Moving to Sutton Coldfield/Lichfield. Help!

[loulala38]

Hi everyone, this is my first time on MN, so please forgive me if i get all of this wrong. My husband, baby and i are moving to the Midlands next month, as i am relocating to the Burton area for a new job. Hubbie will be working in Bham area. We have shortlisted Sutton and Lichfield as good places to rent in while we get settled. Any other towns we should be considering? Also, if anyone has any intel on the Clarence Road area of Sutton Coldfield, that would be fab, as we have seen a lovely house there, but don't know the area at all. We are in London now and now it won't be the same, but still looking for a bit of community, the odd nice coffee shop, pub, restaurant etc and green spaces. Thank you!

[RaisingSteam]

Hi, the Midlands is not that much of a cultural desert, any of the main cities will have some nice surburban areas. Lichfield and Sutton coldfield both sound good starting points. I would work around your travel plans as a long tedious commute takes hours from your week.

We moved out of London to somewhere 25 miles from my work. At the time I thought, how can half an hour in a nice comfy car on the motorway be worse than battling the overground/Tube for an hour? Now it feels like a bit of a drag and can take just as long if the M42 is having a bad day. If your DH has to go into central Birmingham he will have the worse journey, unless train is possible.

Good luck. It's lovely here

[MaelstromOfLunacy]

You could look at Barton under Needwood - beautiful village with lots going on, lovely pubs etc and great schools if that's important :) I'm Burton born and bred - it's nice around here, honest! :)

[MagicMonday]

We moved out of London to Lichfield. Love it. Friendly neighbours, lots of (too many) coffee shops, Beacon Park is great, good train links etc. Shopping centre isn't great and sometimes miss London, but really pleased we moved here.

[MagicMonday]

Ooh yes, Barton also lovely.

[aliasjoey]

Clarence road a nightmare for school traffic, it's right next to Arthur Terry school. although if you have secondary school kids, it is one of the best schools in the area.

[loulala38]

Thank you guys for the quick response! I actually grew up in South Staffs, so know there are some lovely places, but not familiar with these two towns, so this is v helpful indeed. I think Barton looks lovely, will have to look at commute into Brum for my husband. Also thinking about Fradley etc?

Rental prices are not as cheap as i imagined though! Was v naive about that i think ;)

@aliasjoey - do you know anything more about the surrounding area of Clarence Road? Apart from the school traffic, is it nice/safe?

[MagicMonday]

Fradley is a bit disparate, feels to me like lots of estates tacked together. Probably doing it a disservice, but prefer alrewas and Barton. Or Shenstone, which is the other side of Lichfield. I wasn't quite ready for village life and opted for the town.

[aliasjoey]

lou Clarence Road is a nice area, it's quite a long road (look on google maps?) but within walking distance of Mere Green shops, and Butlers Lane train station.

As well as Arthur Terry, there are a couple of decent primary schools too. It's not a main road, but it sometimes gets busy.

[OhBuggeringBollocks]

Agree Fradley is odd, DH works on the industrial estate there, and the housing estate just seems... purpose built. Which it is of course! I don't like it.

Barton is nice, but a bit quiet for me. Around Clarence road is nice, there are some very quiet around there. The Arthur Terry presence is big though and you would pay more for that due to its reputation as a great secondary.

What is your situation regarding schooling and the age of any DC?

Lichfield is very lovely imo. Or you could think about Canwell or Middleton? Good for the A38 into Burton and a short drive to the train station for Birmingham. Much more countrified than Mere Green though.

[loulala38]

Great suggestions on new places, i will look into them, thank you! DC is a baby (8mths), so don't need to worry about school just yet, but soon enough! We are renting for a while before we look to buy. Tempted by Clarence Road, thank you again!

[MrsMinton]

Mere Green, Wylde Green and Walmley are all lovely. If you do move to the Sutton area then wave to me because I'm there

[loulala38]

I will MrsMinton, thanks!

[Tiredemma]

I live near Clarence rd and my boys go to Arthur Terry.
It's a nice area, good links to motorway network, on cross city line. Shopping area that is now being regenerated (mere green). EXCELLENT schools

[Only1scoop]

Clarence road is nice....not a great Sutton lover though....

Barton under N is lovely ....also Yoxall....Abbots Brom and surrounding areas....

Good luck with move

[TheKnackeredChef]

Have a look at Whittington. Lovely village near Lichfield. Great little school & in catchment for a couple of very good secondaries. Nice atmosphere & very welcoming to newcomers as there's a military base up the road so lots of coming & going. Loads going on for such a small place. We even have a little farmers' market. Property not extortionate either.

[TheKnackeredChef]

Oh, just noticed you have a very small one. Whittington also has a fab day nursery too.

[AnnaBegins]

Barton and Walton on Trent lovely, I grew up in the Lichfield area and DH rented there for a while, it's a great city with amazing restaurants, check out Eastern eye and lal bagh if you like curry. Abbots Bromley and Kingstone also nice more on the uttoxeter side. Burton is a bit of a dump but good shops.

Not a fan of Sutton Coldfield but maybe just coz Lichfield is so much nicer. Fradley also not good, except the mucky duck (white swan) pub by the canal!

[Only1scoop]

Eastern eye....

Love

[trinitybleu]

we lived in Fradley for 5 years and it was nice ... but that was a few years back before the industrial bit grew. Loved being close to Lichfield but far enough away to avoid it on bank holidays or during the fair period.

[loulala38]

Hi all, thank you again for all of your suggestions. We decided to rent on Clarence Road, then look for somewhere to buy, hopefully one of those nice sounding villages near Lichfield. But at least we have a base for now.

I also wanted to ask if anyone can recommend a good doctors surgery near Clarence Road, that is good with babies/little ones?

[Tiredemma]

Four Oaks Medical Centre at Mere Green

[aliasjoey]

The Four Oaks is not taking on any new patients as it is full

[Tiredemma]

Ley Hill -

( not sure if equally full though?)

[loulala38]

Thanks again ladies!

[MrsJamin]

Shenstone is lovely, and on the train line to Birmingham, but I think because of that it is pricier.