Stockport

[wetcrow]

Hello ladies,

Hoping you can give me some advice. I'm just selling up in the Peak District, due to exchange next week and was due to move to Cheshire. Sadly my husband wants to separate and so trying to work out what to do. Don't think I want to move to Cheshire on my own. Need to be close to Manchester so that I can get into town for work easily and at weekends but also want some green space for my toddler who is almost 2. Have been looking at Stockport/Heaton Chapel area which would be easy with trains etc but does anyone know what it would be like in terms of safety, decent nurseries, etc?

I also wondered whether, as I'll be on my own, whether it's best to look for a flat in a block where there are more people around, or a house.

I think my budget would
be about 800 a month. Any suggestions gratefully received!

Thank you,
Wetcrow

Ps I should say that the traffic across the borough is horrendous.
If you're heading to the city centre for work you will want to be near a train station. Sadly public transport round here is fairly shit, most people don't bother and use cars, hence the gridlock. That said, it's the same in most of greater manchester.

Some of the traffic issues should ease though as the park and ride behind the Rising Sun in Hazel Grove is completed and work has started on the link to the A555.

We can walk to a choice of stations. A taxi home from the station is a fiver or less so with an off peak return train ticket getting to and from Manchester for a night out is not expensive.

Depends where you are working in Manchester - I can get into the south part of the city centre as quickly from the Peak District as I did from (very) south Stockport - and the public transport is better. The A555 bypass will make it easier and avoid the Poynton congestion as well. The advantage you have if you are out in High Peak is much cheaper house prices - the nice Stockport suburbs are much more expensive for housing and all the other associated costs - have you thought about New Mills as a compromise, 2 stations on different lines give you more options. And yes, Stockport town centre is awful - such a shame really as much of the town is lovely.

Hi dustdragon, I will be working just behind Piccadilly station so very easy for the train.

I think I am trying to make a break from the High Peak area as I just couldn't settle there long term although I know you get so much for your money...I know that New Mills is much better connected but not that keen on the place from what I've seen...got a couple of friends who live there.

You've got lots of options if you are that close to Piccadilly. Check out the train times - some lines that follow the west coast main line have a limited number of local trains - there is only 1 an hour from Bramhall and Poynton, for example, which can make it really difficult if they cancel a train. Have you thought about Disley or Marple Bridge - both have stations. Or Woodsmoor in Stockport?

Hello everyone,

I posted this quite a while back...wanted to give you an update and also ask another question if that's ok!

I worked things out with DH and ended up moving to central Manchester slap bang in the city centre, and went back to work. Whilst we LOVE living in Manchester, the buzz of the city and walking to work, I honestly can't justify the high rent and don't really want to buy an apartment here. My daughter is 2.5 and although we are having a blast on my days off, she will be starting school in a year or so's time and so feeling like we need to move somewhere more accessible for community life, good schools etc once she is older. She has an application open at Stockport Grammar for entry this September.

DH really likes the look of Hale, but I wanted to ask a question about stockport traffic. If we were to move to Hale, would the school run from Hale to Stockport take hours in the morning? I would then have to factor in a drive to manchester after that to get to work or park somewhere and hop on a train to piccadilly. My work seem to be quite flexible about start/finish times but just wondered if this would be a commute from hell and an expensive one to boot.

If people have any views that would be really helpful. I'm off work with a sick bug today so excuse any late replies!

Xx

I imagine it would be a nightmare. Traffic is heavy in both areas without trying to get between them and then having to get to Stockport station to get to work.

I used to live in Altrincham and commute to Stockport and it was horrendous. To have to do that for school then get to work would just be awful day after day.

Have you considered bramhall? It's very similar to Hale but easier for stockport grammar

Or Woodsmoor? You could walk to school there.

That journey would be horrific!!

Would you consider any of the preps local to hale? Bowden prep, Hale prep or Forrest all have good reputations. Not sure if you would get her in as I believe they have waiting lists. The bonus (or not) about living in Trafford is we have the grammar school system so local preps do lots to get them ready for the entrance exams.

A horrific commute the m60 is a nightmare If you've got a place at Stockport I'd look at Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme or perhaps Marple on the other side x

The difficulty that you have is the school start time. I live in Hale. If you could leave Hale after the school run, it would be much quicker to get to Stockport and probably an easy commute into Manchester from Stockport Grammar. But getting to Stockport in time for school drop off time, and then trying to get into Manchester City Centre would be a slog (at best). If you are set on Stockport Grammar (I don’t know very much about it), then consider living closer. If you’ve not made a firm decision yet, but like Hale, there are some brilliant state primary schools (I think every single primary school is rated Outstanding) and some very good prep schools if you prefer the independent route.

Cheadle and Bramhall have long been well regarded areas.

Hale prices are eye watering and it's chi-chi yummy mummy central. Fine, if you like that sort of thing.

Hello everyone, and thanks for your replies. wowfudge and orchidnap previous posters had suggested Bramhall when I posted last year, guess it might be worth a look.

flowers the M60 sounds horrific! Although most of Stockport seems
pretty yuk to drive through rush hour or no rush hour cos of all the traffic lights!

Buttwing (good name btw) I would definitely consider the local preps but I think we've missed the boat there as she turns 3 in summer and we had to put in the application for SGS about a year ago! I know that the local states are fantastic too so maybe worth exploring.

namechange we had picked SGS as at the time we were based in buxton and it seemed a good place that would fit in with my journey to Manchester but did really like the school! She has an assessment there next week. I've also been in touch with Manchester High too and will look at Cheadle Hulme...

Those other options are a trek from Hale too if you then need to get into Manchester. The deadline for Trafford primary applications is January before the child starts in September so you have not missed the boat for the state schools.

Natty - not all chi chi yummy mummy - honestly! I am pretty normal (I think !)

Thanks wet!

Local state school are fab my two eldest are at local primary and it's great. Dd1 was just passed her entrance exams for Altrincham girls, Sale and Loreto. I was massively impressed by them but also by the non grammars secondary schools.

Natty lots of chi chis but lots of normal mums too.

One of the other benefits of having so many kids in the area is there is lots of things to do with them in terms of clubs, activities, toddler groups etc..

Down sides a lot of waiting lists for these things, schools are big three form intake is common, waiting lists for nursery places and house prices are ridiculously high.

I'm really not into chi chi mummies :) am particularly scruffy by comparison!

buttwing yes that's why we were considering moving somewhere more family friendly as we only have the one daughter and socialising isn't that easy in the city centre believe it or not...

Far too disorganised for waiting lists too