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Original poster

Best areas to live in Darlington?

49 replies

mummyb54 · 25/01/2016 13:55

Hi I know it's been asked before but after some advise. My partner has been offered a job in the centre of Darlington, we are looking at moving to darlington but after some advise on best and where to avoid areas please? We currently have a 2yr lb and live in York, I drive so will be commuting but he doesn't so it works out financially better to move up there rather than stay here? I have heard the DL3 postcode area is that right?

OP posts:

VikingLady · 07/02/2016 16:34

Best depends really on what you want. We live off North Road near town, which is relatively poor. You get two good parks on your doorstep, house prices are low and shopping is very good!

Generally the West End is considered the nicest, but you do pay for it. Maybe one of the villages would be better.

Wendied · 07/02/2016 16:40

Depending on your budget I would have also suggested the West End or Blackwell. Or if you're happy to live further out try Heighington.

Borninthe60s · 07/02/2016 17:10

DL1 tend to be closer to town and lower cost.
DL2 are surrounding villages
DL3 is west end usually and also closer to town.

In all honesty I would choose the primary school you want DC to attend and look in the appropriate catchment area.

Darlo has loads of buses, on the east coast main line, good shops and is greatly improved to what it was 20 years ago and housing is still cheap.

Newton Aycliffe is north or Darlo and cheap
Richmond is south of Darlo and expensive.

I lived in Darlo for many years but moved to N Yorks prior to my DC attending secondary school as it ensured a place at a very good school.

It depends what your priorities are but realistically it's the gateway to the Dales and Moors and within the 10 mins in the car you're in beautiful countryside and less than an hour to the coast.

Borninthe60s · 07/02/2016 17:12

If you live in York and DH doesn't drive the trains are brilliant, can you explore that before deciding to move?

Original poster

mummyb54 · 08/02/2016 10:29

Thank you everyone this is really helpful. Borninth60's when we looked in to it, it actually worked out cheaper for me to commute and the house prices, as many of you have mentioned, in Darlington are a lot cheaper even in the West End than what we are currently paying in York.

My partner will be working in the centre so for him it would need to be good connections via public transport or within walking distance.
To sum things up we are currently paying through the nose for a 3 bed house which is about standard for York but half the price in Darlington when looking at rental prices.

On the back of what some of you have said then which nurseries / schools would people recommend as this is obviously one of the biggest deciding factors to which area as well.

OP posts:

Borninthe60s · 08/02/2016 22:56

I'm out of touch now with schools but Polam Hall was independent but now a free school and very good. Hummersknott used to be a good school. Also abbey school (RC faith school). Best thing is have a look at ofsted reports and see which schools are consistently good or outstanding.

If you are renting I'd go for west end, easy access to A66, A1 south if you're travelling back to York. Or look at villages just over border if you want a village life. Stapleton, Barton, Manfield, Middleton Tyas.

Wendied · 09/02/2016 22:20

I'd highly recommend Ferndene nursery in Elton Parade they are brilliant. I was so sad to take DS out when we moved.

Lilyannapollyanna · 09/02/2016 22:25

Borninthe60s I made the move to North Yorkshire (from NW England though) and I am so chuffed with the schools my DDs go to now.
OP I highly recommend Richmond and surrounding areas if it is possible. The small towns are slightly more expensive for renting but I live rurally about 15 miles south of Richmond and my house is HUGE and the rent almost in line with what LA would pay for a private rented property. It's great! And kids get coaches provided to school as well

Original poster

mummyb54 · 15/02/2016 22:20

Thank you this is all really helpful

OP posts:

Original poster

mummyb54 · 16/03/2016 21:18

I just want to thank you all for your advice we have taken a house in the West End of Darlington as it is walking distance for my partner and easy access to the A1 for me. We move in the next couple of weeks and looking forward to getting to know the area xx

OP posts:

Sebquinn81 · 24/02/2017 23:55

Hi,

I know this thread is old but just wondering how the move to Darlington went?

We also live in York and are thinking of moving to Darlington. We like the thought of living close to the train station (so partner can get the train to work in York). I work from home so don't need to commute.

Darlington appeals because of the low property prices and good travel connections to York and Newcastle.

We were thinking of renting in York for a year, within a mile of the train station. However, since the price of the house we would have rented is low, we are thinking of buying it...then saving for our main house...either in Darlington or perhaps back in York if it turns out Darlington is not for us...and then renting the house in Darlington.

Not bothered about the house price not going up...it's the low house prices and quality of life that we are looking for.

And in the future when we adopt, we want a city with good schools. I've hear nice things about Darlington.

Any insight would be fantastic!

Sebastian

Toomanyclares · 25/02/2017 07:10

Hi, the area around the rail station is not the greatest tbh. You need to look towards the West end, Mowden and hummersknott area for the best areas. Some of the Victorian style houses just outside of the town centre towards the West are nice but parking is a pain. Depends what you like and how important area is tbh.
I live a 30 mins walk from the station. There is also a bike shed there.

magnolia777 · 13/04/2017 22:22

Very glad to see this topic revived recently. I am seeking information about Darlington. The West End is slightly out of my price bracket. What other areas should I look at? I am looking in an 80-120k price bracket for a 2 bedroom house. I don't have any children so schools are not a consideration, although safety would be top prioirity. There are a huge number of houses for sale in that price bracket and I don't know where to start.

I would appreciate some guidance on the different neighbourhoods. "The Denes" has come up a couple of times as a possibility. If anyone local would be willing to speak with me via DM that would also be very much appreciated.

Currently I live in a working class neighbourhood that is considered to be a very rough part of my city, however, I like the people here very much. It does differ from road to road, however, and I imagine Darlo is the same, therefore my request for local knowledge. Thank you!

yveeastdurham · 13/04/2017 22:35

Some of the rougher bits of darlo are really quite depressing and a little bit scary, tbh. I say that as someone who as lived in "rough" areas, elsewhere. Do you need to be in the town, itself, or are you able to commute in from a nearby village? That might increase your options (if you don't mind the never ending roadworks - the ones on Harrowgate Hill, at the moment are spectacularly disruptive)

Toomanyclares · 14/04/2017 17:11

Part of the Denes is ok. In your price bracket i would look around cockerton and the Denes as far as in line with holyhurst road. Brinkburn area is ok too. Darroby drive, lady Kathryn not sure if that is out of your price range.
Branksome is the other end of cockerton and is not so nice. Look around stooperdale, bates avenue area. West park is ok too.
Hth. Let me know if you need anything else

Toomanyclares · 14/04/2017 17:12

I don't know much about Harrogate hill and the North of town but I've heard it's ok. Near the asda supermarket into haughtiness.

magnolia777 · 15/04/2017 16:37

Thanks for your reply, the outskirts are better for me (as close to the A1 as possible).

Would you be able to be more specific about the rougher areas? If you dont want to post it on here please send a DM. I could understand if you didn't want to, it can be a bit of a sensitive subject to slag off certain neighborhoods (speaking as a resident of an area that is always getting slagged!).

magnolia777 · 15/04/2017 16:47

That's really helpful information and exactly the kind of local knowledge I am looking for. Yes I am looking at Cockerton and it would be the best location in terms of proximity to the A1. Would it be possible to speak with you in more detail offline via DM?

There are a lot of these 2-3 bed brick terraced houses around the train stations going for 60-90K closer in to the city. How bad are these areas actually? You can see on street view there are parks, independent cafes and shops in some cases, which suggests young families or first time buyers may be moving in because of being priced out of the West End.

Just trying to figure out whether spending say 20 - 30K more to live in Cockerton actually makes financial sense. I am not planning to live in this house forever, only for about five years then hoping to sell and move further out. So resale value is a factor and, like everyone other house buyer, I want to avoid buying into an area in decline if at all possible. Again, thanks.

yveeastdurham · 15/04/2017 17:24

North road nearer the train station is not somewhere I'd want to buy. A lot of the houses there appear to be rental s and in quite poor condition.

I took ds1 to the 2 parks there, playing Pokémon, a few months ago. We got to the gates of the one nearer the town centre and a guy got out of his car and started puking in a side street. We saw one other person actually in the park, doing the same as us, then cycling off. We got to the far gates and there was a guy with a big bottle of booze, peeing against the railings. This was a Saturday lunchtime, so hardly a time when a good park would be desserted.

The one further out was much busier, with families and dog walkers but also large groups of older kids. It wasn't well kept.

Toomanyclares · 15/04/2017 19:15

I wouldn't go for round the station over cockerton. South park is the main park in town but has recently been vandalised. It's a nice enough park but has poor houses on 3 sides. Park side has lovely big houses but behind is skerne park which isn't.

Victoria embankment is one of the main streets to the park and i have heard it's ok but there is a lot of traffic to and from the park. Clifton road has the cattle market. Victoria road has indi shops on but isn't great as are most of those streets up to the station.

Depending on what time you travel west Auckland road gets busy so factor in time for that.

Pm me if you want.

magnolia777 · 16/04/2017 12:18

Thanks yveeastdurham. Your information is matching some other recent information I obtained about the North Road area near the station.

Lizzie2452 · 16/04/2017 14:36

Interesting subject thinking of buying a place in Darlington area been looking at Whinfield area we are a couple in our 50's any advice ??? Thanks

Toomanyclares · 16/04/2017 19:05

Not my area of town but i know people who live there and like it.

Lizzie2452 · 16/04/2017 19:42

Thank you will have a look at Cockerton and Harrowagate Hill area too ...although finding it hard to work out what is North Road area and what is Harrowgate Hill ...Is Eastbourne any good ...?

Toomanyclares · 16/04/2017 19:49

Harrogate hill is the top of North road. By top i mean long field road, salters lane

Eastbourne is mixed. Depends what you are looking for. There are a few traveller families round there which i don't have a problem with but some people do. Harris Street is an upper border of an estate called firth moor which had a reputation. Moorfields the new estate to the side has people i know living there who like it and it's newer houses. Will schools be a factor for you?

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