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Original poster

Talk to me about Leighton Buzzard.

58 replies

FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 04/09/2012 12:51

Hello,

We are currently househunting near Herts/Cambs border but looking at other areas too. LB has come to my attention - we need to be commutable to Kings X or Euston and not too expensive, and it ticks both those boxes.

But prices seem really reasonable for a town 30 mins from London so I'm wondering if there's a catch!

Any mumsnetters live/work there? As far as I can work out Linslade is a bit nicer than Leighton, is that right? And there are two newish estates - anyone know what these are like?

We are looking for a three bed, paying up to 220,000. Would like good schools, nice area, ideally with lots of young families, preferably within an easy cycle of the station for DH.

We're going to have a drive round at the weekend but would very much appreciate any insider knowledge!

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/09/2012 12:02

Thanks everyone.

We really liked what we saw of LB at the weekend. Thought we might have found a house, but the school catchment wasn't good unfortunately.

It's really hard isn't it, when you start thinking about schools! Wasn't too impressed with the new estates either, they are really crammed in and seemed a bit cut off really from the rest of the town. We'll definitely be back, but I think we will focus on the town centre/Linslade side of things.

Does anyone know Vandyke Road at all? We're looking at a house up there - is it ok?

OP posts:
bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 13:09

was off Vandyke Road - one of the new houses off Clarence/Churchill Road?

or on Vandyke Road itself?

parking on bits of Vandyke Road can be a bit of a nightmare

bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 13:10

also are you religious? as there's a CofE school in the middle of town that has no catchment but give priority to church goers :)

Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/09/2012 13:34

Yeah, we saw that one - sadly we are both total atheists. Very annoying.

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Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/09/2012 13:35

House was on Vandyke Road, but had parking. I just wasn't sure about the road itself - seemed very mixed.

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bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 13:49

I don't know anyone who lives there but do know there will be loads of people walking passed at school run times as it's the route to the schools. Parking towards the town end of the road is terrible, I avoid driving down there if at all possible as it's rather congested.

Before we moved here (10+ years ago) DH had friends who lived on Churchill Road and it was rather rough there (the neighbours burgled the house when friends went on holiday!). I've no idea what it's like now though.

Is the catchment lower school St Georges? if so you'll probably want to avoid...

Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/09/2012 14:02

Yes, it is. Actually, think that house is out anyway. I did like the idea of being close to the town centre though.

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bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 14:13

I'm about as close to the town centre as you can get and it's fab :) what sort of house are you looking for modern or older?

Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/09/2012 14:19

Ideally, older, but it's difficult to find a decent sized one in our budget. We'd quite like a doer upper. But modern is fine too.

I guess the most important thing is that is isn't tiny inside (some of the new estate houses were really poky - barely room for a table to eat at kind of thing) and in a good school catchment.

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pancakeboobies · 10/09/2012 18:37

What is your budget Fruit Salad and how many bedrooms are you looking for as may be able to give you an idea of areas you could look at?

Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 10/09/2012 19:02

Around the 200k mark preferably, although we could stretch that a bit. We want three bedrooms. Or four if we can afford it but decent school catchment and reasonably generous living space is more important.

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bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 19:17

pancake, do you know about applying for lower schools in Leighton if you're out of catchment? it's not something I know much about. Fruit is resisting being my neighbour due to this... ;)

avivabeaver · 10/09/2012 20:19

bumpy- i know that people got offered southcott from sandhills this year. When is your dc due to start?

bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 20:43

mine all have places :) dc#4 starts reception next week

Southcott from Sandhills is stupid Hmm although I suppose it must be easier to go round the bypass than through town center...

I was asking as I've shown Fruit a link to the perfect house (!) opposite me Grin only other negative point is that it doesn't have a brilliant catchment lower school. I've not tried applying for a lower school out of catchment (mine have/are gone to the CofE school) so not sure how likely it is to get a place where you want. This is more curious thread hijack than anything else!

DrownedGirl · 10/09/2012 20:53

Any ideas for 4 bedrooms, 2 - 3 receptions, good schools, handy for station, older house, £400k mark?

pancakeboobies · 10/09/2012 21:27

I am pretty sure you would get in to one of the outstanding schools if you lived reasonably close to the centre.
If you lived Linslade side you would def get a place in Southcott or Greenleas and would prob be in catchment for one or the other, if not you would be for Linslade lower which is meant to be good too.
here is the link for all the streets in L.B nd Linslade and the lower, middle and upper school they feed in to.
I would say so long as you are not on the opposite side of town to the school at the moment you should get in to the school, especially if you send your child to the connected preschool as that puts you higher up on admissions in most of the schools for out of catchment children. It is difficult to say if this will be the case indefinitely but you would have been ok for last 2 or 3 years this way.
The outstanding lower schools in town are Dovery Down, Greenleas, Southcott and Pulford. All have very good reputations and have lots of families driving across town to send their children to. Other schools which have fine reputations are Beudesert, Leedon and Linslade Lower. These have more children from the immediate area/ just outside catchment. The one's with not such a good reputation are St George's and Clipstone. The only one I have not heard much about either way is Mary Bassett, but it does seem to have been a school that has rapidly improved since a new head was appointed there a few years ago.
For middle, Leighton and Linslade are the better 2 - so I would say you are best to buy central/ Linslade side to have the best chances of your child getting into the best schools. That side also feeds into Cedars Upper which seems to do much better than the other upper school.
For around 200k you would get all the best cathments with this house and that estate (Bideford Green) is quite a nice area.

On Knaves Hill you get a lot for your money like this but not sure what knaves hill is like, maybe bumpybecky knows?

I reckon you could do a lot with this one: and you would have a lot of change left over - it is not a bad street and an easy walk to town from there.

South Street is a very nice Vicorian terrace with lovely properties and that could be a good buy for doing up, but the street is used as a bit of a rat run - not sure how much traffic would bother you?

pancakeboobies · 10/09/2012 21:40

Drowned girl -

this is 5 bedroom, 3 reception, very near station. Not the most attractove at the moment but you could make it lovely. Springfield Road is quite nice, but not sure about school run traffic as it is right next to Linslade Lower, but is v near the station.
this is great. 2 reception rooms, but a huge garden and Camberton Rd is a great location - near town, canal, park, the best upper and middle school but yet no traffic problems that I know of as is very residential.

bumpybecky · 10/09/2012 23:21

I'm not on Knaves Hill, although we did look at houses there when were looking to move here 12 years ago. I remember them being a bit pokey inside though that might just be in comparison to the one we bought (town house, lots of space for the money)

As for Mary Bassett, the preschool there is brilliant. My ds was there until Easter and he loved it. My 4 dc have been to at least 5 preschools between them and the one at Mary Bassett was easily the best :) the school in general has a more challenging intake than many of the other lower schools and this is reflected in the results, but the new head is making huge progress.

bumpybecky · 11/09/2012 00:02

Fruit have you seen this one?

I didn't know there were town houses up there - Plantation Road gets VERY posh! it's Dovery Down / Mary Bassett catchment and looks to have lots of space

Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 11/09/2012 09:50

Thanks for all the help - lots to think about there.

I had my eye on the South Street one, but the school catchment is a bit dodgy - the only good school very near it is Pulfords and it's a faith school so I don't think we'd get in.

That one on Riverside looks good, thanks!

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avivabeaver · 11/09/2012 10:47

South Street is very busy, traffic wise (used as a cut through) and parking not good! this is probably reflected in the price to be fair. No chance of getting into Pulfords without faith!

pancakeboobies · 11/09/2012 18:24

From the town centre though Fruitsalad, you would have a good chance at any of the other schools - particularly one the new sandhills school opens

Original poster
FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 12/09/2012 16:16

I think we will play it safe and try and find a house which is officially in a good catchment. I've been scared by living in London and seeing people being offered places at really dreadful schools miles away etc, or no places at all! Obviously LB is very different, but it's such a shit scenario I'm taking no risks.

Anyway, will be back in a couple of weeks to look at some more places and see how we go. Slightly complicated by the fact I'm 30 weeks pregnant, but hey ho. Homebirth amongst the moving boxes??

This thread had been so so useful - will let you know if we find anywhere!

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pancakeboobies · 12/09/2012 18:38

Totally understand Fruitsalad, then you have no worries at all.
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy and birth x

DrownedGirl · 12/09/2012 20:43

Thanks!