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Original poster

Calling all Northampton mums...what's it like to live there?

27 replies

Lauriefairycake · 10/03/2007 16:03

I am thinking of moving to as close to the motorway as possible - what are these areas like? if you could choose to live in one of them, which one?

Roade looks like a small village just off the motorway - there's a small 3 bed available there
Delapre - near a park?
West Hunsbury
Far Cotton

Anywhere else I should consider - I'm looking for a 3 bed but not more than £160 k

I used to live in Bedford and visited Northampton occasionally but not for at least 12 years - what's it like now?

Thanks in advance if anyone has any help -

OP posts:

Original poster

Lauriefairycake · 13/03/2007 13:48

Someone must live near enough to tell me something, pretty please with sugar on top

OP posts:

MrsSchadenfreude · 13/03/2007 20:18

Hello Laurie There are lots of Northampton Mumsnetters, so hopefully they will see this this evening. We don't live in Northampton, but in a village to the south, but we tend to shop in Northampton rather than MK (we are about half way between the two).

Roade seems quite a nice little place. It has an old fashioned drapers shop (!) and the secondary school has a good reputation (tho the Ofsted report is not brilliant). The primary schools in the area seem to be OK. I'm afraid I don't know any of the other places you mention - sorry.

House prices drop significantly over the N'ton border (we are in Bucks, and if we were a few miles up the road we would get a lot more for our money) - not sure why, as the villages are just as nice as Bucks!

Kevlarhead · 15/03/2007 22:58

Personally, I'd go for Roade.

Something you may find useful is Northamptonshire county council's on-line map at www.northamptonshire.gov.uk/mapping.

You can look at the layout of the town, and then overlay details of schools, post offices, traffic accidents, areas of deprivation, areas earmarked for building and a whole load of other details you may (or may not) find useful.

NCC is a pretty poor council, (believe me, I used to work for them) but their mapping sets the benchmark for every other local authority in Britain.

tubismybub · 15/03/2007 23:09

I wouls say road definately if you can get a place there within your budget. The other three areas aren't as nice and road has a very good secondary school (not sure about primary school)

Leslaki · 17/03/2007 12:57

Hi I live in Wootton and I would think carefully about Roade to be honest. The secondary school used to be good but has only just escaped being put in special measures. Not brilliant and I know people who are moving house or getting extra jobs to fund private schooling to get their kids away from the school. EG my colleague's (teacher)son who is 14 has not had a fluent English speaking science teacher yet this year!

Delapre, W Hunsbury and far Cotton are not the best areas either to be honest and Roade village is nicer than them! I would also avoid E Hunsbury cos although the primaries are OK the secondary (Mereway) is not rated highly round here and is directly on a very busy dual carriageway which would pt me off even if it had the best rep in the world.

We chose to live in Wootton cos the 3 primary schools are very good and the secondary (Caroline Chisholm) is highly rated - new. There are also handy shops and nice pubs within walking distance and only minutes form the motorway. grange park is nearby and is right on the motorway at jct 15 and the primary school is well thought of. Think they still come under caroline Chisholm at the moment.

There are also v. nice villages such as Blisworth, Collingtree, Milton malsor and Bugbroooke not too far from motorway - although Colingtree does come under Roade for secondary. the other 3 are under Campion secondary which is a good school. There is also the big new development at Upton near jct 16. There you need to pick the new primary (upton) as that feeds into campion - the other feeds into Duston Upper which hasn't gt the best reputation although friends are happy with the primary.

Northampton as a town is good to live in, nice restauarnts etc and the out of townand town centre shops are good. For major shopping sprees you're not far from MK. There are loads for kids to do and nice places to visit. I'm from Scotland originally so this place is't home but I'm happily settled!
Not sure how old your children are so hope I haven't waffled on too much about schools and sorry if I've offended anyone with comments on their child's school!!! Just going on what I've heard and I work in a school!!! (a very nice one too but not telling which one!!)

edam · 17/03/2007 13:11

My sister lives in a village near Roade - very pretty round there. She agrees with the comment about Northampton council being worse than useless though, they closed the very popular local market because (I think) they wanted the land for development. And Northampton seems quite run down these days - makes my mother very sad as she grew up there. Dunno about Roade secondary but the primary in my sister's village is outstanding and demand for places is very high.

There are lots of v. pretty villages in Northants and if you stick to within easy reach of MK you've got all the big name shopping you need within reach and the theatre, where lots of shows turn up before there West End run.

quadrophenia · 17/03/2007 13:31

I would recommend Abington, which is near the park walking distance from town and the wellingborough road which is where all the cafes, bistros and little shops are. If you look at the headlands area you should definately be able to find a house within budget. the schools in Abington are also very good, there are three primarys that are all excellent.

quadrophenia · 17/03/2007 13:33

btw the Council are useless so be prepared to feel perminantly frustrated

Leslaki · 17/03/2007 13:53

yes, the council...... Not exactly efficient! I had a 6 year battle with them over council tax! But I won and they owed me loads!!! They put us in a much too high band and it doesn't seem to be a one off...

Original poster

Lauriefairycake · 17/03/2007 17:58

Wow, thanks very much all of you for all that - Leslaki, I'm from Scotland too so also 'not from round here'.

So far then I'm ruling out east and west Hunsbury, Far Cotton, Delapre, Roade

there's a couple of houses online in Abington/Headlands - what do you think?

Also have picked one (a little expensive but just fancied it in Irthlingborough - whats that like?)

and then one in Bugbrooke

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-14140814.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-14601965.rsp?pa_n=2&tr_t=buy www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-14373410.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-14651186.rsp?pa_n=3&tr_t=buy

and finally, this one in Danefield - is that area ok?

www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-14457020.rsp?pa_n=1&tr_t=buy

OP posts:

Lambchopandchips · 18/03/2007 02:12

"House prices drop significantly over the N'ton border (we are in Bucks, and if we were a few miles up the road we would get a lot more for our money) - not sure why, as the villages are just as nice as Bucks!"....could this be because Bucks still has a sought-after, fully selective secondary education system?

Leslaki · 18/03/2007 12:48

Hi laurie
Couldn't open the links! Will try and find them on the right moves web site. Abington is towncentre area so you would need to come out of town to get to the motorway. TRaffic would depend on what time you were trying to access motorway. Irthlingborough is a bit further out away from motorway. Ooooh wanna see hese houses now! Bugbrooke is a lovely village.
Where in Scotland are you from?

Leslaki · 18/03/2007 13:12

Just cut and pasted the links so had a wee look. The areas are OK - the first one is in a nice residential area not far from the park and shops etc - not sure about schools, the 2nd one is veering a bit more towards more council areas so I don't know how you feel about that and again I don't knwo about schools. Irthlingborough I don't know much about but you would be far out from the motorway. The one in Danefield is similar to the Hunsbury's as an area but you'd still have the same issues for schools I'd think. The one in Bugbrooke looks nice - great village, good preschool, primary and secondary. OOh, might have a peek at some for you as I'm at work and bored!

Leslaki · 18/03/2007 13:22

www.connells.co.uk/detail.asp?type=0&src=property&cs=40&bs=WFL&br=-1&prop=-1&min=-1&max=180000&bed=-1&page=1&id=WFL400129

www.connells.co.uk/detail.asp?type=0&src=property&cs=40&bs=NHT&br=-1&prop=-1&min=-1&max=180000&bed=-1&page=1&id=NHT400013

Quick search has found these two - one in Wootton - a bit smaller but you pay more for the catchment area. In nice area and short walk to very good schools, shops, pub, park, vet, chemists, chinese, indian optician etc

The other one is in Bugbrooke. Sorry I'm no good at doing links. If you can get me your adress I can send you the local paper with the property pages.

Original poster

Lauriefairycake · 18/03/2007 16:10

I love !!!! the second one in Bugbrooke - 4 rooms downstairs !! - I need a second reception room to work in so the one in Wootton is too small - with some 3 bed semis they have long reception rooms I could divide but not this one.

I was born in Paisley, lived in Glasgow for my childhood then had my teenage years in Ayr and Stranraer - so lived a few places.

We have definitely decided to move to Northamptonshire asap - we are finishing off painting our house for sale today - hoping to get it on market by Easter.

I'm looking for as big a house as possible - because I have moved 8 times in the last 6 years and I don't want to do it again. Hence liking the one in Irhtlingborough (because it looks huge and in its own gardens).

So kind of looking for an almost-forever house. We're pretty noisy too what with the woofy dog and the chickens so I guess I'd like a detached or a semi.

OP posts:

quadrophenia · 18/03/2007 17:32

Just had a look at your houses, Wheatfield terrace is very near to me, its a council estate, but the majority of houses are privately owned and because its near the park its really quite a nice location. Fullingdale road is notorious for trouble, I know two people that lived there both struggled to sell their houses. Danefield is quite rough also, its quite near to Briar hill and subsequently you get alot of problems from there. I know very little about Bugbrooke other than the fact that their secondary school is excellent!!hth

quadrophenia · 18/03/2007 17:33

btw with regarsd to Abington and motorway access, you need to join the A45 to get to the M1 about 15 mins in rush hour.

MrsSchadenfreude · 18/03/2007 20:08

Lambchop - no grammar schools that I am aware of near MK (where we are). Our choice is either Roade or the vast Stantonbury Campus in MK.

Edam - I must live near your sister!

theUrbanDryad · 20/03/2007 19:54

hi - not sure if it's a bit late, but i can recommend abington too (not that me and quadrophenia are biased at all!) if you're looking for a bigger house then roads to keep your eyes open for are Ardington rd, Christchurch rd, Park Avenue South and Rushmere rd (not really Abington, but nice and close to the A45 for M1 and also close to the Nene River (pronouched Nenn, not Neen, if you want to fit in with the locals!) which is good for walks and bike rides!

let us know if you do move down - i'm trying to organise a MN meet-up in Northants, but struggling as my organisational skills aren't the best!! good luck...

Original poster

Lauriefairycake · 22/03/2007 15:08