MOVING TO LUTON: To do or not to do????

[YumMum2013]

I am in need of some assistance please, as I’m relocating from SWLondon to Hertfordshire for work but don’t want to live in the same borough I work in. I’m aiming to be 30-40min car drive from South Hertfordshire area to a large, diverse family friendly city/town and Luton seems to fit the bill.

Key requirements: ETHNICALLY diverse population, OUTSTANDING SCHOOLS secondary schools AND nursery’s, good local amenities ie. fitness centre, dance classes, shopping etc., easy links to London (via train and car), affordable housing (will begin by renting hope to buy within few years’ time).

I know I’m probably asking for a lot but I LOVE a lot of things about London and am a city girl at heart but also really appreciate lots of green open space for hikes, bike rides etc. I like new build modern houses and amenities and convenience of one stop shopping but also love a good market place.

Areas I’m considering are Luton and have visited a few times, it seems to fit the bill but I keep hearing negative things about the town so am totally confused now. Found Lutonians very friendly in general but would really appreciate some honest pros&cons.

Thanks in advance any assistance greatly appreciated, this is keeping me up at night as move needs to occur within the next month or so.

[Noahsdaughter1974]

Hi, I moved my family from Hertfordshire to Luton 3 years ago, we needed a bigger house and couldnt meet hertfordshire prices. A lot of my friends were not keen, as you say, Luton has a bad name and I would recommend you look at the areas carefully. We moved to Sundon Park and love it, we are near the country side but only 40 minutes train ride from London, there are 3 stations in luton. There are some great schools in Luton but also some not so great, you would need to look carefully as school places are fought for depending on the catchment area. Lutonians are friendly and we have a good sense of local community here in Sundon Park. I have children in nursery, infants, junior and secondary school! ( thus the bigger house!), they are all getting on great. I havent come accross anything that I thought, Oh No we dont have one of those nearby, cinema, gym, bowling, swimming pool, library etc all in easy reach. If you like new builds look at Bramingham and Barton Hills. Hope some of this helps, good luck with your move !

[Noahsdaughter1974]

Hi, I moved my family from hertfordshire to Luton 3 years ago, we needed a bigger house and couldnt meet herts prices. Our friends were sceptical! as you say, Luton has a bad name. Choose the area carefully, we live in sundon park and love it, we can walk straight out of our back garden to green fields, on the other hand, London is a 40 minute train journey away, look at bramimngham and Barton Hills, there are newer houses here, avoid Marsh farm and hockwell ring. I have never thought, oh no, theres not one of those near us, all amenities are in easy reach. I have never regretted moving to Luton, Good luck with your move!

[YumMum2013]

Thanks so much for your assistance and feedback. If you don't mind me asking where your children go to school and nursery I have nursery age and secondary school age, have been checking out the outstanding and good rated ofstead schools and want to make my choice best informed as possible! I'm not sure how to private message but if you can send me the details that way I'd be most greatful.

Many thanks

[Balzanna]

Hi everybody, I'm new here and I'm from Italy. By the end of this year we will move to Luton but I'd like some suggestions for a good/safe area to rent a home. Somebody can help me ? thanks a lot Annalisa

[CateHAC]

We live in Leagrave and its very nice :)

[Balzanna]

Thanks a lot CateHAC!

[Balzanna]

If you have any suggestions let me know! ;-)

[Balzanna]

If you have any suggestions let me know! ;-)

[LutonSnoopy]

We are in the Wigmore/Crawley area, it backs on to a lot of green land around the back of the airport but is a short walk to the Airport Parkway station (especially now they have the new entrance in Kimpton Road and an easy access to J10 of the M1.

There is a real mix of housing around here, it is slightly more expensive compared to some other parts of the town but the pre-schools and schools are good and crime is relatively low. While there isn't as much of an Italian population as Bedford there is a wide mix of nations represented here including Italian.

[Clutterbugsmum]

I'm in the Stopsley area of Luton, and like LutonSnoopy it is slightly more expensive then other area's of Luton. A bit further away from the Airport it's about 1 - 1.5 miles from the Airport.

I have to say that there a few Italian family near me both older/grandparents and second/third generation.

[Balzanna]

Thanks a lot!! I have to study the situation....;-)

[ClaireD85]

Some lovely areas in Luton. Wigmore/Stopsley area is nice, although due to the proximity of the airport is very popular. Bushmead and Bramingham are both nice areas in the North of the town either side of the A6.

If you need to be close to a train station then the area close to Leagrave station is good, lots of older style period houses - Victorian/1920s/1930s homes - often larger than newer houses in other areas. Train takes from 35minutes from Leagrave into London. From the main station it is under 25mins.

If you have a big budget then Old Bedford Road area, heading out of town from Wardown Park is great, large houses but expensive.

There is a reasonable sized Italian population in the town already along with a number of traditional family run restaurants so i'm sure you will enjoy living here. :)

[Balzanna]

Thanks a lot Claire! you are very very nice!

[TipTopClean]

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[Karra]

Hey Guys,
New to net mums, but have found this forum VERY useful.
so, thinking of moving to Luton to due to house price rise in London, it has become near on impossible for first time buyers??
What is Luton like, is it as bad as people say? I am keen on moving, hubby not so sure, he is gna take some convincing...

Thought Wigmore, leagrave or stopsley.. are these in the South? Also, which areas should we avoid?

Any information would be much appreciated :)

[ClaireD85]

Luton is very much like a London borough. Wigmore Stopsely and Leagrave are all towards the North.

Leagrave is a traditional residential area, mostly interwar properties but some older and some new as well. It has Leagrave Station on the main line if you need the train, plus is close to junction 11 and the under construction Junction 11a on the M1

Wigmore and Stospley are also nice although a little further for the train.

Bramingham, Sundon Parkand Bushmead are also nice.

If you have a large budget then the area near to Wardown Park is lovely but typical prices start at 450k and up. The area near London Road/Stockwood park is good as well, but also can be expensive, however very close to the M1 junction 10.

I would avoid Dallow, Farley Hill Estate, Marsh Farm Estate and Lewsey Farm estate. The estates mentioned are a mix of council and ex-council and are not really that bad, certainly not as bad as an inner london estate.

[user1496025079]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but then I had to comment as i saw this randomly.

I was born and raised in Luton, and must say it' a shithole. Sorry if that offends anybody, but then it's just my opinion.

I don't like Luton, since as a teen I never liked the vibe, the facilities, or anything else about it. Yes, it has ethnically diverse, and yes does have good transport links. But whilst I am in my thirties now, adn there have been some improvements in the transport links and shopping, it's still pretty dank and I despise it.

As a teen, there was little to do, whilst MK and even smaller places like Stevenage had bowling or carting. The Galaxy Centre was OK when it was built, but now it's lost some restaurants and got some kiddies play pens. I don't think that is right, since it means the place will be dead in the evenings/weekends. There are other places to build kiddies play areas, and the entire point of it was to improve the night life of the town centre.

The Mall or Arndale is OK, but the ugly brown bricks need cladding or something. And this sounds judgmental, but there are so many scruffs and down and outs walking around in the town centre. there are no real nice places to eat, and it's pretty much a dump compared to the neighbouring towns. it's just dank, depressing, and shit with not much to do.

And dont mention the airport or good transport links. the airport doesn't just serve Luton, and it's not as if one cannot get a train to London from Stevenage, Hitchin, Harpenden (the same Midland Mainline no less), St. Albans (same line again), MK, or Bedford (same line as Luton).

I know people will disagree, but then I think our town does get a bad rap deservedly. A lot needs to improve, for it to be good imho.

I know i'll get flamed, but meh. i don't care, people need to accept others' views better.

[user1496025079]

Wigmore and Stopsley are to the east of the town, towards the Hertfordshire border. These areas aren't that bad, quite and near countryside but imho a bit boring.

The housing is also better looking, and nowhere in Luton is really crime-ridden, not like the poorer parts of London or Liverpool/Manchester/Birmingham. Just the place imho is a bit dank, that's all.

[Tika77]

Luton's improved a lot in recent years, there's a lot of money being put into new developments. I don't know when you were here last time... The Arndale is not that great, far too small for the size of town and I hope that will get sorted soon as all the people who move from London will want to spend their money somewhere. I do most of my shopping online as I'm not too keen on shopping centres anyway.
There's bowling, if that's your thing and I believe things are constantly improving.

[yawning801]

As long as you stay on the outskirts and don't venture into the town centre, or anywhere near it for that matter, then Luton is a lovely place to live.

[Allen88]

I've lived in Luton all my life and just like majority of places it's got good and bad reviews. Not many shops TBH, I'm in Farley hill and have lived around Luton throughout my life, Farley leading into caddington is the best I love it here it's quiet and brilliant for my autistic son we have a huge park right opposite (Stockwood park). My eldest loves her school (Stockwood academy) but surrounding high schools are good. Access to majority of amenities. In my eyes it's the family that make the town not the town itself. It's not a bad place to live really and other children are friendly and polite. Good luck

[noa2noa]

Hello,

does anyone knows nice small multicultural town around Luton or elsewhere? We are a little family looking for a place to move where my son would feel more comfortable than in a big foreign town as we are foreigners. we are from pocket very green capital where school is under nose and kids walk free around living place.

And the other question about homeschooling - how far homeschooling is popular in England? I would consider this as an option if kids at school would be as unfriendly as they were in Northern Ireland.

[Goldenesther1616]

I am planning to move to Luton because I got a job at Luton and Dunstable NHS. Which location will be best to live with a family of 3

[Mynameistoolong]

Please can anyone advice on best/ good in expensive place to live in luton with good school and local amenities, we currently leave in Northampton wootton to be precise. My husband just started to work in Luton hospital and he really loves it there, I on the other hand I work as a carer and I'm looking to go back to uni soon. We are of african heritage, we are looking for a mixed communities. A 3 bed house btw 260-300k, with good school and local amenities and not too far from the hospital so my husband could help with school run

[CleanIsBlissful]

Myname Stopsley x