Moving to Wiltshire/Hampshire area..help please?

[icutpaper]

Hi all

I currently live in Berkshire and am looking into moving over to Wiltshire/Hampshire in the coming months - well, in time for the start of the new school year. I've been looking around on the rental websites and checking out schools near to some of the properties but I get very anxious over the thought of picking a bad area, in a place I'm not at all familiar with.

I had thought about Salisbury and have read both good and bad things but the school situation there puts me off quite a bit. I have DD who is 10 so will be starting Y6 in Sept, and DS is 2 so will only be starting nursery soon, but thinking long term it's off putting that there aren't as many options for boys at secondary level (I know, it's a while off yet!)

I've also heard New Forest is nice but again, wouldn't know where to start in terms of which areas to pick.

Could anyone suggest any lovely places, not too fussed about being in a city or anything, would love a village-y feel but currently don't have a car for myself so wouldn't like to be too secluded. I'm Self Employed so don't need to be tied to any specific area for work, but my OH works in Cosham so would need to be a reasonable driving distance to there (which is the whole reason for the move, his commute is ridiculous at the moment!)

I hope it's okay to post this here - have been reading lots of older threads with suggestions but these seem to focus more around the North of Wiltshire whereas I'd be looking more at the South, same with Hampshire. I'd appreciate any input and advice from anyone local to these areas, or those in the know.

TIA Xx

[TeacupTravels]

Winchester if you can afford it. We can't now - but lovely lovely place to live and excellent schools throughout.

[icutpaper]

Thank you TeacupTravels! Winchester does look lovely but I think it's probably a little over budget for me :( X

[Applesauce29]

Marlborough is a lovely small town, but may be a bit far. Chichester is also supposed to be nice.

[ggirl]

Downton ,just south of Salisbury

[Sunnyshores]

With OH working in Cosham, Id suggest Winchester and Salisbury are your limit (up to an hour in heavy rush hour or summer traffic).

I dont know about schools, but areas we liked when we lived in Portsmouth (which we didnt like!) were:
to the East - Petersfield, Emsworth, Chichester
to the North - the Meon Valley (Wickham, Bishops Waltham, Alresford)
to the West its very built up and busy until Romsey/New Forest (traffic really bad though).

There are some lovely areas, Cosham isnt one though!!

[ggirl]

Ringwood is also good for schools ,both senior and primary , not cheap tho

[TeacupTravels]

We occasionally flirt with the idea of Ringwood. We'd be moving out of a grammar school area though but you never know if your child is a grammar child until the day!

[ggirl]

Teacup , there is bus service to bournemouth grammars from Ringwood , and i think the salisbury ones as well.

[Indomitable]

No idea what house prices are like but check out Collingbourne (Ducis and Kingston). Absolutely lovely village, lovely people, almost equidistant from M3/M4.

[Stinkersmum]

Have you looked at the Andover side of Newbury? Andover itself isn't the most salubrious of places but the villages outside are lovely.

[CrystalGlitz]

I'm with ggirl, Downton (and Woodfalls/Redlynch, just up the road) is a great place to choose. Excellent local schools, great communities, good links to Salisbury plus Southampton also only 15 mins away. Romsey also a lovely town (although can be pricey) and virtually on the edge of the New Forest.

[shabbycaddy]

Depends what your budget is, most places in Hampshire are now mega expensive, Wiltshire being a bit cheaper. I grew up in a village outside romsey and all the villages around romsey are ok, we live in Southampton as it was one of the few places left affordable to buy in Hampshire, sadly though even southampton getting expensive to purchase.

[Jenijena]

The M27 is a pig in the morning and fouls up awfully ... So if you're moving to ease the commute, why not move a bit closer? Certainly, the further you get to Salisbury (and there are lovely areas that way) the more traffic hotspots you have to cover. Having said that, I live close to Romsey and it's a lovely area.

[LoopyLily]

Petersfield is lovely or how about Hillsea/cosham way.

[schoolclosed]

Agree with jenijena and Loopy - don't move into another horrible commute. Def look at Petersfield - it's the right side of the chaos, at least. Commuting through the Forest is a 'mare; the bit between Southampton and Portsmouth ditto.

[shabbycaddy]

Generally find the m27 in the morning fine going towards Portsmouth from romsey/west southampton etc, problem is if your on the east side of Southampton, fareham and Portsmouth coming down and trying to get on the m3, that can be crap everyday, same issue in the evenings on returning traffic.

[Sidge]

I'm smiling at this thread as I live not far from Cosham and am moving to north west Wiltshire! I won't have to commute though!

If needing to get to Cosham I certainly wouldn't go east or west as the M27 is hideous at rush hour. And factor in the new town proposed for North Fareham (Wellbourne I think it will be called) and it's going to get worse.

Moving to South Wiltshire won't be much better, you'd want to avoid the M3 and A34 and the A303 can get really snarly too.

I'd be inclined to go slightly North into Petersfield or the surrounding villages - nice schools, lovely area but not cheap. What's your budget?

[fussychica]

West wilts is lovely and generally very reasonably priced but may be a bit too far west for you.

[icutpaper]

Thanks so much for all of your replies - sorry I didn't come back sooner, my LO has been a bit under the weather!

Have heard to avoid Cosham, mostly from OH himself, it's really tough trying to pick somewhere when you have no previous knowledge of the areas themselves. Was hoping to get a few suggestions and go for a drive around over the weekend to get a feel for some places, you lovely bunch have given me plenty to look at.

Sidge, we're looking at renting so around £900p/m, although I'm not sure how realistic that is for a 3 bed in a nice area!

[icutpaper]

I did have a list I put together, and judging by some of the responses re: commuting it may be best I stick to looking in Hampshire.

Could anyone give any input on any of the following, please?

Shirley
Havant
Fleet
Whitchurch
Portchester
West Totton
Waterlooville

I know some/most of these probably mean giving up on the dream of a "village feel", but I guess you have to make sacrifices somewhere!
Thank you xx

[Sunnyshores]

There really are some lovely areas, villages and small towns for usual day to day shopping and entertainment, then a city (more of large towns really) to be nearest to for theatre, cinema, bowling, occasional shopping, nightlife.

It might be easier for you to decide the city first, Salisbury/Winchester/ Chichester, all of them really are lovely.

If being near the sea is something you'd like, Chichester would be better, Salisbury area is cheaper, but traffic to M27 and M27 east is worst, Winchester is the most expensive, but you can miss out M27 and go cross country.

[Sunnyshores]

Just seen your list. I dont really like any of them, sorry. They're just modernish towns.

Whitchurch is probably best of them, but thats an awful journey. The town is pretty enough, better than your other choices, but theres not much there so you'll be shopping in Andover (yuk), Basingstoke (yuk) or Winchester which is lovely, but not right on your doorstep. The schools arent great, people try and get into the Winchester ones, this year it wasnt possible as it was oversubscribed.

Fleet is even further away.

Portchester is pretty, but really just one small road and youll be relying on Portsmouth for everything, which isnt particularly nice.

There really are some very nice areas try Meon valley first, thats nearest.

[Sunnyshores]

some options - not much out there really.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-52723064.html
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-52742762.html

[HeadDreamer]

I second the suggestion of not commuting across the m27 or m3/a34. I do the m3 and a34 and it takes 30min to cross Winchester from the winall roundabout to chandlers ford!

Is Shirley the one in Southampton? If so, don't go there. It's quite rough. Unless you are talking about the bit near the commons, with the butcher. But I think that's Bassett.

[IssyStark]

Shirkey has a good high street (for a city sururb) and some lovely huge Victorian Villas and 1930s detached on avenued streets There's an excellent play park in St James Park. The high street divides Shirley into the 'naice' bit and the less nice bit (small Victorian terraces).

But if you are looking at Shirley you might as well look at all of north Southampton (Bassett, Highfield, Portstwood, Chilworth - if you can afford it).

Schools wise, St Anne's is excellent if you have a girl (I have two boys, so I'm stymied!), but the other schools aren't bad if they don't get into St Anne's.