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Original poster

Life in Norfolk & Suffolk

34 replies

Kharo · 18/06/2018 23:30

Good evening. Could do with some insight from you lovely people. We are relocating south and are trying to decide whether to buy a house near Banham or Wymondam (with the intent of a school run to Norwich) or head further east towards Debenham. Slightly concerned Debenham may be too rural and “away from it all”. Husband will be commuting to Bedford every other day. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!!

OP posts:
Notonthestairs · 19/06/2018 16:55

Commute wise Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket areas might be worth you looking at - don't know about schools there. Have you looked at Stowmarket? It's also good for the A14.

If you are looking at Debenham you should also look at Eye area - Hartismere is a great secondary. And it's easier to get on to the A140 from there. The roads from Debenham to get to the A140 can be tricky during the winter months in my experience.

I think the Bedford area is lovely.

Original poster
Kharo · 19/06/2018 15:06

Thank you so much for all your thoughts! Really appreciated as we're struggling to see the wood for the trees... And thanks for flagging the thread is in the wrong place (first time on Mumsnet Blush)... Grateful for your help NotQuiteReachEnough Smile Smile!
We have three young children so are looking for affordable and relaxed rural lifestyle + a bigger house - hence our preference for Norfolk or Suffolk. Husband is happy to do the drive twice a week (and hopefully work from home once a week). Anything after his weekly 5 hours drive to Lancashire will feel like a stroll.
Finding a house we like within the catchment of a strong primary and secondary (state) schools is proving challenging... so all your comments regarding the possible school run to Norwich are extremely helpful. I spoke with Wymondam College earlier and they have a very narrow catchment area (between 1.5 and 2 miles depending on the year...) - the house we found isn't near enough. Of course if we moved near Debenham, the school run would be almost stress free...

OP posts:
lljkk · 19/06/2018 08:17

Commute to Bedford will be hell, why do this? Why not live within 1/2 hour of Bedford?

Wymondham has some of best schools in county; why would you commute into Norwich from there if you can get a place, anyway.

IceBearRocks · 19/06/2018 08:14

Maybe consider done here closer to Bedford ...Bury St Edmunds is lovely and has wonderful surrounding villages which can be quite rural. It's still about an hour to Bedford from there but nice and easy commute.

Theworldisfullofgs · 19/06/2018 07:25

I am currently going to norwich 2 or so times a week from north Cambridgeshire. It takes about 2 hours.
Whilst norfolk is lovely it's a v long commute. Is he going to work from home some of the time.

Cuttingthegrass · 19/06/2018 07:21

Either Wymondham or Banham are easy to Norwich. From Banham pick up the B1113 it’s through villages but a bus route and gritted and avoids a lot of the traffic into Norwich. I used to do it. Beautiful villages around South Norfolk. Banham easy to Attleboroigh, Diss amd Therford for all supermarkets. Hope your move goes smooorhly

Notquiterichenough · 19/06/2018 07:21

I've asked if they can look at moving to a different part of the board for you.

My friend used to live in Banham. Lovely village, and we loved visiting, but in the end they moved to Norwich, as the school run to Norwich was too much.

Notonthestairs · 19/06/2018 07:16

You need to ask to move this to either Chat or Property where there will be loads of help.

Your choice of villages are quite far apart - is their a rationale? Family?

I grew up near Debenham (if you mean the one in mid Suffolk) and had a boyfriend from Bedford. We'd meet in Cambridge. I can't imagine commuting that distance!

TheBitchOfTheVicar · 19/06/2018 07:02

My first thought is that Bedford is really far!

For commuting, Wymondham is the best-positioned by far, as it is on the A11. A47 (Debenham) can get busy and slow. And I personally would want to be closer to Norwich.

Banham is nice but further away again from Norwich, in a small country road. Nice zoo though! Not too close to a supermarket.

It is mostly estate living in Wymondham, though there are some nice villages around it.

Lastly, I'm not sure this is the best place for this thread.

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