-rail link with guaranteed parking at the end of the road is a genuine rarity.
Then the railway history is on the doorstep. Toton Sidings, the vast marshalling yards along the village’s western edge, were once among the busiest in the country and still operate as a rail depot today. The site was chosen as the location for HS2’s East Midlands hub station until that leg of the project was cancelled in 2021, and regional authorities are still working through the site’s longer-term future, which is worth knowing whichever way you read it.
And the green edge. Toton Fields Local Nature Reserve runs along the River Erewash and up Toton Bank, giving the village open meadow and riverside walking that most Nottingham suburbs simply don’t have, with the Erewash Canal and Toton Washlands beyond the sidings. The quirk locals know: the Washlands sit inside Toton’s boundary but can only be reached from the Long Eaton side, because the sidings are in the way.
A move to Toton, is often about one thing, the schools. George Spencer Academy, with its sixth form on the same campus. It has and two sites linked by a footbridge over the A52, and is right on the village’s northern boundary. Its catchment area is one of the main reasons families target Toton specifically rather than the wider area. The village’s own infant and junior schools are also an influence, and the tram terminus and A52 position seal it for commuting parents.
Toton house prices sit to the upper end of the local market, with property values generally higher than neighbouring Stapleford and Long Eaton, and broadly comparable with those in Beeston. This premium can be seen in the family housing market, where established detached and semi-detached homes are very popular. The area is close to the Chilwell Retail Park, with a range of popular retailers, including M&S Foodhall and TK Maxx, and to Attenborough Nature Reserve, which has extensive scenic walks and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Toton also has a Tesco superstore on Swinney Way, providing everyday shopping. The Toton Lane Park & Ride offers access to the NET tram network, with services connecting residents to Beeston, Nottingham city centre and Hucknall.
Toton is largely a 20th-century village. The majority of the properties are interwar and post-war family housing. There are semis and detached homes with proper gardens, which were later joined by cul-de-sacs. There are also bungalows, which keep downsizers in the village rather than pushing them out. Older cottages can be found near the historic village core, and newer developments have been modest.
Portland Road is one of the more affordable options for buyers looking to move. Stapleford Lane sits towards the mid-range of the market, with a varied selection of family homes, while roads like Steven Close are positioned towards the higher end and are particularly suited to buyers looking for larger properties.
Toton Fields is a daily attraction because of its meadows. The riverbank and Toton Bank for dog walks and running, connecting into the wider Erewash valley paths. Bardills garden centre is good for pottering around at the weekend. And Bramcote Leisure Centre to Long Eaton’s facilities and clubs, is minutes away. That’s the honest shape of Toton life: the village supplies the green space and the quiet, the neighbours supply the facilities.
Toton itself is deliberately quiet on this front, with a handful of local options led by The Manor pub, and that’s precisely how many residents like it. Beeston’s independent food scene, Long Eaton’s pubs and Chilwell Retail Park’s chain restaurants are all five to ten minutes away, and the tram makes Nottingham’s restaurants a straightforward evening out with nobody driving.
There are four schools. Toton Banks Road Infant and Nursery School, Toton Bispham Drive Junior School, Chetwynd Primary Academy, and George Spencer Academy with its sixth form.
Most families plan to move from infant to junior to George Spencer and this fuels village’s property demand. This cuts both ways.
The catchment competition is real, and being on the wrong side of a boundary line matters here more than in most places. Check the current position on GOV.UK’s Get Information About Schools service street by street, not village by village.
Day-to-day needs are covered by local shops in the village and along Stapleford Lane, with the full weekly-shop options split between Long Eaton’s superstores and Chilwell Retail Park, both a few minutes’ drive away. Stapleford’s town centre is within walking distance of the northern end of the village. Nobody moves to Toton for the shopping, and nobody misses out because of it either.
The tram from Toton Lane reaches Nottingham station in about 30 minutes, with the park and ride absorbing commuters from well beyond the village. By road, the A52 Brian Clough Way at Bardills roundabout runs east to Nottingham and west to Derby, with J25 of the M1 about five minutes away. Both cities and East Midlands Airport are within easy reach. There’s no railway station in the village, the nearest stations are at Long Eaton and Attenborough.
School catchment pressure is very real, so check the boundaries for the exact address before making an offer. There’s no rail station despite the sidings, so train commuters start at Long Eaton or Attenborough. And the future of the Toton Sidings site is still being planned at the regional level following the 2021 HS2 decision, which could shape the village’s western edge over the coming years; anyone buying nearby should look up the current proposals as part of their homework.
Village life centres on the schools. Manor Farm Recreation Ground is an important hub for the area, with facilities for football, cricket, tennis and bowls, as well as a children’s play area and sports pavilion.
Toton Tornados Football Club is based at Manor Park and provides football for children and young people across a range of age groups. The club moved all of its teams to Manor Park in 2025.
The annual Toton Duck Race is another popular local event, traditionally held around Easter at Manor Farm on the River Erewash, raising money for charity. Toton Fields has an active friends group, and the village’s community noticeboards do genuine work here.
Attenborough, to the east, has a more period village feel beside the nature reserve, with its own station, but at a higher price point. Bramcote, north of the A52, competes with schools and green space and has larger homes. Sandiacre, in Derbyshire, gives you a lower entry price, with Springfield Mill’s apartments adding options Toton doesn’t have.
Toton is covered by our Stapleford branch at 30 to 32 Derby Road, Stapleford (sales 0115 949 0044, lettings 0115 949 6740), a few minutes from the village. Robert Ellis has been selling homes across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire since 1988, and the Stapleford team works the villages on either side of the A52 corridor daily. We regularly sell property in Toton. Areas include Chetwynd Road, Kirkham Drive and Grange Farm Close. If you’re thinking of selling or letting in Toton, call the branch or book a free valuation online.
