Horsforth- any streets to avoid? Excited first time buyers!

[lollydollydrop]

Hello MN'ers!

My partner and I are currently renting in Leeds and have only been here a few months after relocating from Manchester but love it- and have fallen in love with Horsforth. We are approaching 30 and would like to buy our first home here and start a family. However, we need to pick the brains of the local residents!!

Are there any places to avoid at all? We have a limited budget of probably around 200k although we are looking at houses advertised at 220-230. We would like a 3 bed semi, preferably within walking distance of Town Street and Hall Park, and with a garden. I think the bottom end of Town Street is better for plane noise than the top nearer the station? We are also thinking about proximity to primary schools and like the look of St Margarets.

I just wanted to ask about areas as I have found a couple of houses within our budget which are advertised as Horsforth although I'm not sure they really are- Paradise Place and Hawksworth Road. These look more like Hawksworth/Kirkstall to me than Horsforth? I am concerned about getting into primary schools in these locations. Do you class the 'other side' of the ring road as not really Horsforth??? Sorry to post so long!!!

Thanks so much for any help!
Lora

I don't know those roads, but the other side of the ring road is definitely still Horsforth. New Road Side is a separate 'centre' of Horsforth with plenty of shops/amenities.

Thank you Appleleaf, thats good to know!

I think that's the less nice side of Horsforth, and is close to the flight path (which isn't as loud as you'd think and we can see the runway from our bedroom window).

The Victorias off New Road Side are nice, as are the streets around Newlaithes School. I think both Newlaithes school and Featherbank are good state schools.

I would avoid anything just off Low Lane personally.

I know it probably seems way to early to think about secondary schools, but Horsforth School currently gives higher priority to applicants with LS18 postcodes (even if the applicant with the LS18 postcode lives further from the school than the applicant with the non-LS18 postcode!) Obviously admissions policies can be changed, so no certainty that it will be the same in years to come.

If you look under "Schools" on the Leeds City Council website you can find information about which primary schools were oversubscribed in 2013. St Margaret's was oversubscribed for 2013. The Leeds admissions policy for voluntary controlled schools (which St Margaret's is) gives a very high priority to children who already have a sibling at the school. The next priority category is children for whom St Margaret's is their nearest state primary school (ignoring for this purpose schools which set their own admissions policies based on religion). All children in this priority category got a place last year. In addition 34 children got a place even though they didn't already have a brother/sister there and it wasn't their nearest school. For children in this last category, priority was determined according to distance of their home address from the school (measured on a straight line basis).

I think most (maybe all?) of the primaries are good in Horsforth so I don't think the 'catchment' area is such an issue here, although there is a general lack of places and some schools are expanding. My DSs are at St Margarets, and I've noticed more and more classes there are 30+ now, due to I think to LCC not following procedures properly and places being awarded on these grounds - it's very popular. I would definitely look on LCC website as newnickname advised to get an idea of the admissions' situation. I think if you went for Hawksworth Rd you would not get into St Margarets - think nearest school for there is Featherbank, which is good I believe. We moved to Horsforth from London seven years ago and I'm really happy we moved here, it's a great place to bring kids up and has a strong community feel. I remember being a bit bothered about planes at first, but I really don't notice them now, and DS1 used to insist on having his high chair pointed at the window so he could watch planes coming into land, so was free entertainment for him!

I live in the catchment area for Westbrook Lane which I have to say is an excellent school and my DD loves it, it is much smaller and more like a village school. A lot of the children in my daughters class live in the Brownberrie Lane area and I honestly never really notice the planes unless outside. You can still walk to town street and the park. Most of Horsforth is nice so I wouldn't worry too much..just find a house you like and go for it! I love living in Horsforth and is great for bringing up children.

Paradise place is the wrong end of Horsforth for the good schools.
You want to be away from the wood side pub roundabout if you're after the 'better schools'.
Victoria's good option with newlaithes school very close by.
You'll be lucky to get a three bed semi for £200k though in the good bits of Horsforth. Have a look at some of the rose terraces/avenues/Charles st houses for your budget. Decent houses but not much garden.
Hope that helps.

@Lollypops20181 Can you tell me what the issue is with Low Lane? We are looking to move and are intrigued to know why the prices are so (relatively) cheap