Can't afford Brighton, what are Peacehaven/Newhaven like?

[poppypoppy]

I want to move back down South to my home town of Brighton but have been shocked by the soar in house prices there. Having looked online we can only afford a big enough place in Peacehaven / Newhaven / Saltdean etc. I don't really now theses areas. Anyone live there? Just want good schools and fresh air for my three little'uns.

Honest? newhaven is awful place everyone takes the mickey out of it, Saltdean is okay but absolutely nothing there and a bit rough and same a peacehaven. Not that bad but a bit rough and nothing there, no centre PLUS there are plans to build a huge sewage works so everyone preparing to abandon ship I think.
what are you looking for, what kind of price?

have no idea what the area is like but the people that live in peacehaven always offer lovely items on Freecycle

We're in seaford which if about 9 miles from brighton.
It was apparently featured on one of the property programmes a while ago for property prices still ok-ish and rising due to the proximity to brighton.

It's lovely here too

yes Seaford is nice , i thought about moving there

takes about 20 mintues in the car on the a259 to get to brighton.
and about 10-15 to get to eastbourne.

Would agree re seaford.There are some cheaper areas near Brighton like Patcham and Shoreham has become quite trendy lots of nice little shops and bars What are you after?

then again I am in Lancing, its relatively cheap and you can get some really nice property here and nice parks and primary schools (hence why we moved here) but its absolutely dead, great if you like old people! I wouldn't really recommend it. and if you have teenagers the secondary school is pretty awful

another vote for Seaford, it's nice there, but agree - Newhaven is gross. Have you though about West Sussex at all?

we are thinking of moving back into brighton next year, probably be north hove or patcham

Wow, so many replies so quickly! I'll give Newhaven a miss. I grew up near Patcham so know that area quite well, just wasn't sure about schools. Basically we just want to be in/near Brighton to be near family. We need a 3/4 bed property for less that 250K, probably impossible in Brighton. Will definitely research Seaford though. Thanks everyone!

You could get something in Brighton for that Have yopu looked on rightmove?

Ladytophamhatt - I've spent all day on the internet and am quite taken with Seaford. Can I ask you a couple of qu's? Do you have a child of school age? I was wandering what the local primary school is like, I've read the OFSTED but its always better to hear first hand what a school is really like. If you know anything about the school do you know if it is oversubscribed? Mine eldest would be starting in year 1 next Sept if we moved by then. Any advice gratefully received!!!

We're in Brighton and would rather move to shoreham than peacehaven or newhaven anyday! Seaford is nice but if you're gonna be out of town, think its generally better to go east/inland imo. steyning is very community minded and pretty, - cheaper than brighton but quite traditional. I also like lewes, prob not that cheap tho. Also, did your know they're proposing new sewage works in peacehaven, or 'poohaven' as its been dubbed!

sorry, i meant to say go west not east!

Thanks, I've been completely put off "poo-haven"! I always remember Shoreham as being a bit naff but its years since I lived in Brighton, I think I just need to book a weekend down there and have a good look around.

come down next w/e and join us for our MN lunch in Brighton. Then we can all tell you first hand what we think!

Shoreham latest - there is a new 'trendy' bar in the highstreet and a great farmers market! but have heard that the schools are poor - does anyone have any info? I am also looking to move to/wards Brighton from lancing (don't even think about it - CM is right)

My brother used to live in Peacehaven . It is full of post war bungalows, but plots are large and it is fairly quiet. Would n't recommend Newhaven at all but Saltdean used to be a bit better than Peacehaven. How about Hangleton or Portslade ?

have a friend who teaches at shoreham first, moved from a portslade school- said standards are better in shoreham. also, a colleague sends her children there and she really knows her stuff teaching -wise. thats just anecdotal, though. portslade (and hangleton - i think)are quite 'mixed' catchment wise, if you're thinking of schools.

Primary is good in Shoreham but I understand Secondary is not. Hangleton is a good school

yeah, hangleton has a good repuation but don't have direct knowledge about it- unless you count playing a netball match there as kid! its a bit more leafy than suburbs to the east, which is nice.

Oh yeah, Hangleton. I used to have my driving lessons there. That's definitely another option

i thought there was quite a lot of trouble around hangleton?(teens)

am only talkin primary I'm afraid, don't know the teen scene yet! But I know Blatchington Mill is a pretty ok school.

okay, i have been working for childrens services and education for s.services and LEA on/off fo last 8 years. 6 in Brighton and surrounding areas,
considered schools -
Falmer and
Patcham High-pretty awful
Hove Park not good
Blatchington Mill, good
Varndean, good
Dorothy stringer, good
Kings Manor- Shoreham, terrible
Portslade Community College, not good
Boundstone secondary-lancing,awful
Willows first/oakfield middle lancing good
North lancing first/middle good
most primary schools in Shoreham not good
Hangleton primary good
That is from my working experience, hope that helps. Personally if we move back to Brighton area next year we are only thinking as far a head as first and middle schools because dd is only 2
basically not many good secondary schools, but depends on age of your kids whether you are thinking that far ahead