Where to live in West London with kids?

[DeepBlueLake]

Looking to move, have an almost 3 year old and a baby and any help would be gratefully received. Current stipulations:

• A commute of no more than an 1h into Central London.
  
• Good open green spaces.
  
• Lots of cafes / restaurants.
  
• Decent secondary schools.
  
• Budget of 400k.
  

DH and I have no idea about any of these places as neither of us were London raised.

Am really interested in Hounslow, Feltham, Brentford.

Am open to any suggestions! Tia.

[ChippyMinton]

Spread your search a bit further out to the fringes of Surrey along the Waterloo lines - Ashford, Staines, Sunbury etc. More house for your money and much less busy.

[superram]

Hounslow and felt ham are a little rough around the edges. Brentford is nice and getting a new secondary but not sure how much you would get for £400,000. I have friends who live in Hanwell which has a great community feel-you could maybe get an ex council 2/3 bed for £400k but they are getting cross rail so again you may be priced out. Isle worth is nice as is whitton.

[paulapantsdown]

Don't go to Feltham, rough.
Come to Uxbridge!

[DeepBlueLake]

Okay thank you! Anywhere in West London is fine, preferably north.

Will avoid Feltham and Hounslow.

Handwell and Staines look nice, we can stretch to 450k just preferably not too.

[Hobbes8]

I doubt you'll get much in Hanwell or Brentford. Prices round there have gone bonkers. Uxbridge is nice enough - you might get somewhere out towards Cowley but it'll be a bit of a hike to the tube. You're on the edge of green belt land round there so there's some lovely parkland. Black Park is especially nice and is a short drive away. Ruislip lido and woods are also lovely. You might get a flat round South or West Ruislip, but house prices have shot up.

I left Feltham 2 years ago. It's not the worst place in the world but its intersected by very busy A roads and I worried that as my children grew up they wouldn't be able to walk/cycle around safely. Ashford or Staines might be better in that regard, but you're outside of zone 6 then so you might have high commuting costs.

[DeepBlueLake]

Thank you, it's lovely to get some ideas.

Brentford is probably out of our price range currently. Not entirely sure about a definite price range, still need to get our finances in order but we're defiantly good for 450k. I was hoping we could do it on 400k!

Am very interested in Uxbridge / Cowley.

[WingsClipped]

Feltham is a no, and Hounslow is getting a facelift- lots of regeneration round the high street but nothing to get excited about yet.

Have a look at Osterley and Isleworth, and slightly further out- Egham and Staines or Ashford and Lower Sunbury.

[ChippyMinton]

What are you hoping to get for your budget?
For schools, any particular requirements - faith, for example?

[calmish1]

IMO plane noise may need to be taken into consideration... Both current & future levels...

[helterskelter99]

Try Whitton on the outskirts of Hounslow

[Oliversmumsarmy]

Have you thought of going north along the Thameslink. Borehamwood have some 3 bed + garden houses close to the station. There is a good primary school and secondary schools (dc might need the school bus, for more choice) in the area. Lots of cafes and restaurants. 24 mins into Kings Cross. 31 Mins to Faringdon

[cece]

Definitely not Hounslow or Feltham.

Hampton is lovely but you might struggle with your budget.

[cece]

Woking is only 28 minutes to Waterloo.

[cece]

Hampton near station

[cece]

Woking near station

[Boysclothes]

Secondary schools are currently a problem in Staines/Ashford.

New Haw/Byfleet/Addlestone are worth a look. Currently excellent secondaries and nice towns.

[Boysclothes]

Plus quick trains in to London Waterloo from west Byfleet station.

[ChippyMinton]

Boysclothes - what do you base that comment on?

[daisybrown37]

I live in Cowley and lived in Uxbridge for 11 years. Loved Uxbridge - couple of parks in the town, lots of shops, restaurants and cinema, plus leisure centre. Cowley is also great, just not walking distance to the above. School wise I think one of the best secondaries around here is Bishophalt (only based on what I have heard and not to be taken as fact!). Avoid Yiewsley and West Drayton.

[DeepBlueLake]

Thank so much for your help, I would be lost without mn! Will go check out some of those places.

Hoping for a 3 bed, no faith schools.

[Boysclothes]

Were you referring to the secondary schools comment, Chippy? Matthew Arnold being inadequate at last ofsted and TKs general reputation is why I said it.

Having said that, everything will change by the time OPs kids go to secondary school.

[ChippyMinton]

I felt it was extremely misleading. There are several more local and slightly further afield secondaries in addition to the ones you have mentioned. TK has changed beyond recognition in the last 5 years, and MA has a new head, I believe.
The importance thing for the OP is nursery and primary, and there are several good ones to look at.

[BigGreenOlives]

Brentford - 1 bedroom flat around £520k near the football stadium - too expensive. Where are you commuting in to? Makes a big difference if it is easy to get to from Waterloo or Paddington.

[sparechange]

Another vote for Egham. It is Surrey rather than West London, but is lovely. Virginia Water, the next stop, is also nice but the area that is walking distance to the station is very small and expensive. But if you can cycle to the station, you get more choice.

[Boysclothes]

Yes but they're faith or you're just not going to get if you live in Staines. And OP specifically asked for secondary schools so was just responding to that comment.