Life in Preston (or where can I live?)

[QuestionableMouse]

I've been offered a place on the MA I really want to do at UCLan. I currently live in County Durham so it's going to mean moving and I'm freaking out a tiny bit 😂

My wants-

-flat/house of my own. Currently living on my own and don't think I could cope with a house share. Needs parking but not bothered about a garden.
-ideally less than 45 mins to the campus.
-rural/semi rural would be ideal but smaller towns are fine too. I'm assuming housing in Preston will be at a premium due to the uni so happy to live further out.

Any information will be greatly appreciated! 😀😂

Ah Sugerwishes on Blackpool road. I am sure my Wasteline has increased since I found that little gem

Loads of lovely parks at as well and walks down the Lancaster canal onto haslam park are lovely. Have seen Kingfishers, kestrels, goldfinches, tree creepers, herons, storks, tawny and barn owls and even otters in Savick Brook which I had to rub my eyes and look again as I couldn’t quite believe it. There is also a tree in Haslam park that has a family of Parakeets. There is also a pair of buzzards that fly over ingol on a reg basis.

I'm very close to brockholes nature reserve.
So many amazing creatures! And a beautiful place to walk, with lots to entertain children too. I take my kids there on a regular basis.
But yes, I love haslam park too and I've seen otters in the river!
We've also seen peregrine falcons flying near us.

Newlife - storks? I didn't think there had been any sightings in the NW - but we definitely have egrets now.
The river and the nature reserve over the bridge also has cormorants, goosanders, goldcrests, willow tits, and all the usual stuff - one day last year, before the summer migrants had arrived we saw over 30 species.

The falcons live in one of the churches I think, St Walburges? I know the view from that spire is amazing too