Where is a nice place to live near Norwich?!

[atomicyoghurt]

Hello all,
husband has a job at the university we want to live within cycling distance (probably about 10 miles max.). We have three kids under 5 and by September will need a reception and year 1 place at a local school, as well as a preschool/nursery place (I know, nightmare!). We are not used to village life, having been London-centric for all our lives and only having got a car recently we are used to having things within walking distance.. I reckon we could cope as long s there was at the very least a shop within walking distance, and we like the idea of taking advantage of the countryside/seaside/broads! We don't know the area at all, but we've looked online at Poringland, Taverham, Hethersett etc. It's crazy trying to make a decision with no background knowledge! Has anyone got recommendations, or is there anyone local that has any advice?!

I'd second either Costessy, Wymondham or Cringleford. Wymondham is lovely but Cotessy would probably be the better location for the uea.
Don't bother with Dereham, I grew up there and I can confidently say it is dire. Swaffham is defineatly too far out for your needs. Hth

Thanks everyone! Food for thought, and nice to know there's a good lot of people around when we do move there!

Out of interest, when you looked at the G Triangle did you look at the Avenues and the surrounding roads? There are lots of detached and semi detached houses there with good sized gardens, several good local schools and a cycle path to UEA. Also good local shops, post office etc there and you are on the bus route into town.

I would re-look at the golden triangle. Some parts are lovely!

DH works at UEA. Most of his colleagues live in Wymondham, Hethersett, Little Melton, Cringleford, Eaton and the Golden Triangle side of Norwich. He has one friend who moved to Thorpe St. Andrew and absolutely hates the commute. It doesn't look far on the map, but getting across the city centre is a nightmare.

I know from experience that most, if not all, of the Golden Triangle schools are very heavily oversubscribed. You might have better success securing places further out.

DH also works at UEA. We live in Cringleford and DH walks to work. There is a primary school here which is just increasing from 1 to 2 form entry (but also a new housing estate), a doctor's surgery and Waitrose is just down the road. There is a private nursery in the village, but also one at UEA where all mine went some time ago!

I live in Hethersett and moved here 12 years ago from Scotland. It has a private school, first school with nursery, junior school and a high school. There is also a private nursery called The Rockinghorse and a playgroup within the grounds of the first school.

Both my children are school here without any problems and my daughter will more than likely be moving on to Wymondham High School 6th form.

The UEA is an easy cycle using a series of back lanes. You could use also the cycle path towards the new estate at Cringleford called Round House Park and up to the UEA that way. Either way as I say an easy commute by bike.

We have Tesco Express (with a handy free cash machine!), Chinese, Post Office, 2 Hairdressers, Private Dentist, Good Doctors Surgery, Gift Shop, 2 Funeral Parlours (yes really ), Library, Charity Shop and 2 pubs. Both nice but The Queens Head is best, more a restaurant really than a pub and very child friendly.

Eaton, Newmarket Road & Cringleford can be quite pricey, but if you are coming from London then it's probably not that bad.

Little Melton is nice but the school is a through primary and then feeds to Hethersett High, most people try and get their children into Hethersett Junior School at Year 3 so you could find an older child left in a class with children much younger! There is a tiny shop and a florist and a village pub but its one of those carvery jobbies, not that nice really, which is most strange for being a village! There is a bus but it's about once a day.

If you need any more info about Hethersett then feel free to private message me. If it sways you any, we do have a lot of Norwich City Footballers living here and if you have money to burn there is gorgeous barn conversion in the centre of the village that has just come up for sale at £895k!!

I moved to norwich from brighton we live in thoroe harriet close to railway station riverside & city centre but close to woods thorpe st andrew is very nice too very pretty

Sorry meant to say thorpe harriet. Thorpe harriett & thorpe st andrew is in norwich I would recommend thorpe st andrew

Save yourself and get a job somewhere else then you wouldn't have to live near Norwich. Simple!

Three years ago I posted on this thread. Three YEARS.

Dereham still isn't nice.

Thorpe area is nice especially thorpe st andrews which is pretty & not too far from the riverside city centre & railway station x

I love Sprowston, it is on the UEA bus route, close to the broads and has really good schools. We have several shops and the majority of properties all have drives and there is space between them. Worth considering. Good luck in your search.

Thorpe st andrews is a lovely place to live in Norwich, good schools,good restaurants and a lovely small riverside & not too far from the norwich railway way and city centre.