Moving to SWINDON

[dottiepeas]

Hello,

Wondered if I could get some advice on moving to Swindon! We are planning to move in the summer, so that my dd can start primary school when the new term starts in September. Does anybody have any ideas of which areas of Swindon would be good to live in? (and which areas to avoid?!) I've been looking on rightmove and can't really tell if the area is nice/safe/any nearby amenities etc.

I have not been to Swindon before! But my dh works there and currently commutes an hour each way. But have now decided it would be a good idea to move there to save on the travel costs. (and house prices seem abit more affordable compared to some other places)

Any suggestions would be great!! :-) Many thanks!!

[BadgersArse]

I would avoid Swindon, its a shit hole

lots of nice places around though. I was in Corsham the other day - BEAUTIFUL

[SillyBlueHat]

There are ok parts of Swindon. Old Town is nice. Town centre is very run down though. There is plenty to do there and it's very affordable.
The villages outside are much nicer, or look at a town nearby such as Cirencester or Marlborough.
I'm sure others can advise on specific areas and schools. Just picture 'affordable' rather than 'pretty' and you won't be too disappointed!

[Nellyinwellies]

I can't think of anywhere NICE in Swindon. Thamesdown drive to the North has some small (but they all are) new builds but no idea if schools are any good.

If you can afford it go just outside Swindon in any direction. I like all the area north of Swindon (but I'm biased) - lechlade, cirencester, fairford? Or there are lovely villages all around too.

[BadgersArse]

draw a circle of how far H would commute


then i would find primary schools and work backwards

[dottiepeas]

Thanks for the advice!! :-) Have you heard of a new estate called Wichelstowe? Afew houses came up on rightmove, looks like a brand new estate. The look of the houses here seem so cute?! Each house slightly different, instead of all looking the same style like they normally come!

Does anyone know if this is a good area? Or anyone on here currently living in wichelstowe with kids at the local primary school have any thoughts!? ;-)

[BadgersArse]

i would get a nice market town with a nice primary and a selection of good secondary schools.
A cinema, a couple of good restaurants, a gym/pool and some nice parks

[dottiepeas]

Yes, I saw afew new-ish houses in the north of swindon crop up when I was doing the search. Areas like Oakhurst? Redhouse? and Taw Hill? The houses all looking pretty much the same to me. Seems to be near a retail park called Orbital Retail Park? And seems to have afew primary schools dotted around these areas. Might have to look into these abit more......:-)

I think dh would prefer to live in rather than outside of swindon! He's lazy!! :-) Just wants to roll out and bed and get to work in 10mins!! heehee!

[KatoPotato]

Swindon!

Swindon!

Just makes me think of the Office!

[dottiepeas]

Oh yes, who can forget David Brent!?....and........Gareth. :-)

[dottiepeas]

Hmm....guessing the picture I am slowly building up here......is that Swindon is grey and rubbish!?? (and don't move there, if I can help it?!) LOL! :-)

[SillyBlueHat]

Whereabouts in Swindon does he need to get to for work? Our commute is shorter now we live outside of swindon rather than having to drive through it.

[SillyBlueHat]

You really need to visit so you can make your own mind up.

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

There is only one place worse than Swindon, and that is Slough, (wasn't the Office meant to be there). You have my deepest sympathies. Go anywhere but Swindon.

[turkeyboots]

Swindon has a bad reputation but is a very practical place to live. Housing is cheap, it is very easy to get away from and schools on the up. Avoid places with a P is the local mantra. North Swindon is all new builds and perfectly nice. But schools are full and loads of kids don't get in the nearest primary (which are all good). Secondaries not so good right now, but may improve. Don't hear good things about Wichelstow, but the new Waitrose is there. Tadpoles Garden Village is being built now and looks nice.

[HorsesDogsNails]

North Swindon, around the Orbital Shopping Centre is nice and has really good schools. So, Redhouse, Haydon End, Oakhurst, Taw Hill and Abbey Meads/Haydon Wick are all worth a look. Old Town is nice, wouldn't want to live there personally though and the houses are £££'s. Not at all sure about Wichelstowe, although that's where Waitrose is! Oh yes, shocker, Swindon has a Waitrose.... The town centre isn't the prettiest(!) but we have the Designer Outlet Village is lovely. You can be in Bath in 30 mins on the train so that's where we tend to go for shopping.....

Cirencester and Marlborough are nice but seriously snobby! Devizes is lovely but 45 mins from Swindon.

I'd love to know how many of the negatives above have actually been here!!!

[TheSunIsOftenOut]

Ignore the snobs.

Old Town is really nice - lots of lovely red brick houses with cafes and restaurants nearby. Quite busy - but good if you like urban living. If you prefer somewhere a little more rural, Wroughton is perfect for commuting into Swindon. It's a great area to live - all the amenities of Swindon (very) close by but also the benefits of t countryside. Good local library, baby groups, preschools and schools. It's all fantastically close to t M4, and getting to London, Cornwall, Wales and loads of great days out is really easy. Witchelstowe is still a little new and unknown (might end up amazing, might go a little downhill), but I know a few people who live there and are very happy. A new Waitrose opened a year ago just nearby - which I think helps!

I think your husband is onto something - a quick commute is brilliant and we've never regretted our decision to move closer to work.

[LAGWAFIS]

Does your dh work in the centre? In which case I'd look at old town. The new estates to the north are quite pleasant but a bit of a trek into
Town. Schools are very oversubscribed. A friend didn't get any of her choices but is positive about the new acadamy they have been offered.

Wichelstowe is right next to the m4 and was built on a flood plane. I guess they must've mitigated that during it's construction. It's got a waitrose.

Avoid park north / south, penhill, pinehurst. They say avoid anywhere beginning with a P. It's mostly true

Swindon is not without it's charms. The 'railway quarter' is turning out quite nice. The railway village itself is lovely though the houses are weeny.

Lots of green and great access to bristol /London / Cotswolds. The coast isn't much over an hour away

[SillyBlueHat]

Horses - I lived there for 5 years!
You really need to live elsewhere to appreciate that there is a reason house prices in Swindon are low.

[LAGWAFIS]

I think prices are relatively low for the same reason as there are so many large companies head quarters - because there is an abundance of space and land.

Swindon is huge. It sprawls for miles in every direction. There are, of course, nice areas and less nice ones

Yes the town centre is dire but there is a lot of investment and redevelopment going on - it may yet come good

[dottiepeas]

Thanks for the suggestions! Husband works in Westlea area. Was just looking at Wichelstowe as it seemed quite close to the office where he works. But yes, I guess with new estates, you don't really know what they're like to live in, as they're not really established yet. But I just thought the houses looked really cute there! If there's a waitrose there, then it can't be tooooo bad right!? :-) heehee!

Apart from a shorter commute, finding a house close to a good primary is also top of the list. I'm abit worried now if the primary schools around the north are pretty full! But since we haven't found the house yet, I guess I can stress about which primary school she ends up getting a place at closer to the time. Argh!!! Moving to a whole new place is starting to feel abit scary!!!!

[dottiepeas]

Yes, my husband didn't seem to think swindon was that bad? That's why he was trying to convince us to move! :-) He told me there were quite alot of big companies there, lots of amenities, shopping retail parks, mentioned a lake somewhere!?...(for walks)....He's there every day, and says it's not THAT bad, but I guess he only sticks to the area that he works in, and not really ventured into anywhere else.

All places have their good and bad areas so I'm just trying to find a fairly nice/safe area to settle in. The move is pretty much definate, so we'll just have to carry on and investigate swindon "properly" over a weekend there one day!! heehee! And if it's sunny when we go that's a bonus, as any where can look great when the sun's out!!! :-)

[lastnightiwenttomanderley]

OP where are you at the moment? Might help understand what you like about your current area and put it into context for others.

[HorsesDogsNails]

Swindon is not bad!! Really!

The lake and walks your DH is referring to is probably Lydiard Park. He's right that there are loads of big companies, lots of amenities, shopping retail parks and plenty of green spaces! Lawn woods, Shaw Forest, Coate Water (also has a lake) are all good for a walk as well as Lydiard. I don't think there are many towns that offer the amount of convenience Swindon has but you can be in proper rolling countryside in about 10 minutes!

[mnistooaddictive]

I live in Wroughton next to Wichelstowe and I love it here. We have lived all over the country and Swindon is much better than people make out! Wichelstowe is great- places at the primary school which is good and in the catchment for Commonweal, generally regarded as the best secondary school in Swindon. Wroughton is good too. We live in the middle of a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, it is lovely and quiet. If you want more info PM me!

[TheSunIsOftenOut]

For Westlea I would look at Old Town and Wroughton - that's where our focus was. Popular Old Town roads are Goddard Avenue and The Mall(!). Lovely houses but a fight over parking. Great schools, but think they may be coasting a bit. We really liked it but it wasn't for us. It is expensive too. But there is a lovely hustle and bustle during the day. Gorgeous independent wine shop and great butchers and a lovely French restaurant. You can walk to Old Town from Wroughton, so you get to live next to fields and be near all those nice places too.

Purton and Wootton Bassett are also worth a look - people seem to love it in both places.