Moving to Canterbury

[Bouham]

Hello
We are a family with 3 kids (1 secondary school, 2 primary). We have lived in south east for over 20 years and now decided to move to Canterbury as our daughter got a place in Canterbury Girls Grammar School. We are really struggling to decide which area we should buy/rent as we are not familiar with Canterbury and surroundings. Would anyone please be able to give us some honest advice of which places we should look at and which we should avoid.
Some point to take into consideration:

• we are family oriented and we want a family friendly are
• looking for a safe place as we travel a lot and obviously you want your mind at rest when not around
• good schools (primary)
• feasible commute to Simon Langtons GGS is a must
• I need to commute to central London for work (may be one/twice a week)

we have these places in mind:
canterbury central, wincheap, chartham and herne bay...

we really need to honest advice pleeeease

thanks a million

[myusernamewastakenbyme]

My son is a student in Canterbury and lived in Hales Place...he said its a bit rough....he had his car broken into and wallet taken outside his house but he was there 5 years and that was the only incident.

[cultkid]

I live in Westbrook
St Nicholas is fast to canterbury just take the main road
I would say to leave this way instead of into rural areas purely because there are more facilities for the kids as they get older

[cultkid]

I live in Westbrook
St Nicholas is fast to canterbury just take the main road
I would say to leave this way instead of into rural areas purely because there are more facilities for the kids as they get older

[SoMuchToBits]

Wye is lovely (I have family there, very familiar with it). It's a large village with good facilities, railway station etc.

Only downside is house prices are quite high, so depends on your budget.

[cultkid]

I live in Westbrook
St Nicholas is fast to canterbury just take the main road
I would say to leave this way instead of into rural areas purely because there are more facilities for the kids as they get older

[MrsSchadenfreude]

You should definitely avoid Hernebados!

[Ohjustboreoff]

I grew up in Beltinge. I love Hoath, Chislet and Maypole for countryside but rubbish if you don't have a driving license and rely on your parents to ferry you around. The walk from Beltinge to Reculver is amazing.

[Ohjustboreoff]

Herne (not Herne bay) is a village to look at too.

[EmmaJR1]

I don't know if it's been suggested but Boughton-under-Blean is a lovely village. Just down the A2 from Canterbury and has a bus route in to the city.
I rented there and it was such a lovely community oriented village. I loved it but was priced out when I wanted to but 😕

[EmmaJR1]

I don't know if it's been suggested but Boughton-under-Blean is a lovely village. Just down the A2 from Canterbury and has a bus route in to the city.
I rented there and it was such a lovely community oriented village. I loved it but was priced out when I wanted to but 😕

[DullDullWeather]

Wingham is lovely but I imagine it is expensive.
Beltinge is a nicer part of Herne Bay than a lot of it, but Spencer Road is nice for houses and near a park with a duck pond and playground.
Have relatives in Herne which is nice, has a junior school, a park with an outside gym, a general store/post office, a pub and a real ale drinking establishment
I don't know what side of Canterbury you need though .

[chloworm]

I really would avoid Aylesham. Stuck out on its own and quite rough. Lots of cheap new builds. Although established families there are very loyal to the place due to its mining history. Shocking bus service and 2 hours to London on train.

[FizzyPink]

I really wouldn’t advise you to look at Aylesham at all. Exactly what another poster said, rough and mainly cheap new builds. It’s not a friendly area

[Bellesavage]

@MsSweary

Hales Place - HUGE student populated area because it's proxity to University of Kent and now Canterbury Christchurch University College has expanded many of the LA built housing is buy to rent for students. I wouldn't buy there but maybe OP you need to come down in the car and do a drive round the areas now people have mentioned a few?

Agree, don't go anywhere near those estates!

[KittyHawke80]

Sorry; missed the tag somehow.

I take issue with one poster's comments that my (and others) claims about Herne Bay are 'ridiculous' which suggests they are fabricated or exaggerated: that's simply not so, I'm afraid. Herne Bay has significantly higher rates of street crime than Ashford, which has twice the population (and there's quite a large elderly population in HB). Beltinge is quite nice, a bit like Palm Bay in Margate, with lots of high-end bungalows and rather attractive 30s semis but I still wouldn't live there. My friend lives in Beltinge and even she hates HB - her mum was actually a bystander during the 30-strong jamboree detailed below and only just avoided being the victim of a delightful spot of 'happy-slapping'.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.kentonline.co.uk/herne-bay/news/amp/teen-arrested-after-horror-high-street-gang-attack-209966/

www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/gang-teenagers-been-charged-30-1190648

Herne village is quite nice but again, not cheap.

I'd reiterate everything that's been said about Aylesham. It is ghastly. It's a former mining village and has that very weird vibe that I'd assumed was peculiar to mining communities in the north, of being quite insular and hostile to 'incomers' which is really weird for a small Kentish village. There was a boy a few years below me at Kings (Canterbury) who later came to work with me at a bar, and I was staggered to find he was from Aylesham. We went to a pub in the village once and I went to the bar and was told and wouldn't be served and to send 'one of them lads over'. True story. I thinks there's much to be said for visting

[CuppaZa]

Another one saying avoid Herne Bay like the plague

[KittyHawke80]

(Sorry; posted too soon)

. . . a place in the day and at night, to get a feel for: the neighbours; whether there's a lot of noise; antisocial behaviour etc etc. Rear suites that's not necessary in Aylesham - you'll hate it immediately.

Posters are pretty much right about the dodgy parts of Canters - Hales Place, Downs Rd etc. I'd add the Spring Lane estate. You really really want to be careful about student housing. My kids' paternal grandparents live in a v nice house in a really nice road off Roper Road, which is close to the Uni and the town. They've been v v lucky with the student house next door by which I mean that about 12 out of fifteen years have been fine - but three years had students from hell. And I know people who've had it a lot worse.

Wingham, Fordwich, Littlebourne, Bekesbourne etc are indeed very nice which is obviously reflected in the price. Plus, you might bump into Paul Hollywood which is something I'd pay my not inconsiderable body weight in doubloons to avoid. Boughton (between C'bury and Faversham) is actually a good shout. I'd go along with that.

And up by the hospital is really nice. Also correct.

I think that's it. But put the kibbosh on Aylesham, please. It's gross.

[KittyHawke80]

'Rear suites' = Rest assured

[Bouham]

Ok I got the message about Aylesham
How about: Talmead Road, Herne Bay?
I understand Herne Bay might not be the best option but Is the area mentioned any good??
Thanks

[KittyHawke80]

I shall ask my friend but should probably step back a bit as I don't know individual parts of HB well enough to comment. House prices seem to be the low end, which would be a possible worry to me. I may be wrong.

[CoalTitCafe]

Bit niche, but I would recommend Harbledown for a family. I went to Kent University and was very close to moving back and buying a house.

[KittyHawke80]

Oh, Harbledown is lush. Close to the city but tucked away and leafy. I don't know what OP's budget is, but you know what I'm going to say - H'down is quite expensive.

[CoalTitCafe]

Oh yes but with living in the SE and commuting in to London I'm assuming she's got a few quid

If we ever take the plunge and move back, it will hopefully be Harbledown.

[KittyHawke80]

That's what I thought too but I didn't want to be presumptuous. I have that provincial thing of thinking everyone from London with a house to sell is minted! So, OP - how much money do you have! 😂😂😂😂😂

[IndecentFeminist]

I didn't even know you could get a place at slggs without living in the area. I went to the boys' school for my a-levels many moons ago, and Kent College before that. Was a Whitstable girl. It's a bit poncey there now though sadly b