would you live near a motorway????

[Carameli]

we are in the process of moving and looking at places to move to. We saw an fabulous house that was just a really really splendid property, wonderful bedrooms, huge garden, lots and lots of space!!
But, isn't there always a but. On the other side of the road there is a wide bank of trees and green belt that seperates the house from the M25. We are worried that with lots of the M25 expanding what might happen in the future.
I also wonder about fumes etc coming from all the traffic, even though its a fair way from the house, what must the air be like. I just wonder about things you cannot see.

any ideas????

[jessicasmummy]

me personally - no way. too dangerous.

[handlemecarefully]

What's the noise level like?

[LIZS]

Depends on how near and the alternatives. We looked at a house which was near the motorway which even though it was in a cutting and about 1/4 mile away, was audible but air quality seemed ok. A house on the other side of the same village was out of ear shot of the motorway but directly under a flight path ! Our current house is a few hundred metres from the Gatwick Express line ! Some areas are just so blighted that you have to choose the lesser of the nuisances as you just can't eliminate them all.

Personally I don't think I'd go for the one you describe, mainly because I don't think so-called greenbelt land adjacent to motorways is that sacred and would get built upon or the road expanded in time. However I can easily visualise having the same dilemma when we look for our next house.

[Carameli]

I am not too worried about it being dangerous as there is a huge garden for dd to play in. And it still a fair distance. There was not much noise at all really. We went to see another place that was near an 'A' road and there was so much noise there that it put me off immediately.

I think we are just a bit nervous about the M25 being expanded and what would happen then.

[Fio2]

I used to live on a busy dual carriageway in the middle of a town once. I never noticed the fumes whilst i was outside the house but couldnt half smell them on my husband when he used to come back from taking the dog a walk.

[jampots]

My sister built a beautiful house very close to the M42 in catherine de barnes. The motorway ran alongside the house about a hundred feet or so away and obviously out over the fields into the distance. However, depending on which way the wind was blowing she could hear the hum of the traffic but eventually you do get used to this. What she did notice however was that she had to clean her washing line daily and very regularly jet wash the cream rendering outside her house. She sold it a couple of years later as there was loads of talk about Bham Airport expansion which isnt too far away either and would have affected CdeB and also M42 expansion. It took her about 18 months to sell.

[Iklboo]

I live quite near the M602 - I'd say within 2 minutes' walk from the house. We're luucky they're not going to expand (as far as we know anyway!). They've built a large 'baffle' wall that drowns our most of the sound and it's really only bad during rush hour. MIL has a motorway running practically past her back garden. It's down an embankment, but still v noisy.

[NomDePlume]

I do ! I live near (ish) to the M5, about 1 mile away and about 2 miles from a junction. We have no major noise issues from the motorway.

The safety aspect wouldn't concern me, it would be more the noise situation, but if you view at peak times and the noise is bearable then I don't see the problem. FWIW, double glazing goes a long way to block out road noise, so inside our house is mousey quiet (apart from the toddler and teens !).

Carameli, the only thing you can do re the expansions is get your solicitor to carry out thorough local authority searches which should pick up any expansion proposals.

You have to weigh it up, really. I'm assuming you couldn;t afford this house if it was in a 'better' location ? You have to decide whether the house is worth any perceived (and real) cons.

[Carameli]

thanks for all your views on this. We stil need to think about it. Its a gorgeous house, has 5 huge bedrooms and lotsof lovely living space downstairs. But think in the end we might go for a 4 bed a bit further away. Going to see some more at the weekend so we'll see.

[anteater]

We went to see some ducks last night and the house was only about 5m from the motorway, the childrens play area was in the tunnel UNDER the motorway, the only place where it was quiet! The ambient noise around the house was around 60 or 70dB too high for children imo.

[mogwai]

depends on the motorway. We live a third of a mile from the motorway, but it's not such a busy one. I've never had a problem with the air quality or noise and it's SOOOOOO handy for travelling and for others who travel to see us.