Brilliant place to live in Greater Manchester? Urgent advice needed

[mathsconundrum]

We have just sold our house. We already live in the area and know it quite well. We need to be commutable by car for Stockport and for Manchester University (Oxford Road). I know it can be a long trek in from South Manchester areas.
Where do you recommend for a lovely community, houses and importantly nurturing primary schools?
Thanks in anticipation.

We have just moved from Bollington - its about 7 miles S of Stockport and we used to commute to Manc Uni daily. It is a wonderful village, great community, lovely people and good schools. Have a look. Other areas are Rainow, Pott Shrigely and Macclesfield. ( Macc has a station with trains direct to Oxford Road).

sale? sale moor? Good motor way excess and schools good. Chorlton but not sure about stockport commute.

Glossop is commutable to oxford road by train

I'm biased as we're in South Manchester now - Stockport would be a doddle and the tram is great (although you'll know you'd need to walk down to the Uni from St Peter's Square, or hop on a bus). The schooling in Trafford is outstanding and I think if you live within the village-type areas, there is a great community spirit as you just keep bumping into the same people and can't help to make friends. We also lived in Bolton previously - there are some very good primary schools, Canon Slade gets good results for a mixed high school and Bolton School gets impressive results if you can stretch to private school. I didn't find it as community based as here (generally because its bigger and its not so family oriented) - the commute into Oxford Road (via train) would be easy although it does get very crowded, not so sure about public transport to Stockport but the drive wouldn't be too bad if you timed it right. Your money will obviously go further (generally speaking) in Bolton than it would in South Manchester. I don't know anyone other areas so perhaps others might be able to help? Good luck!

Thanks for ideas everyone. Any thoughts on Lymm, High Legh, Bowdon, Altrincham, Bramhall?

my son lives in North Manchester and comutes to Stockport. No prob on Motorway. University a doddle from North Manchester. Also no nasty plane noises that you get in places to the south of Manchester. The best state school in Manchester is in the North.

Onky if you're Jewish. Otherwise the best state schools are in Trafford.

I'm in North Manchester. Which school are you referring to, Trees? I wouldn't say to move to north Manchester if you have south manchester money if I was being honest.

UFP King David's. Yes I know it is a faith school but there are rules in place about a certain % of places in faith schools being offered to non or different faith pupils. Or did I dream that.
I don't think the op mentioned money in her question. If I had money to spare I would live in Stand or Prestwich rather than South Manchester but then I prefer a quieter area and I find South Manchester too busy.
Each to his own.

One off my friend lives in Timperley and keeps telling me to move though though she moans constantly about the trams. She commutes to St. Mary's and tram are very busy and if any problems no real alternative way to get home. Schools are good but reflected in house prices. Timperley village is nice.

I live in Whitefield. I like it here but probably wouldn't live here if money was no object. I wouldn't send a non Jewish child to KD either. No way Jose.

I live in south Warrington (Appleton), so just along the motorway from Lymm.

We sold our house in 2011 and were house hunting in the areas of Knutsford, Lymm, Altrincham, Wilmslow and Bramhall.

In the end we decided to remain here in Appleton for a variety of reasons. My first preference would have been Knutsford but the high school isn't well regarded. Second would be Altrincham for the access to grammar system but TBH our budget at the time was about £550-600k and that doesn't buy much in Altrincham - I figured that the kids are in school for a short period but I have to live with the house forever.

We discounted Bramhall as the commute to my job was a bit rubbish and Wilmslow because we just didn't like the feel of the place.

I know Lymm quite well but I've never liked it. I've always had the sense that people living there think they are better than everyone else but actually there's not much to Lymm in terms of shopping/eating and I don't really understand why the hype. I'm sure a whole army of people from Lymm will now come along and disagree but that's my opinion.

However, on the plus side, it's within catchment for the grammars I think. The high school is well regarded but for the last couple of years, our local high at Bridgewater has done better in the GCSE league tables (it's now 81 or 82% A-C).

We stayed in Appleton because we are happy with the primary school, it has a real sense of community. We are happy with the motorway links, the countryside on our doorstep, halfway between Manchester and Chester, with the house prices (just!) and the high school. We are five minutes drive (20 minutes walk) from Stockton Heath which has lots of restaurants and a few nice shops and we can walk to country pubs.

DH worked in Stockport, it was an easy commute but he left at 7.30.

What's your budget?

Lymm is lovely but it'd take much longer to travel and not much in way of public transport. Its got the canal and Lymm Dam, nice Centre. We started looking for house in Lymm but ended up buying in Sale for the transport reason.

I have friends who live in Bowden and Altrincham. Good schools in both and Alti has the tram but Bowden is very expensive. I'd think High Legh would take you a while to travel from.

I know lots of people who live nearby that work at the Uni and MRI, there are 2 buses that I know that go straight there from here.

I'm going to be fairly critical here (because I'm in that kind of mood) so don't necessarily be too put off by any of my comments...

Lymm

• attractive centre
• lymm dam
• canal
• great for motorways (M56/M6)

• outside of immediate centre unattractive housing, bland
• not much going on
• no train/tram
• overpriced (everywhere you mention in expensive, but Lymm doesn't earn that)

High Legh

• green

• limited facilities
• basically a spot surrounded by motorways
• no decent public transport

Bowdon/Hale

• great schools
• attractive residential areas
• lots of local facilities for the size
• transport into Manchester
• Dunham Massey across the road

• silly money, especially if you want a decent garden
• can be a bit WAG-tastic in the centres/bars/cafes

Altrincham

• great schools
• great transport
• v good facilities
• close to Hale/Bowdon when you want to feel upmarket but more down to earth & cheaper (although still v expensive)

• not a patch on what it was 15 years ago
• many closed shops although some investment
• can be rough at times on a weekend night

Bramhall

• houses not as densely packed as Hale/Alty - Edwardian & modern vs their Victorian
• great schools
• great community
• great train into Manc for Manc Uni; stockport just up the road
• close to plenty of greenbelt

• busy main roads (gets clogged up)

A lot will depend on your budget and how bothered you are about the house (i.e. size, era of construction, size of garden).

Personally out of those I'd choose Bowdon if I had £800k+; Bramhall or Alty if less. If I wanted a decent garden I'd lean towards Bramhall.

Plenty of other places as well but that's your first list :)

High Legh - HS2 likely to be built through that area.

Thanks for some really helpful replies. I will look at Appleton tho dp says he will not live in Warrington! We currently in Monton nor Swinton and Worsley' am tempered to stay but worried about schools.

Apologies for tablet typos.

have you looked at Flixton?

really nice primaries, access to grammar school, secondary moderns are v good -especially the boy's school

train straight into manchester

Budget is anything between 400 and 600k.

How about flixton & urmston? Good schools. Driving links excellent. Good access to m60 (particularly urmston). Both on train line to Oxford rd. number 15 bus goes right past uni or 255 stops near macdonalds on great Bridgwater st/Portland st/ ox rd intersection. Can also get tram from stretford if you bus/drive & park (I have done all of these things) I think there's a number 23/23A bus to Stockport as well. Some lovely primary schools & 2x grammar. Centre urmston more going on, flixton quieter and I think nicer. Neither have the restaurant buzz of Hale. Where I am is 10mins drive to chorlton for restaurants/bars. Housing stock good.

I can't add much to the +/- lists given above on your other suggestions. I like bits of Alty and hate others. Bowden is just a nice bit of alty but theres nothing to it. Hale is great if you've got lots of money but you might have to compromise on space. In which case I'd buy somewhere else (knutsford?).

Thanks again. Have just looked on right move at Flixton/Urmston. Quite reasonable but not a lot in style I like.

Seeing TSC comment. Brooklands area of sale v.nice. Sale moor more convenient for m/way.