Advice on Kings Hedges/ Arbury/ Cherry Hinton for a family move

[RonnieHall]

Our house is on the market in St Neots and we are looking for a family home closer to Cambridge. We have been looking at villages within cycling distance (approx 5 miles from Cambridge) like Histon, Oakington, Haslingfield, Harston, Fulbourne etc but have seen some houses in Cherry Hinton, Kings Hedges and Arbury that meet our requirements and budget. We rented in Cambridge for 6 years until 2008 and know that Arbury has a bad reputation (we mainly lived around Mill Road). However, we are wondering if this reputation is justified? We are a family with two small children, aged 5yrs and 1 yr old. Tell me great things about living in Arbury, Kings Hedges and Cherry Hinton with children.

We live in chesterton and are currently looking for a bigger house. we could afford moving to a different area in Cambridge but absolutely want to stay because of the great community: we made so many friends, most people are very helpful and friendly, many parents with a similar gentle parenting approach to us, a lot going on for children... If you are looking for schools I have heard great things about arbury, the grove and chesterton of being very friendly schools.

I live in Chesterton. The Arbury / King's Hedges reputation is undeserved: it might be a bit rougher 'for Cambridge' but it's not objectively a dangerous or unpleasant place, and like everywhere else in the city, it's getting gentrified.

Arbury Court has a good few local shops, an increasing rarity, which is handy for quick walking/cycling trips.

The 60s layout of Kings Hedges is quite confusing, but this does lead to some quiet residential roads, and a fair amount of green space between the backs of houses, which you'd never see from the main roads.

We're expecting, so haven't yet had to check out the facilities for children.

It's certainly worth checking out: take a visit, walk around and see what you think for yourself.

Arbury's rep is unfair I think. You can get quite a lot of house for your money, it's really handy for town, it's not far from the river or the A14 if you need to get out, and its primary feeds into Chesterton which is a great secondary. OK, it's not the most beautiful part of town, but it's a 50s/60s housing estate the like of which you would find in any town anywhere in the UK. Give it a go.

I also live in Chesterton, and have friends and acquaintances who live in Arbury and Kings Hedges. It's really not that bad. And the schools are good, and not oversubscribed. Actually a geat family area, and a lot easier to get to groups/activities in the centre than the villages.....