Moving to Worcester - advice on Arboretum and Fort Royal areas?

[howabouthisthen]

Hi - Mumsnet newbie here.

Am looking to move to Worcester with my family asap in this school year - 2 DD in primary school and will need to apply for Sec school next year.

We're coming from a city that floods, and with terrible air pollution, so are v cautious not to be too near the river, and are thinking about air quality. And, of course, schools! As our DDs will be moving mid-year, we aren't worried about primary catchment area, as it looks like we'll have to take what we can get on arrival! But want to be sure we move to good Sec school catchment area.

We have looked around and like the Fort Royal area, and Arboretum, (and they are within our fairly modest budget) as like to be in easy walking distance of city centre and train station (need to get to London regularly for work). Hence the lovely west-side of the river didn't meet our needs, and am concerned about Diglis and some of Barbourne area re: flooding.

Have read some of the older threads and nobody really suggesting Arboretum or Fort Royal as nice areas. Anyone got anything nice they can share about these, or if not - can you share what the problems might be? Will miss our local community terribly when we move, so it'll be good to know what the community is like there too?

Have seen a house with parking space in Arboretum, and the area seemed to have a nice feel when we visited. Not sure about air quality though? or flooding? and it's in catchment for Tudor Grange Sec, which we don't know much about.

I saw an an earlier post about drugs problems around Wylds Lane, and am concerned if that means the Fort Royal/Cole Hill/Richmond Hill and nearby roads are also possibly a bit rough? We like it there as the views are great, it seemed pretty quiet and calm when we visited, and the air seems pretty good and it won't flood - and seems to be in catchment for Nunnery Wood Sec, which seems a good school?

And both Arboretum and Fort Royal are handy for train station - I need to get to London fairly regularly for work and am a non-driver.

Will also post in schools for school advice - but happy to hear all and any advice on this thread too. Thanks for reading!