Is Rotherham an ok place to live? Or chesterfield?

[VivaLeBeaver]

We are still house hunting in the Sheffield area and can’t find anything we like for our 300k budget. (Three beds, detached).

So are thinking of widening the search area. Rotherham seems cheap. I’ve never been there in my life. Commuting into Sheffield by public transport seems ok and I read there’s a new tram line about to be set up from Rotherham. I ideally need to be somewhere where it’s easy to get into Sheffield by public transport as parking an issue at work.

Then started wondering about chesterfield as thought could get a train from there? But I read chesterfield is quite rough? As long as the area I live in is ok though guess not too bothered, won’t be planning nights out in local bars.

We’re both quite outdoorsy, so somewhere with good access to dog walks, cycle trails would be good. We love the Peak District and in an ideal world would live there but again out of budget. Don’t need to worry about schools/kids.

I think I would rent first before you buy! Rotherham and Chesterfield are quite different. Think I would favor Chesterfield, not sure it is 'rougher' than Rotherham.

Chesterfield is generally much nicer than Rotherham! Chesterfield boarded the Peak District which is lovely. Rotherham has some nice bits, but they are few and far between, and the town centre is very run down.

Have you considered Penistone and Barnsley?

If anything, I would say Rotherham is tougher than Chesterfield. In C the Holymoorside area is nice (Peak District side).

I live in Rotherham. Some bits are nice, some I would definetly avoid.

Wickersley is really nice though you would have to drive to town for the train. Ravenfield is a very pretty village next to wickersley. And firbeck is nice but probably a bit far out for public transport.

Going the other side of town Manvers in Wath is lovely. A new build estate on the outskirts of rotherham/barnsley. And some parts of swinton ate nice. Then you have some ex mining villages that have been done up for want of a better word. Wombwell is a good size and elsecar has a gorgeous park and heritage centre. Both good size township's with train stations.

You also have Chapeltown just off junction 35 of the M1 with its own train station.

Avoid the sheffield side of Rotherham. Kimberworth is pretty rough these days (i grew up there) and although Greasborough has some nice streets it can be rough around the council flats.

Thorpe Hesley is a nice village and you could get to Chapeltown train station pretty qyickly for work.

If I were to live anywhere it would either be the manvers estate at Wath, or Wickersley. 300k would get you plenty of house at both. Schools are good at both. Wickersley Comprehensive has been a 1 with ofsted for donkeys years. Wath has a new headmaster this year and ofsted is requires improvement but I think that is to do with a change.of leadership and experineced teachers leaving but new head seems confident it will go back up.

I wouldn’t live in either to be honest, both are a bit ‘low brow’
The only place to look imo is south west Sheffield. Specifically: brincliffe, greystones, hunters bar, fullwood, milk houses, fire, totley, Bradway, nether edge of at a push cross pool.
Bradways quite ‘rural’ if that’s what you like, also look at dronfield. Don’t go to north Sheffield, or the east.

I work in Manvers and would n’t have described it so positively! Miles of new builds and chain stores, saved by the RSPB reserve.

*dore, not fire!

Chequered have you seen the OP’s budget though? And N Sheffield isn’t all Parsons Cross - i’d happily live in Outibridge.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-50955663.html

Have no idea what your style/tastes are OP, but here’s a 3 bed detached house for under 300000

Rotherham much rougher thank chesterfield, though as others have said there are nice areas.

Avoid the sheffield side of Rotherham
Also avoid the Rotherham side of Sheffield!

Am sheffield born and bred and live South West, not far from Chesterfield actually, so feel free to ask anything! As PPs have said, South and West Sheffield is definitely the nicest and have some really good schools.

Bikerunski- I guess it’s highly unlikely you’ll get a 3 bed detached house in brincliffe for under 300k... —ifuckingwish—

I know lots of people who live in north Sheffield who love it. But, i guess if I was moving to Sheffield I’d want to know where the nice areas are. But that’s subjective, I don’t know much about outibridge

Crookesmoore is a nice middleclass area with lots of 3bed detached. On the edge of peak district. Try searching S10 on rightmove. Dore and totley are also noce with train station.

Chequered, I'm intrigued - why is sw Sheffield the only place to look?
I was under the impression there were some nice areas of Rotherham and Chesterfield too, although I am prepared to stand corrected.

I stand corrected, there’s quite a lot on the market in S10 for up to £300K. S10 houses for £300k. Tbh, if I was moving to Sheffield now, this is the area i’d target first, especially as I believe the OP is working off Eccelsall Rd.

Yep, SW Sheffield or north Sheffield - Oughtibridge has v good public transport link to tram network, nearby Worrall is nice - schools v oversubscribed esp at primary. More housing in SW Sheffield though. Bits of Norton and Woodseats are ok too, to add to Chequered's list.

Some villages outside Chesterfield are nice, but transport can be a problem.

Dronfield has a lot going for it - train station, some great pubs, leisure centre, decent range of shops, pretty friendly people.

Areas around Moorgate in Rotherham are nice. Also Broom, Whiston and Wickersley.

S10 is defo the best postcode in Sheffield.

That property on Winchester Road is worth a look IMO

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-62374657.html

I’d go for Chesterfield over Rotherham any day. Chesterfield has a reasonable town centre and some decent suburbs, especially to the west side. Rotherham is very run down and suffers from being so close to Sheffield.

Saying that, I’d live in Sheffield rather than either of them!

You can definitely get a three bed detached in SW Sheffield for 300,000. I would thoroughly recommend it. Schools are ace, lovely green spaces, nice community feel. I wouldn’t consider Chesterfield or Rotherham.

S8 is very reasonable and a decent place to live.

There’s a few houses in our budget (just) in the nicer SW areas of Sheffield. Have already seen the one linked to below. Kitchen is small, whole house is dated and too small. Problem is we’re moving from a very cheap area with a massive three bed house which is worth about 190k. So feel sick when I can’t get anywhere as nice/big for over 100k more.

Thanks, for the ideas. Yes we would consider Penistone and even Barnsley. I’m worried about moving too far away that a train journey becomes silly. But guess there’s always the option of driving to somewhere like the Centertainment park and ride and catching the tram. Which would also solve the problem of being in a one train an hour situation. Outibridge or bradfield would be lovely. But again any houses we see seem so small compared to what we have.

Will check out other places mentioned, this is so hard when you don’t know the area. I need Phil and Kirsty! Thanks everyone.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67089236.html

Would you consider a semi detached? You get a lot more for your money and Sheffield is full of them.

Careful in Crookes - high % of student houses that doesn't always make for the best neighbors

You can see that from the number of "5 bed houses" in 3 bed footprints with subdivided rooms on RM.

Viva I live Penistone-ish, and use the Meadowhall Park and Ride when I need to go to Sheffield for work.