Relocating to Worcester/Birmingham area

[goosin31]

Hello,

We (DH, 2 year old boy, dog and cats) are relocating from Hampshire to anywhere within a 1 hour commute of Birmingham airport. We need to commit to a property ASAP with another baby on the way early November. It is very difficult noting being able to come and spend time in the areas being 2 1/2 hours away (around work and having the toddler and dog in tow).

Can anyone advise on the 'best areas' - we have a budget of around 750k and want to live somewhere which has the best of both a rural feel and things going like a market town.

We have look at Droitwich and whilst we liked it when we drove through it nobody has recommended it yet as a place to live - so we are having doubts.
Also it doesn't seem to have brilliant schools - but seems to have plenty of things going on for toddlers. Is Bromsgrove a nice area? Which are the nice areas in Worcester? Better/worse than Droitwich? We don't want to live too rural (I don't want to have to push a pram down lanes) or too built up (need green spaces to walk the dog).

Of course I don't want to cause offence to anyone living in areas which may be mentioned I would really like some advice on where to live in that 1hour radius from Birmingham airport (My family live in south Wales so being South/SW of the city is a plus) and which areas to avoid. We want somewhere which has atleast a few shops etc, nursery's, and really good schools. We have DH's commute to the airport to consider and I am a secondary school teacher.

Thanks in advance for any help.

@hauntedvagina hi, we viewed in the following roads, Greswolde road, Oldington Grove, Kinchford close, and Monkspath area and a couple in knowle. We did go to Tudor Grange Park and hillfield (to be fair this was near to Monkspath and did have a few shops around) and Woodside way with the dog while we were there. Do you know of any playing fields that kids can access and green spaces for the dog off lead? Many thanks

Also can anyone tell me anything Dickens Heath? Is this a nice place? School etc. thanks I’m advance x

Not sure why no one has suggested Leamington. It is quite pricey but a lovely town with lots of green space and countryside nearby

Knowle has loads of green space. Have a look on an OS map for footpath routes.

Dorridge, Knowle and Bentley Heath all have at least one park plus pockets of green space along footpaths. Same for Solihull.

Leamington would be a faff for the airport with HS2 traffic. Don't underestimate the impact on the roads around the airport. I love very close and it's chaos. I'd be moving near the airport and take the hit on travelling back occasionally to your family.

Thank you that is a good point about HS2!

I don’t love Dickens Heath personally, it’s all fairly new build and feels a bit soulless to me. Earlswood is lovely, and has the lakes and a large wood to walk the dog in. It also has a couple of nice pubs and a train station on the Birmingham line.
I also thought Kenilworth could be a good fit for you - lots of nice green spaces, a short commute to the airport and some very good schools.

Thanks, yes we do like Knowle and Dorridge, I think these areas are now our front runners but we just need to find a house that works for us. Thank you I didn't get chance to check out the canal while we were there.

That's really helpful thank you. Someone at work today mention Kenilworth and Earlswood looks lovely after a quick google but it's not a place we had come up with yet so thanks! Also that's for your description of Dickens Heath, that is what we were wondering ourselves :)

Monkspath has a massive park where your dog can go off lead, Hillfield backs on to Tudor Grange Park which has a great play area, skate park and hosts most of the local events (fireworks, Solihull Fest, etc...). Brueton Park is the other side of the town centre, has tennis courts, a play area, nature reserve and is fab for dog walking. Knowle and Dorridge both have their own parks and high streets and there's plenty of surrounding fields for dog walks. Shirley has a decent park with dog agility area, play area and several rugby pitches, there's also a really busy high street.

I personally would discount Greswolde Road. I'm not a fan of Dickens Heath. It calls itself a village but in reality it's a sprawling new build estate with little green space in it (but lots surrounding it). Public transport is limited, it does have a primary school but secondary school places can be hit and miss depending on where you are on the estate. There's also only two roads in and out which can make traffic at rush hour a nightmare.

I live in the Hillfield area and I'm about 1/2 mile away from Hillfield Park which has large green areas for letting the dog off the lead, a kid's playground, a basket ball court, zip wire and a nature reserve.
Tudor Grange Park which is less than a mile away has sports areas, a skate park and kid's play area, also a cycle circuit track. I walk through that park regularly and see people take their dogs of their leads.
As others have said, Malvern and Brueton parks have nice green spaces too, right next to the town centre but I don't walk through there very often so not sure what else is there.

Throwing Four Oaks into the ring OP.
It's not got a market village feel, but it's fairly green & on the cross city line for City or the airport, or 35 mins drive to BHX.
Loads of properties walking distance to the glorious Sutton Park.
Selection of decent schools & secondaries in commuting distance.
Easy links to M6/5/42.
Small centre with library/community centre (for baby groups) supermarkets, coffee shops & pubs etc but easy distance by train or car to Sutton/Lichfield or car to Tamworth for shopping.

I moved to Droitwich from brum nearly ten years ago. First schools are all good, middle school was ok but both my teens struggled at the high school. Both have SEND and weren't very well supported.
It's a lovely place to bring up young children, but my teens were bored. Plenty going on for sporty kids but not much else for them. It's very safe though and my children have never felt threatened.

I used to work in kenilworth and have lived in Solihull. Bromsgrove. Redditch and know the areas very well.

Bromsgrove is fairly nice. Wouldn’t recommend Redditch. Kenilworth is lovely and parts of Solihull.
Dickens heath is nice. But as pp said it’s very new build.
Don’t know much about schools though as didn’t have kids when I lived there.
Feckenham is a really nice village just outside of Redditch and Barnt Green and alvechurch are also really nice

I'd second the recommendations for Solihull (& Shirley), Knowle, Dorridge & Bentley Heath.

Hockley Heath is ok and you get a bit more for your money.

Henley in Arden is a bit further away, but lovely & Hampton in Arden is very nice and very close to the airport.

All great areas with loads of green spaces and very good schools.

Is Malvern too far, quite hilly but lovely! Nicer than Droitwich (which suffers a lot from schools and a dying high street).

Also would consider Worcester itself. It’s a city but small for a city (similar size to the southern town I now live in), but with a growing university there’s a lot going on and some lovely places to go (schools also better if that’s important!)

Have a look at Henley in Arden and surrounding villages. Rural market town with pubs, shops and good community amenities. Easy to access M40/M42/M5 (for S Wales) and about 20/25 mins to the airport. ‘Good’ primary schools and lots of choice and a good high school. Close Dorridge / Stratford upon Avon / Warwick / Solihull / Redditch and on the Trainline to Birmingham. Try the ice-cream shop there too 😋Good luck - I’ve been in your shoes!

Hi, I’m really confused, you looked at Woodside way which is sandwiched in the middle of exactly the green space you describe wanting 😁. We walk our dog there as well as Tudor Grange Park. Brueton/Malvern/Hillfield parks a short drive away.

But yes, it is central Solihull, perhaps focus on the outskirts and surrounding villages if you want more greenery.

Sutton Coldfield and Four Oaks would work for you. Around 50 minutes commute, great schools (including grammars) and Sutton Park would be perfect for you.

A little further out and more villagey is Shenstone and then you have Lichfield which is a lovely small cathedral city with various festivals throughout the year.

All are on the cross city line into Birmingham (20 minutes from Sutton Coldfield, 40 minutes from Lichfield). Lichfield would be an hour's drive from the airport at peak times. Lichfield is also close to Cannock Chase and within easy reach of the peak district.

Solihull has Brueton Park which is huge. Dicken's Heath is full of new builds which is great if you like new builds but the houses don't have much character.

Have you considered kings Heath or Moseley? These are in the city but loads xx of green space. We have 4 lovely parks within a mile of us!

If you do manage to get to Bournville it does have a lot of green space and parks . I don’t drive but can take my dog out for an hour by walking through Cotteridge park, then a secret park by cadburys ,through the birdcage by Cadburys passing a beautiful water feature ,through Bournville park which has a stream and through further greenery to get to the yahting pool ( man made lake ) and walking through the beautiful grounds and lake of Rowheath park on my way back! Lots of community activities for free at Cotteridge park. Great little community.

I wouldn't go any further south than Bromsgrove if you need an hour commute to the airport, the M42 is he'll most of the time. In fact I'd do as others have said and look more Warwickshire.

I know Bromsgrove well enough to know that it's about to become a gridlocked hellhole with all the housing they've approved in ridiculous locations. It's a shame as it's a nice enough place, but the road network and high street are lacking when compared with other similar towns locally.

Meriden, Solihull sort of direction would be my first port of call!

How about Alcester? The secondary is very good, it has a nice community, and would be an easy journey to the airport