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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask you if this place exists?

173 replies

montepulcianos · 08/09/2018 19:03

I would really like to move house, somewhere we can get more house for our money as we would like a lot more space (currently live in the Home Counties in a lovely area with very good schools and great links into London, so housing is crazy expensive) and to escape the 11 plus/grammar system and the associated pressure and competitive attitudes.

We need to be within relatively easy reach of an airport as DH works overseas part of the week. I'd say maximum 45mins-1 hour by car to an airport. Need good schools for DC and would like to be in pleasant surroundings, in or near countryside and open space. Love the idea of the Cotswolds but seems too far from either Heathrow or Birmingham airports?

Have family up north and also more centrally. Would be great to be nearer to them too. Also decent train links to London (but not for daily commute, more occasional work trips).

Any brainwaves?! Does such a place exist?!

OP posts:
MissMarplesKnitting · 08/09/2018 21:06

OP doesn't want Grammar area.

Stratford and South Warwickshire have grammar school system....

MissMarplesKnitting · 08/09/2018 21:06

Stratford is pretty.

It's a nightmare roads wise though. Tourist central. Drives you crazy. Trust me!!

ShakiraIsMyNameOnSaturday · 08/09/2018 21:07

Northamptonshire has some beautiful villages, and £800k would buy you something beautiful. About an hour to Luton, East Mids and Birmingham airports, but that will vary slightly depending on which part of the county you're in. No grammar school system, 50 mins on train to London from Wellingborough, or just over an hour from Northampton.

ivykaty44 · 08/09/2018 21:08

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65786854.html

Prefer this house though

Again an hour from b/ham airport
On train line
Good schools
Coteswolds area
Oxford for shopping

ivykaty44 · 08/09/2018 21:12

MissM do you live in south Warwickshire?

ShakiraIsMyNameOnSaturday · 08/09/2018 21:13

Now I'm fantasy house shopping Wine

Pipewell, Kettering, Northamptonshire
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67215421.html

Gayton Road, Blisworth, Northamptonshire, NN7
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52811226.html

Holcot Road, Walgrave, Northamptonshire, NN6
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-56431863.html

MissMarplesKnitting · 08/09/2018 21:14

Yup!

ivykaty44 · 08/09/2018 21:15

It’s just that Shipston secondary is an outstanding school and an acedemy - it’s not a grammar school

neverhadanymarblestolose · 08/09/2018 21:18

We live in a very small village near Tarporley, Cheshire. Manchester & Liverpool airports both under 45 minutes. Crewe train station, which has 90 minute trains to London is under 30 minutes drive. Lots of beautiful rural villages around here. Plenty of outstanding primary schools, no grammar schools here either.

MissMarplesKnitting · 08/09/2018 21:20

Yes, but Stratford is a grammar school area.

OP specifically asked that the area wasn't grammar.

Hence me saying South Warks might not work.

ChiaraRimini · 08/09/2018 21:22

There's loads of choice without going too far. I am in North Herts. Ofsted outstanding schools, by car 30 mins to LTN, 45 mins STN, 40 mins Kings Cross (train) and 800k would get you a lovely family house especially if you don't need to be walking distance of train station.

MissMarplesKnitting · 08/09/2018 21:23

The house you posted is Shipston Rd, Stratford.

It's not in Shipston-upon-Stour? Which does have a great secondary.

ivykaty44 · 08/09/2018 21:23

Apologies- I was looking in Shipston and now see the house is in SoA - my mistake

ivykaty44 · 08/09/2018 21:26

www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-56080683.html

Hopefully this would make more sense..

CrispbuttyNo1 · 08/09/2018 21:27

Devon will tick all the boxes for you . We moved here from London 3 years ago and love it.

bakingdiva · 08/09/2018 21:27

We did exactly this, moved to not far outside of Macclesfield, on the edge of the Peak District. £750k for a 5 bed house in an acre of grounds, 45 mins to Manchester Airport, 50 mins to Manchester or an hour to Sheffield.

Closer to Macclefield something like this is well within budget
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-73299944.html.

Bollington is also a really lovely village, it was voted the best place in the country to bring up a family in 2016 in The Times.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-52049136.html

Cheshire East doesn’t have the grammar system, but has some really good schools.

BrieAndChilli · 08/09/2018 21:30

There are no grammar schools in wales. We live in Monmouthshire which is just over the Severn bridge from Bristol. Trains to London and even driving it is on only 2-3 hours. Bristol airport has flights plus Cardiff airport is also close. Both Cardiff and Bristol are very close for shops/concerts/events etc.
Lots of country side, Forest of Dean, Brecon Beacons etc, and beaches are within an hours drive.

tillytrotter1 · 08/09/2018 21:33

Don't be fooled into thinking that places like Cheshire are cheap just because they're in the North, parts are eye wateringly expensive!

Watto1 · 08/09/2018 21:36

Agree with the above poster about South East Wales. Spitting distance of Bristol and Cardiff airports. No grammar school system. The Severn Bridge tolls are due to he abolished by the end of the year. Beautiful countryside but the amenities of a city like Cardiff nearby. I am selling my house there at the moment

bakingdiva · 08/09/2018 21:36

Disley is also very nice, just the other side of the hills from Macc

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-63791962.html

Pasithea · 08/09/2018 21:50

We where exactly in that position two years ago. Moved from a very expensive popular Herts village to County Durham. We have land , 30 mins to beach , hour to airport , near A1 trains and can shop in Durham and Newcastle. Love it and wish we could have done it earlier. No what ifs no regrets.

MissMarplesKnitting · 08/09/2018 21:50

I'd go for the Peak District/Cheshire are if I were you OP. It's beautiful. Close enough to the airport.

Polestar50 · 08/09/2018 21:52

Sorry don’t know about the grammar schools part but Stroud is worth a look.

Just on the edge of the Cotswolds with amazing countryside and lovely houses in chocolate box Cotswold stone villages for your budget.

Fab community, vibrant, arty and good amenities (cinema, farmers’ market, sports centre etc)

1hr (traffic dependant) to both Bristol and Birmingham airports. Plus direct main line train to Paddington (1.5hrs)

Good shopping in Cheltenham & Cirencester (each 30 mins). Less than 1hr drive to both Bristol and Bath.

Very good, quick links to M4 and M5 so not isolated at all.

WingingWonder · 08/09/2018 21:53

If you were Warwickshire or leics there are lovely areas which would with for Birmingham and east mids airports but also work for Heathrow in a couple of hours drive
London can be as little as 48 min depending on where you are
Depends on what budget/house size you want
Schools are good, as are excellent unis

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