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Original poster

thinking of moving to Norwich (NR3) anyone know the area?

114 replies

SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 11:02

We're looking to move from the sticks to the city next year, to be closer to the amenities/ schools/ pubs/ etc. I think Norwich is great, generally speaking, (we tend to go there mainly for shopping etc at the moment) but have no idea what its like to live in.

After consulting Rightmove, NR3 seems to be our best bet; lots of smallish terraced houses within our budget/ walking distance to the city, some good primary schools nearby. Reminds me a bit of the area I grew up in, so I'm hoping it'll be the right place to raise our growing brood!

In fact it seems so right for us i'm wondering what the catch is. Anyone around who can fill me in on what it's really like round there? Is it very studenty? Are lots of the houses empty, cos I'm hoping to get away from that (we live in a very touristy, second homey bit of Norfolk) is it the kind of place young families tend to settle, or is it very transient? cos we're hoping to find somewhere with a bit of community spirit really...

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Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 11:10

bump

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Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 11:16

bumping again...

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Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 13:17

anyone? must be some Norwich MNers around, surely! I'll keep bumping anyway...

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estya · 06/10/2010 14:08

Hello,
I don't know NR3 very well - I spent about 10 years in NR2, which is much more studenty and transient and even then there was lots of young families around.
I think the closer you get to the city, the more rented houses there are (which are often people in their 20s, out of uni etc). As far as St Clement's hill area is still very walk-able to the city centre and i think thats more of a permanent home type area. All round there is a nice place to live, though.
As you know, norwich isn't very big anyway, and its a great place to live and bring up kids. I'm a bit jealous.

ragged · 06/10/2010 14:22

Um, not a great area. Not the pits (not quite Mile X), but a bit close to Mile X for my liking. Where are you living now, SBR?

What about Lakenham?

Merrylegs · 06/10/2010 14:28

We-ll. It's OK. I mean this is Norwich we're talking about, not an inner city ghetto, so nothing is going to be that bad. How old are your kids? High schools aren't great around there. Could you go a bit further in? Coleman road area of NR2? Where are you now?

ragged · 06/10/2010 14:28

I guess it depends where you are in the district (I am failing to quickly find an accurate map on the PC district boundaries). Further east is okay. And which schools your DC would end up attending.

Merrylegs · 06/10/2010 14:29

(You would have quite a walk to the city centre)

Fimbo · 06/10/2010 14:33

I live in NR9 area. Moved here 10 years ago from Scotland, dh came down first of all and rented us a place on Magdalen Street, which was a nice house but in quite a grim area (Anglis Square anyone?).

I guess it depends on what you can afford and what you want.

Fimbo · 06/10/2010 14:33

*Anglia Square

Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:19

ragged - oim up on the coast, near cromer atm. What's Lakenham like? I suppose NR3 mainly appealed for the house prices. In terms of schools I quite like the look of Angel Rd (quite ordinary looking?)

Merrylegs - they're 4 and 8mths - what's Coleman rd like?

Fimbo - i think that's the exact area i was thinking of! is it really that grim? why?

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4madboys · 06/10/2010 15:29

i live in nr4, have previously lived in nr2.

we love norwich, its a lovely place to live, great for raising a family we think :)

my kids go to a slightly out of catchment school as we dont like the local one, but my eldest has just started at high school, CNS or city of norwich school and it is good, has a good reputation and is very popular, always oversubscribed but we got in easily because we live just across the road!

i moved to norwich to go to university, where i met my partner and we then just stayed in norwich.

nr2 has some good schools but the prices are high, nr4 where we are is cheaper and you are in the catchment for a good high school, the local primary school isnt great but there are three or four to choose from and some of them are good.

mine go to Eaton primary school (well the middle two do)

we can walk into town within 20mins and there are lots of nice local parks etc, plus nice toddler groups and a sure start centre that we can use if we want.

i know some people who like coleman school and others who dont, mixed reviews tbh, recreation road is meant to be very good, but personally we didnt like it when we lived near to it.

and Anglia square is GRIM dont move there!

ShowOfHands · 06/10/2010 15:37

I know somebody who lives on Angel Rd. He's a professional. It's okay but not ideal.

As Merrylegs said, it's Norwich so it's not going to be utterly diabolical but NR3, that's slightly North City, yes? East of Aylsham Rd. Oh dear God no. My dh is a copper in Norwich (we live in NR13 atm). His customers all live in NR3. It's not terrible, but really if you could choose somewhere else, I would. West of the city is probably quite good with younger children. Certainly lots to do, good public transport links, schools okay. Or south city but a bit further out is fairly popular and reasonably priced for young families.

Anglia Square It's where you go to shoplift and have a ride in dh's car.

Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:37

thanks 4madboys, i'm just off to Rightmove to have a look at NR4! Thinking twice about Anglia square now, i have to say.

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ShowOfHands · 06/10/2010 15:38

I'd just stop thinking about Anglia Square altogether if I were you.

NR4's lovely. Used to work at the uni and eat my lunch in Eaton Park.

Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:39

thanks SoH so good to get some inside info on the place!

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ShowOfHands · 06/10/2010 15:43

Anglia Square is where they used to film Trisha...

Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:44

hmm... i think we'll be priced out of the nice parts in that case, oh well, dream on Beadie

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Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:45

oh god, issues with the gene pool then. mind u i've seen enough of that near where we are

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ShowOfHands · 06/10/2010 15:49

Wouldn't listen to me anyway. We're moving to... Swaffham.

MissBeehiving · 06/10/2010 15:51

Anglia Square - no, no, no

It used to have a sainsbury's in the 70's and 80's and my mum use to bribe me and sister with a packet of Frazzles to go round there quietly.

Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:55

now i get to say nooo! SoH, we looked at Swaffham as dh works out that way; made the retirement village we currently live in look lively!

mmm... frazzles

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Original poster
SweetBeadieRussell · 06/10/2010 15:58

right, we could probably afford to rent in NR4 as dh climbs the ladder and maybe buy in a few years. don't really like renting but hey

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ShowOfHands · 06/10/2010 16:00

I currently live on a farm in the absolute middle of nowhere. You cannot see a single house in any direction. The nearest village has 90 houses and the residents an average age of 98. Swaffham is life in the fast lane.

MissBeehiving · 06/10/2010 16:06

I lived in Norfolk virtually all of my life and never been to Swaffham.