Where to live?

[Busymummy50]

We would like to move to the outskirts of Cambridge from London. Only visited Cambourne and was impressed with how much more value for money it is with the houses. We were not too keen on new builds though, and not sure about the area being so new. But we did like that it has a sport centre and not far to st.neots station and swimming pools not too far away too. It had 2 lovely big kids play areas too.

Drove through Linton and liked the high street although not much there compared to cambourne with the big Morrison's and Linton 2 was a lot smaller.

Any ideas where might fit our requirement the best? We are looking for somewhere with lots of other families, a swimming pool not too far, a few shops and or not far from a big supermarket and not far to get into town for kids when they become teenagers. Station to London not too far too, up to 15 mins by car maybe, great primary and secondary school too. Also great for exploring and cycling/walks nearby. Does it exist??

Ely - direct trains to Kings Cross
10 mins by train to Cambridge
Better value house wise than Cambourne ( which you realise would take about 40-60 mins to get to Cambridge in traffic).

Sports centre cinema market town

Melbourn. Train station for London and Cambridge, and now the A10 cycleway has been completed it's a traffic free cycle the whole way to Cambridge or Royston. The river Shep is nice to walk along, there's the bird reserve at Fowlmere and various other places to poke about. Melbourn has a swimming pool and there's a 25m one in Royston too.

But a PP mentioned traffic in Cambridge - if your commutes involve Cambridge, you really need to think about which is the best side to live on.

We won't need to commute into Cambridge. Partner will be going into London. Ely, Melbourn.... Does it have a good secondary school and what about sixth form?

Melbourn does have a village college which is part of the Comberton Academy Trust, whatever it is called now. Think it's fair and improving. It's a feeder school for Hills Road 6th form in Cambridge, which is one of the best 6th forms in the country.

How about Saffron Walden? Is that too far south? Has leisure centre with pool, plenty for families in the town, cinema, plenty of shops/supermarket. Audley End station is 5 mins away by car or bus with fast trains into Liverpool Street.

Ely to Cambridge by train is closer to 20 mins. Ely college has been doing pretty badly for some time but may be improving now.
The northern villages are great places to live with good schools, a train station at Waterbeach and the new shiny station just outside Milton.

There's a pool at IVC sports centre and some lovely walls by the river or in Milton Country Park. Big Tesco in Milton or Bar Hill. Histon has some nice little shops and there's the park and ride between Histon and Milton as well as other buses.

Cambourne would be a much better place to live than Melbourn if you have kids. Lots more going on, much more choice of schools (there are 4 primaries in Cambourne itself), and loads of green space/play areas etc.

To be honest, most of the South Cambs villages are fine with good schools. All schools in Cambridgeshire are in the "catchment" as it were for Hills Road and Long Road Sixth-form colleges. Plus some schools like Comberton and Impington have their own, well regarded, sixth forms.

You might need to decide whether you'd rather be in a small village with less facilities or a bigger one. Histon has a lot of shops etc and is only 3 miles from Cambridge. But the countryside immediately around isn't the prettiest as it's understandably more built up.

Linton has an outstanding college, and commuting from there into Cambridge is fine (I live nearby).

Duxford is just south of Cambridge, right by the M11 and less than 10mins drive to Whittlesford train station with direct train into Liverpool street. I think you need to decide what station you want to get into (Liverpool street or kings cross) and maximum commute time in total. then we can help better.

I would definitely avoid Cambourne as driving to Cambridge station in the morning will be hideous. He could always drive to Royston, but that would be around 30 mins. Much nicer villages with a shorter commute to the stations are around!

Cambourne to St Neots station is a 15 minute drive and then trains are 35 minutes to Kings Cross.

I don't live in Cambourne but would definitely consider doing do if I had small children as there is so much more to do. Plus buses every 20 minutes to Cambridge which is a godsend when the kids are older.

We live in a small traditional village which is lovely but it's quite cliquey. Plus there's not a lot for teenagers to do until they learn to drive and they get bored. You can easily end up being a taxi service if you live in a small village like ours.

Partner drives to work so commuting by train is not a priority. Liverpool street or kings cross is good as family lives within easy access to both ststions.

Our biggest priority is giving kids a safer environment than where we are now in London and good schools. We like bromley as it has grammar school options and good schools but still in London.

A worry i have is when the kids are teenagers. Is there enough to do for them?

A worry i have is when the kids are teenagers. Is there enough to do for them?

Somehow Cambridge teens cope! What would you like them to do that you fear they may miss out on around Cambridge?

We live in a small traditional village which is lovely but it's quite cliquey. Plus there's not a lot for teenagers to do until they learn to drive and they get bored.

I was concerned about things to do for teenagers as this previous post mentioned.
In a city, everywhere is easier to get to with more transport choices and links. We would like somewhere not too quiet and difficult to get into town for teenagers

If your budget stretches to it then Great Shelford is a great choice as it's very easy to cycle into Cambridge. My two used to moan about not living in Cambourne until they could drive, as there is loads for teens to do there plus regular buses to Cambridge.

most of the villages in south cams are well served with buses, but great shelford is lovely. Linton is nice but further out. Wouldn't really recommend Sawston.

Where does the children go to sixth form after secondary? As I've noticed some of the schools do not have a sixth form

Hills Road or Long Road sixth form colleges usually.

Some schools have 6th forms -Parkside and Nether hall in Cambridge, Comberton and Impington in South Cambs.

Cambridge area 6th form choice is excellent! Add to the list above:
Cambridge Regional College for the vocational angle
and was-called-UTC just changed name to Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology.
You've got the full range of vocational courses, BTECs, A levels and IB to choose from.

All the villages I was going to suggest have already been mentioned.

Histon & Impington? Cyclable to the new train station in North Cambridge or a short drive to either there or Waterbeach stations.

Thank you all for the information. I have only been to cambourne once. I liked the fact it has a supermarket and leisure centre. What I didn't like is the new build houses and the fact that there are plans to build more. I drove through Linton and loved the little high street but it seemed very limited and the area much smaller than cambourne. Comberton sounds like a good choice as it's slightly closer to Cambridge and also has a 6th form. On the map it looks tiny!! We will have to go and visit properly

Check out bus services into Cambridge from the villages - some services are very poor and it becomes a big deal if children are coming in to sixth form - one bus out in the morning and one but back in the evening. Not great if you've got free periods in the morning or afternoon or they're wanting to go out in the evening. Milton is a good choice with very easy access to Cambridge North, a very large supermarket, close to the river - towpath into Cambridge, Parkrun on a Saturday morning, plenty of pubs.