North West Dwellers...

venster

In the New Year I need to start looking for a house to buy 'up North' as I'm being relocated to Manchester Airport later on in the year (hopefully).

Living down South, and with no connections at all to area, I'm looking some feedback about the locations as it's all new to me. I know this has the potential to open a can of worms so please be mindful if you reply !

We are looking at places like Sandbach, Congleton etc because we need to be near secondary schools and my wife works at B&Q. We'd consider Buxton/ High Peak also, but what is the weather like at it's worst in winter. Any areas that are prone to flooding? Area must be within 25 miles of airport

Want to avoid near the airport and definitely no interest in going North towards the city....

straas

Budget's a big factor?

jgsi

Crewe.. like the rest of Cheshire East .. houses going up everywhere...still cheaper than the bulk of the county.. oh avert your eyes when see'th the road sign s'Crewe'd there is many a wit locally.
I was born in Northwich, even I'd say avoidit

and of course BR favourite
ALSAGER and its associated weirdoes .. avoid cycling thru it at all costs

DeVlaeminck

Is Macclesfield no good, always looked ok when I've cycled through it. Buxton is very nice, ok it may be a degree colder, bit of a commute compared to Macc though. Just for the cycling I'd be looking at being as close to the Peak as possible.

Flâneur

How far from the airport do you want to be? Within 25 miles obviously helps with the max range. I'd consider 25 miles still close (to demonstrate personal perception)

What sort of town/lifestyle are you looking for? What are you used to. No point in suggesting X when you are used to and expect Y. and OFC budget, no point in suggesting an area full of 5 bed houses all costing 750k - 5 mil if you only want to spend 500k.

Trafford district has plenty of good schools, transport links are there for the city or to get out to the peaks (no comment on Manchester traffic, that view depends on how often you hit the M25).

Not a fan of say Macclesfield, however plenty of the surrounding smaller towns and villages are nice enough. Unless I was heading into the Peaks or Cheshire plains proper I'd probably be looking at Altrincham, Hale, W Didsbury but then I like the access they provide to the city and the peaks along with their own towns for Saturday brunch. However I've got friends living around the Knutsford / Alderly Edge / Wilmslow area who love it for being that bit more out the way as they leave their 20's

Jez mon

I work in Stockport and live in Buxton, and get the train or cycle every day.

How are you planning on commuting? Car? Buxton to the airport via the A6 at rush hour can be painful, can go via the Cat and Fiddle, but that route isn't always reliable in the winter. You could probably cycle a few days a week though (the airport is just a bit futher than Stockport though!)

I like living in Buxton, but it's a long old commute, my other half works an hour's drive south of Buxton so it's one of the nicer places we can both commute from.

venster

Thanks everyone for your input.

Budget will be around £300k, hopefully...there's no shortage of new builds around that price from what I've seen.

My commute will be mostly outside the typical rush hours as I'm a shift worker. My commute is 60 miles each way at the moment, including a fair bit on the M25 & M23 - so I'm looking forward to the shorter journey to work !

We're not interested in the City life - we're only 30 mins from London here and only go to the smoke once a year. We like the idea of the Peaks, and the countryside but obviously that reflects in the price of property - hence getting it right the first time !

And obviously it's close to some good cycling !

fenix

Loads of really nice areas. Kelsall hill - thats a good area for cycling round and within 25 miles.
Holmes Chapel, Knutsford, so many good areas and there's loads of sportives that will go past your front door out that way.
I'd prob not go Buxton way just because you are so high up and every bike ride you'd do would end with a climb - plus you will get the main roads closed with snow.

I'm quite jealous !

Flood areas are very localised - you'd have to assess that on a street by street basis - but I'd not think its a massive risk - but do check. Isnt there a floodplain map ?

venster

Does the valley that the A6 runs through in the Peak district have a name?

fenix

Is it the Goyt Valley ? (I'm guessing - I'm sure locals will know better)

homers_double

A lot of people are quoting south Manchester but there is a lot to go at if you head North of the ring road.

I live in Littleborough which (although technicaly part of the borough of Rochdale *shudders*) is a cracking little village right on the edge of the pennines and 28 miles away from the Airport.

A house on our street, 4 beds and in imaculate condition was on the market for £270ish. No idea what it actually went for though.

Edit - zoopla reveals £261k

Secteur

homers double wrote:

I live in Littleborough

I ride out that way a fair bit - I believe the longest continuous climb in the UK is at Littleborough?

As a sweeping generalisation;

North Manchester is hilly and cheaper.

South Manchester is flat and more expensive. And closer to the Airport.

North = much better cycling.

homers_double

Secteur wrote:

homers double wrote:

I live in Littleborough

I ride out that way a fair bit - I believe the longest continuous climb in the UK is at Littleborough?

Tis true, Cragg Vale from Mytholmroyd to the top of Blackstone edge, 8.37km.

Frank Wilson

Assuming you don't work "normal office hours" at the airport you could look at Chester, Helsby, Frodsham area all within 20 minutes of the airport outside peak commute times.

If you do indeed do a 9 to 5 then forget this suggestion as you will spend a lot of time sat on the M56 same goes for if you go Rochdale / Oldham way as others have suggested just substitute sat on M62 / M60 for M56.

I have commuted in and out of Manchester (past the airport) for the past 5 years and it is no picnic.

straas

Could be worth putting on all the filters on rightmove or similar for a 20 mile radius with everything you want (x number bedrooms, garage, drive, detached etc) and see whats available.

Normally people are constrained by quite a few factors, so you could get a great house out of this.

Flâneur

a personal view I'd avoid going from North to South, get the wrong time of day or Christmas (trafford Centre) and it will be a reminder of the M25. But it can be right nice up that way as a place to live

the Date used to commute down some of those roads to Altrincham and halved the time by moving in with me on the Wirral.

Garry H

venster wrote:

Thanks everyone for your input.

Budget will be around £300k, hopefully...there's no shortage of new builds around that price from what I've seen.

My commute will be mostly outside the typical rush hours as I'm a shift worker. My commute is 60 miles each way at the moment, including a fair bit on the M25 & M23 - so I'm looking forward to the shorter journey to work !

We're not interested in the City life - we're only 30 mins from London here and only go to the smoke once a year. We like the idea of the Peaks, and the countryside but obviously that reflects in the price of property - hence getting it right the first time !

And obviously it's close to some good cycling !

Whatever you do, don't let the locals hear you say "Peaks", you'll be tarred and feathered!

Pituophis

homers double wrote:

A lot of people are quoting south Manchester but there is a lot to go at if you head North of the ring road.

I live in Littleborough which (although technicaly part of the borough of Rochdale *shudders*) is a cracking little village right on the edge of the pennines and 28 miles away from the Airport.

A house on our street, 4 beds and in imaculate condition was on the market for £270ish. No idea what it actually went for though.

Edit - zoopla reveals £261k

You are forgetting that there are no secondary schools North of the center though!
Coming from Middleton I totally get your perspective on Rochdale (and lots of Oldham :oops: ) though.
And I've been stalking you for years.

South Manchester is generally more attractive to be truthful, though flat and more expensive. Don't forget there are little gems and sh*t holes no matter where you go.
As for flooding - low lying areas near a river are generally places to avoid. With the exception of perhaps Hebden Bridge, you generally get more floods than us any way, despite our rainy reputation.
If anyone in your family dabbles in fishing at all, stick with a base in Cheshire.

First.Aspect

homers double wrote:

Secteur wrote:

homers double wrote:

I live in Littleborough

I ride out that way a fair bit - I believe the longest continuous climb in the UK is at Littleborough?

Tis true, Cragg Vale from Mytholmroyd to the top of Blackstone edge, 8.37km.

You do know that "UK" and "England" aren't the same thing?

homers_double

I wasn't the one who said "UK" but take your point.

Pituophis wrote:

And I've been stalking you for years.

I'f you're the one who shouted "alreet fatty" the other day I'll set me whippet on yer.

venster

homers double wrote:

Secteur wrote:

homers double wrote:

I live in Littleborough

I ride out that way a fair bit - I believe the longest continuous climb in the UK is at Littleborough?

Tis true, Cragg Vale from Mytholmroyd to the top of Blackstone edge, 8.37km.

Is this picture photoshopped?

It looks like it's sunny with blue skies.

It flies in the face of what I've been told to expect...


....there's even shadows !!

Secteur

First Aspect wrote:

You do know that "UK" and "England" aren't the same thing?

Huh?

I thought we was the United States of Engerland?

homers_double

venster wrote:

homers double wrote:

Secteur wrote:

homers double wrote:

I live in Littleborough

I ride out that way a fair bit - I believe the longest continuous climb in the UK is at Littleborough?

Tis true, Cragg Vale from Mytholmroyd to the top of Blackstone edge, 8.37km.

Is this picture photoshopped?

It looks like it's sunny with blue skies.

It flies in the face of what I've been told to expect...


....there's even shadows !!

No it's a freak of nature, we get them once every three years. Mainly when the smoke from the factories clears.

venster

That will be the same day I can safely fly my pigeons too then :-)

napoleond

Hi mate, if you have kids of school age then Holmes chapel is perfect. The primary and secondary are both 'outstanding' in fact according to Tatler magazine the secondary is one of the top 20 state schools in the country.
It's great for driving and riding to the airport (I live in HC and have worked there)
You also have great riding options and a massive local cycling scene.

venster

We have one teenager to school when we get there, so we need to make a decision where to live soon so we can try and get her a place somewhere. Lots of the schools in the area appear to have good OFSTED reports though.

It's a complete nightmare deciding where to live - we are making a flying visit next week and staying over night in the peak district to have a quick look at the new builds there.

I must admit I am looking forward to some new cycling routes although finding somewhere to live is the priority !