To move to Milton Keynes?

[Nelumbo]

I currently live in West London, paying quite high rent, been wanting to get out of the steadily declining area for years but never had the means.
I now have an opportunity to move to a place, which is smaller but cheaper in Wavendon Gate.
My worries are not knowing what school my 12yr old will get a place in and mixed things I'm hearing about MK.
It would be a massive upheaval for the kids, as they have grown up here and made ties here, I would also need to commute to work until I find a job up there.
Can anyone tell me what it's really like to live there? and what it will be like for my 12 and 16yr old, specifically around the wavendon gate/walnut tree area?
Will they have plenty to do to stay away from trouble?
I've been up there a few times and it has been very very quiet, but have not been there during the week.

I chose MK as its away from London but still lots going on for the kids and an equal distance from my parents and siblings. I would like to be closer to family support as I feel pretty much alone here.
Trying to get a gage on what people think and it's very mixed.

I have to make a decision on this house like now, oh and I probably won't likely find another rental easily in my circumstance (single working mum)
My DD is doing good at the school she is in and her dad doesn't want to move her, however the area is becoming very unsafe in my opinion, I really don't want her hanging around this area in the years to come
I'm not 100% on the house but In my situation I cannot be very picky, as the estate agents won't touch me.
I could wait and see if something else comes up but it may or may not happen and I may get stuck here for another few years. If the area is good it will be worth it
WWYD? ....help!?

Is there a mumsnet local for Milton Keynes? I used to live close enough to go shopping or cinema or theatre ( all excellent) and our kids used Xcape. I liked it as a city and have known people who lived there who enjoyed the lifestyle. Lots of green spaces, canals, places to do sport etc. Everything is a chance isn't it but if you genuinely think this could improve your life and that of your family, I would go for it

I moved from London to a town just outside Milton Keynes (about 15 min drive away) last year and still commute into London 4 days per week. I don’t find the actual commute that bad time wise, but the commuting costs are a LOT. It costs me £28 per day to go from MK to London and that’s not including parking at the station (approx £100 per month). I can’t tell you much about MK itself except that there is a great shopping centre. Hopefully someone who actually lives in MK will be able to offer more advice.

Wavendon Gate is nice, lots of families and there is the High School. Most things in walking distance such as shops and dr. MK has loads of red routes so safe to cycle round. There is parks and a new bmx track.
We chose to come up this way as it's so good for children. Schools generally are not over subscribed, lots of parks, lakes and woods, but also shops and activities.
Like all places there are good parts and not so great, but same as everywhere.
If you on facebook, there is a group - mum to mum MK where there is loads of info on areas etc and you'll find people who live in the area.
Best move we've made.

Feel free to pm me for more info.x

I've have posted on the local MK thread but there isn't any response.
I am dreading the commute to be honest and I know it will cost a lot but it would hopefully only be very temporary depending in how long it takes to find a.good job.
As it's too late to get a school place for my DD she would have to come down with me in the mornings to go to her current school until she gets a place, but as least that is doable. I worry about changing her schools, but the other option is to stay in this area and once she starts GCSE's we are stuck again for years. The area is everything basically.
I know I need to do it but it's just so daunting specially as I'm doing it all on my own. Their dad is not going to make it easy as he doesn't want me to move either of their schools (my DS will be going 6th form) but he can do the same course in MK College.
The only bad thing I've heard about the area is walnut tree shops is where the youths gather, but I'm sure you will get that anywhere you go really?

It always seems like people who live in mk really love it

This might help:

www.theguardian.com/lnr-inside-track/2019/jun/07/from-milton-keynes-to-london-why-i-love-my-commute-its-practically-a-spa-break?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I imagine your 16 year old is likely to have strong feelings about leaving their friends and an exciting city for the burbs just as they start going out etc

What is their relationship with their dad like? Are they going to miss out on seeing him regularly if they move? If he is a regular part of their lives now switching to every other weekend is a big (and probably negative) change.

What in West London worries you for your 12 year old? Is this a rational worry? Your 16 year old appears to have survived so far

I grew up in Browns Wood, not far from Wavendon Gate at all. It was lovely. The school I went to was brilliant, as I left high school the new high school opened.

Im in Milton Keynes.

I really like it here overall, people are generally friendly, the rents are very high but nothing compared to London, lots of greenery and things to do.

The bad points I would say, although walnut tree/wavendon is nice there are some real shit holes in Milton Keynes.
Netherfield, lakes estate, fishermead to name a few.

Like London, Milton Keynes does have a gang problem.
I live in a nice part and have never seen any evidence of gangs but we do get gang violence incidents reported occasionally.
The gang problem here (outside of aforementioned shit hole estates) is nothing like as bad as London, Manchester, Birmingham etc.

My DH works in retail and there is a lot of racism there too though he has never ever had racial abuse outside of work.

Overall, I would say you'd probably enjoy living here though.

I've lived in Stony Stratford which is basically MK. Long time ago, pre kids, but I really liked it. Always a lot going on and to do. I can imagine as teenager it's great.

Not sore about the family side of things (I didn't have kids at the time) but I lived there for about 3 years. It's got no personality, but if you want something, doesn't matter what it is, MK will have it. It's a decent night out too, good shopping, xscape, concerts, theatre and everything in between. I also commuted to London which is really easy. Never any traffic jams due to the horizontal and vertical road systems. Nice people and some lovely villages close by if you want a bit of countryside

I live near Wavendon Gate and the youth issue at the shops really isn't a problem, def not compared to London.
You will get the odd one or two, but I've never had an issue.
I can't comment on the commute or issue with your ex.
I'm sure you will make the best decision for you and your family.

@MojoMoon my DS has only really just started going out and his hangs around with a few mates and they just go out on their bikes, he hasn't known them too long, he is on the fence he wants to move as doesn't like the area but also wants to stay at his current school. He's encountered a few problems but nothing too serious.

Oh and their dad doesn't have any regularity in seeing tbem, usually comes to ours once or twice a week for a few hours, he will have to travel further to see them though. Hopefully this will actually give him the push to have them to stay at his a couple of times a month

Thanks @Needsomezzzz from what I have seen its a very quiet area, I'm sure a few teenagers hanging around shops is not going to be an issue, and you'd get that anywhere. Compared to where I am now, I wouldn't even want to walk to my local shop 5mins away after dark really. We have had recent stabbings and shootings in the area, and it's just happening more often now. I know people say as long as you are not involved in these gangs which thankfully neither of my children are, then you will be ok, but you have only got to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
My DD is 12 and tells me she feels unsafe as she has seen people with knives, she doesn't want to leave her friends but also wants to move from the area, In fact she.is trying to convince me at times! I know she is doing really well in her current school which is actually a good sxhool, but she is very driven to do well so I'm hoping she will do well wherever she is. I'm worried she may not get into a local school but that will always be the case whether I move now or in a year.

It's soulless and bland beyond description, but it has cheap houses.

has cheap houses

Compared to London yeah, but house prices over here generally are insane!

A two bed goes for around £1,000 pcm rent, around 250/300,000 to buy.

Housing isn't that cheap except compared to London. Prices appear to have risen a lot over the past couple of years.

I visit there quite a lot and rather like it. Not very pretty. But green space, easy to navigate around, lots of retail and entertainment, good transport links,. A few quirky venues (I like the Stables), home to Bletchley Park and the Open University AND an Ikea.

I've lived in MK since I was 6. I'm 42 now and I love living here. I'm lucky enough to live in one of villages situated inside MK and we get the community feel, established neighbourhood, village pub and all the time, we are 10 mins from the city centre shops and bars.

I love that I've parks, lakes, rivers and woods all on my doorstep, rarely do we get traffic jams and we are only 30 minutes from Euston on a fast train.

Oh and the job market here is excellent. Not sure of your kind of work, but many big companies have head / large offices here... Santander, Argos / Sainsbury's, Suzuki, VW, Mercedes, Network Rail, BSI, Marshalls, Homebase... the list goes on.

Good luck OP. Also maybe consider widening your search a bit. Wavendon / Walnut Tree are a bit out in the sticks in the grand scheme of things. Unless that's intentional?

Wavendon Gate is a long way from the station so would increase your commute significantly, but it's a nice area and the school is good.

I am very happy living in MK, my DC are only little so I'm less familiar with what stuff is available for teenagers but in general it's a very family-friendly city! Someone always comes on these threads to say it's soulless, but having lived in beautiful historical places with shite transport/parking and fewer central amenities, I feel soul is overrated!

I thought it was better to be away from Central MK? But still have the benefit of being a short drive away when you need to go in.
Wavendon Gate is one of the outer places yes, but still only a short drive to central MK is it not easy to get to most places within the area,? I didn't think it was 'out in the sticks' I'm worried now, I read somewhere you could drive anywhere in MK within about 15 mins as there is very rarely traffic.

Will it be easy for my DD to jump on a bus to central MK? , as I'm sure she will be wanting to go shopping with her Friends often.

This is just the area the house has come up in, I didn't choose it intentionally.
I was looking the other side, furzton, Shenley way but there's no houses coming up in that area, as I said I'm very limited as can't go through estate agents.

I'm not going to be commuting by train, as it would be too expensive, plus they go into Central London, where I don't need to be, i work in Outer London. Bletchley station would actually be the the better option if I did decide to use the train.
I've been checking maps most mornings and the journey is averaging between 1hr 15-1hr 30, which I don't think is too bad. I realise the traffic is unpredictable, but it should only be very temporary.

I've read a few comments now about it being souless and unfriendly, but I guess its what you make of it, it's got to be better than being in a London borough where it's becoming the norm to read of knife incidents just down the road and drug dealers on the corner.
Plus the litter and general environment is utterly depressing, the local town here actually has a rotting smell to it, probably due to the amount of crap everywhere! I don't even go into my local town anymore.
Gonna have to make a decision today I think..

I wouldn't rely too much on the "rarely any traffic" thing. At rush hour the A421 which is one of the main roads that cuts through the centre from Buckingham and out the other side can get very snarled up. But in general the traffic is not as bad as other cities.

If you're renting, go. I don't think you would regret it and renting will give you the scope to move wherever you want once you've found your feet a bit.
Where you are living doesn't sound like any place for your kids to be.

Oh just come over.
Wavendon is nice, Furzton and Shenley also nice.

Train station and central MK are accessible by bus easily.

In the nice parts of Milton Keynes crime rates are pretty low.
I certainly have never seen anyone with a knife although Milton Keynes definately does have gangs.

Unfortunately the government has let it get so out of hand I think most areas have gangs now.

It is nothing like London/Manchester/Birmingham for knife violence.