To ask your advice about Warrington please

[loveyoutothemoonandback86]

Hi everyone

I posted a few months ago about the possibility of moving to Manchester from London and has some lovely people respond which helped a lot. Anyway we went to see Manchester and loved the urmston/ flixton area but we really wanted new builds and they aren't around in that area. The areas where there are new builds don't seem to be great or have good schools. Good schools are essential I have 4dc aged 12,10,5,2.
We looked at Warrington, great Sankey only because we saw the new build online. The area seemed really quite but loads of new builds being built so I'm sure it will develop in a few years. We didn't have much time to check all the areas around Warrington but are going up again next month.
Any help on Warrington would be appreciated, great sanjey and other areas too. Although our heart is in Manchester we loves the busyness but the prices in Warrington will leave us in a very food position financially by us having a very small mortgage so this is really pushing the decision.
The only reason to leave London is to reduce mortgage and get a bigger house and also leave crime central to be honest.
Any info on Warrington or if you've made the move from London let me know. I'm very nervous to leave London as this is where I've always lives but want my dc to have a better life. Is Warrington a busy place in the centre like Manchester ?

lilacrosa

I live somewhere similar, and would not encourage anyone to live in either warrington or where I'm from.
The whole area is a skanky pit, and I've been here long enough to know that.

Hi OP. I know Great Sankey very well and the new houses you are talking about. There will be a noise and traffic issue with these houses as they are next to large Royal Mail depot, Amazon warehouse and the M62. DH is in construction industry and is aware that Redrow have admitted having problems selling the larger/executive houses for this reason.
The nicest estate is established, eg not brand new build, but these houses are on best plots. Its the " Duck Pond" estate and far, far nicer than Chapelford or the newest estates. Nice walks, greenery and play areas. Great for kids to ride bikes off road, etc.
This area is catchment for Great Sankey High School. My DC not there but friends' DCs are. Its rated Good by Ofstead and has a pretty good reputation.
Don't want to give too much identifying info but it is possible to get into Trafford grammars from Warrington if your DC are bright.
If you want to commute to Manchester, expect to leave by 7.15 at latest to drive there for anywhere near 9am and by 7am would be better.

My friend lives on the 'duck pond estate' it is very nice but not much around it I found.

I grew up around there. Honestly the majority of the towns in the bit between liverpool and Manchester (warrington, newton le willows, st Helen's, Wigan etc) are incredibly grim and grotty.

It always seemed like the population was largely split between chavs, criminals and elderly people getting terrorised by the former two.

Theres enough countryside that it seems like a good idea, but do think it through. My parents regret moving there and are trying to get out. My brother moved abroad and I moved a 4 hour drive away. Neither of us are ever going back.

Tbh, I think the biggest thing you need to consider if you're set on the area is schools. You can always commute for shops but you might not necessarily find a school that hasn't fallen foul to the state of the area.

I love that part of the UK and I've a soft spot for Wigan via extended family despite being a Londoner. You get beautiful countryside on your doorstep in the NW. If my boys weren't settled where we are I'd move up that way.

Culcheth, Croft are THE BEST places to live. Fab primary schools and a cracking high school!

I can highly recommend Newton-le-Willows. It has a lovely little high street, parks and shops. Train links into Liverpool and Manchester. Decent nurseries and primary schools. I've been here for 4 years now after leaving a big city. I love it. I love being in between Manchester and Liverpool. Easy drives to the lakes and Wales. I commute to Salford every day and the drive down the East Lancs isn't too horrific if you leave early enough. Train would be easier and quicker tbh. Feel free PM me if you want :)

loveyoutothemoonandback86

What is your budget/how many bedrooms?

I think your search should concentrate on catchment for good
schools which will lead you to a good area to live.

For Warrington - Lymm High school is very good - I would look at the catchment area for that. Children from Warrington to go to this school.

For Manchester - the south is best. Especially Trafford which has Grammar schools and THE best secondary schools. Look along the Metrolink route from Altrincham into Manchester for easy access to the bright lights of town.

Further south than Manchester is Knutsford which has an excellent high school.

Thank you everyone.
@Moonpie07 those are the ones I'm
Talking about. To honest I really don't much the noise as I've always lived in such a busy area and near main roads I'm use to
The noise. I haven't heard of the 'duck pond estate' where exactly is that?

@owl89 that's fantastic to hear. Will definitely be looking
At NLW in a few weeks when I'm up that end.
@notangelinajolie budget ideally no £335k max for 4 bed. Any ideas?

The Duck Pond estate is the opposite side of Lingley Green Avenue to where you looked. Made up of The Dales , Kingsdale, Thorntondale, etc. £335 k would get you one of the smaller 4 beds. Area is Whittle Hall.
Great Sankey is though effectively a commuter suburb. There are no restaurants, nice cafes, etc. Brand new sports centre with pool though. Everyone I know is from elsewhere and shops and eats out, etc in Liverpool/Chester/ Manchester or Stockton Heath. Its safe and quiet, low insurance, etc.
Other areas, Croft, Culcheth, Lymm are villagey with more of a community feel. Think you'll struggle to find 4 beds for that money.
Stockton Heath/Grappenhall is more bars/cafes/restaurants and has a proper high street. No new build estates though and 4 beds unlikely for 335k.
I would also suggest south Manchester if you want more lively area. Altrincham and area is fab but very expensive. Sale is cheaper but still access to good schools. At 12 though your oldest will have missed grammar entry so bear in mind for anywhere in Trafford.

@Moonpie07 Thank you I'll
Look out for that estate . But the ones I was talking about we can definitely get 4 beds for that price in fact there's quite a few. Even the ones in Newton le willows are a lot more cheaper which does make me think though although most feedback is that the NLW is still a good area though. Great Sankey was dead your right, I'm assuming they'll build the area up in a few years with restaurants, cafes shops ?? Do you mean most people you know living in great Sankey are from elsewhere ?

There is a little village Rainhill jun 7 m62 just next to Warrington beautiful area amazing schools fab little shopping area good transportation xx

@Mum2lots ohh interesting I've never heard of it will definitely look into it thanks

@loveyoutothemoonandback86 it's beautiful inbox me if you want more info xx

@Mum2lots ahh thank you I will

If I look closer to Cheshire, how about northwhich? Or Middleton? I don't k is anything about these areas, do they have good schools? Or Manchester irlam? I know it's quiet a dead place but is it quieter than great Sankey for instance ? Would Warrington be better than irlam?

timesquarewarrington.co.uk/#leisure-heart
OP, this might be of interest to you.
There is no development planned for Great Sankey other than more housing. It has supermarkets, pubs ( family friendly food style), flagship M & S, big Next, Costa but no centre as such. There's a David Lloyd gymn with indoor and outdoor pools but £££. Basically quiet, nice safe place where children can play out. Those very new estates are not everyone's cup of tea, very heavily developed but you seem set on new build and Great Sankey would be your best bet in Warrington.

@Moonpie07 thank you that helps, how far is great Sankey from
The main shopping centre? I'm going to
Read this article now thanks

I love living in Warrington, but I can see that moving from London will be a huge cultural shock.

We do have an Asian community which is mainly centred around the town centre and near the hospital - neither areas I would recommend given your requirements. They tend to be old families and descendants who have lived here for decades.

Areas to avoid Whitecross, Dallam, some parts of Latchford. Hood Manor and Old Hall aren't fab but aren't totally awful either.

I live in Orford which is like saying "hi, I'm a benefit scrounging scum bucket" to some, but actually it's lovely where I am and the public transport is really good (but expensive) and I can drive 10 minutes into the busy town centre or 10 minutes the other way and be in lovely countryside. Around Orford Green you get nice 1930's 3 bed semis for around £140k. It is busy traffic though.

Great Sankey is lovely (I grew up there) but agree the traffic is horrendous and avoid Chapelford at all costs. I just don't understand why that place is so bad, its new build and should be lovely but there are so many problems there.

Good high schools :

Great Sankey
Penketh - previous bad rep but believe its a good school now
St Gregory's (Catholic, Sankey)
Cardinal Newman (Catholic, Latchford)
Beamont Academy (Orford) - previous bad rep but has turned around and had a lot of money pumped into it
Lymm - best in the area (note: Never say that Lymm is in Warrington, big faux pas to Lymm residents 😂)
Bridgewater (Appleton)
Kings Leadership Academy (Woolston) my boss' girl goes here and they rage about it, relatively new school.
High schools to avoid -
Padgate Academy (Padgate) .
Sir Thomas Boteler (Latchford)

Lots of redevelopment going on in the town centre, great shopping centres dotted around and I find there's lots to do (more takeaways than we need though!)

I like being in the middle of Liverpool and Manchester, all the benefits of the cities without being too close. Train to Manchester Picadilly takes 25 minutes.

I did see your other thread and wanted to suggest Warrington but I wasn't brave enough with others suggesting Didsbury and Wilmslow etc 😂

@TheJellyBabyMadeMeDoIt aww this is great so much in depth information it helps a lot. You should have suggested it in the other thread but I get why you didn't😊. Where is chappelsford then? In great Sankey ?

@TheJellyBabyMadeMeDoIt just googled chapelford. We are looking at lingley green, how is that area?

Have you looked at Irlam?

@SCST01 I haven't just because in my previous thread everyone bashed it . I am considering looking at it now though. Do you know the area? Is it worth a look?

I went to Sankey high and I wouldn’t rate it at all, though it was over 10 years ago when I left so it may have changed. Warrington is... unique i’d say. There are good and bad areas, all covered by previous posters. Lots of new builds popping up all over the show. As others have said as well it can’t really be compared to London coz it’s so different! However I wil say there’s no WiFi issues or takeaway issues in the slightest (new summer palace Chinese is lush). Culture isn’t an issue either at DDs school we’re a complete blend of all cultures and races etc :) good luck to you OP!!

Chapelford is inbetween Gt Sankey and Old Hall.

Gt Sankey has a few subsections and includes Lingley Green, LG is the older part of the area although there are new builds. I've always like LG, i have friends who live along Park Road and it's a nice area. Mix of old and new.

Chapelford used to be an airbase (RAF Burtonwood) and it was decommissioned and built on. It was always planned to be a town within a town - its own doctors, pub, school, train station (currently being built). It really shouldn't be dodgy, but it is and I don't think anyone knows why. It's unruly teenagers running riot.

Across the road from Chapelford is the area mentioned up thread - Kingsdale etc. I love it around there I think it has a lovely feel, few ponds dotted around it is quite pretty considering it's under 30 years old.

I'd suggest Google Maps to get a feel for what is where.

The town is split by the Manchester Ship Canal - South Warrington is the leafy suburbs, older houses (some new builds) and North Warrington is the busy part and ranges from wealth to poverty.