Living in Ipswich

[florisse]

We're looking for a cheaper place to live so we can have a smaller mortgage - and be closer to beaches and countryside. Moving from Stratford area (London) but need easy-ish access to Stratford / Liverpool Street for work, but only 1-2 days a week. Working from home rest of the time.

We've looked at Colchester, but can't really afford the kind of house we would like there, though not ruling it out.

Saw this house in Ipswich which would be exactly the sort of thing I'd love to buy: Woodbridge Road, Ipswich
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-96244532.html

I'm drawn to the access to Suffolk countryside, beaches, access to Norwich where I lived as a kid. Train to Stratford and friends in 1hr 15m.

What's it like there, if you know Ipswich? Kids are 4 and 7 btw...

Thanks

Horrible traffic fumes round there ? Stationary traffic common?

Didn't know that. We'd be leaving one of the most polluted areas in London so would have to check out the levels for comparison.

It's hard to judge in lockdown isn't it!

Skimming right move in your ballpark price range Fox hall and Colchester roads also busy roads , but probably both better than Woodbridge road

Keep East and north and you should be fine

I wouldn't buy on Woodbridge Road, I used to have to commute to our office down there and the traffic can be horrendous (for Suffolk). I am not sure where you would park either!

Yeah I can see that Woodbridge Rd itself would be too busy. Prob why the house is such a good price!

What about Ipswich generally? In terms of what the community is like? Say we found somewhere in the NE section. Families, schools, general feel?

Ipswich always smells of pee to me

Around the park in Ipswich is quite nice , Corder Road , Constable Road are good examples, but Woodbridge Road is a bit variable to be honest. For comutability Manningtree is south if Ipswich and an easy commute

Eastern Ipswich is the better side. Do you need primary or secondary schools?
Woodbridge is lovely.

Rushmore St Andrew is nice, which is a bit further East. Schools in the east side are good, but tend to be oversubscribed.
It's going to get a lot busier on the Northern Side of ipswich as they are going to build a whole new garden suburb in the Westerfield area.

The suggestions previous posters have given have been good. Woodbridge and Kesgrave are both nice areas.

The trouble is that the council/other companies have to carry out roadworks on busy roads (Nacton Road/Felixstowe Road for example) either separately or concurrently... keep that in mind when looking at properties.

That's great intel @MrsSlocombesPussy hadn't heard about that development...

Illl have to go check it all out when we can. It's is hard during lockdown @midgedude ! I'm curious to see what 'variable' is like - bear in mind we currently live in Plaistow so quite used to downtrodden!

Def like the park area and surrounding streets...

Woodbridge road itself is very busy but the area around that property has good primaries and secondaries as well. Like others have said NE area is much nicer. Pre- covid my husband was travelling to cambridge/ London frequently and it was an easy bike ride to the station from that area. If you are used to East London you will really like it i think! You can be at the beach in about 20 min and the surrounding area is beautiful.

www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/ipswich-northern-fringe-on-the-way-7789434

I like ipswich town centre, but not sure about the outskirts. I dont think its massively cheaper than colchester

Ipswich is a bit rough to be honest. There are plenty of lovely places in Suffolk but Ipswich isn't one of them. My grandma and grandad used to live there.

Will PM you.

There are rough areas of Ipswich, like any large town. There are also very nice areas.
I like living here! And I live in one of the slightly 'rougher' areas.

For a start Ipswich does not smell of pee

And as for fumes!!!!

It's hardly london

I wouldn’t want to live in Ipswich. It’s rough. Plenty of lovely Suffolk towns and villages well within a 30 min drive of Ipswich if you need to be able to get there. Check out Eye, Framlingham, Halesworth, Beccles, Debenham... etc.

We moved from South London to South Norfolk and we love it. We are smack between Ipswich and Norwich and we only ever go to Norwich for “big” shopping as Ipswich is not very nice in comparison.

It's not rough. I have friends there and walk the streets in the dark.

There are rough areas , west side in particular, and the town centre is pretty average rather than naice , although dockside is pretty

The villages may be naice , but add £££ to the house price and if you are commuting add another hour or two to your day

I moved to IPswich from Outer London. The excitement of buying a detached house with parking, for less than my terrace with parking 3 streets away hasn’t worn off 15 years later! Lots of lovely areas, some less so... much like anywhere!

I've seen there are lots of gorgeous smaller towns and villages further out - but many without a train station. Still need to get to London at least once a week for work (sadly, if only I didn't have to!) so need to be within a mile of a station.

You can’t judge a mile where you are now to a mile in Ipswich. I did a 3 mile journey to where I work in the middle of Ipswich in 9 minutes at 7am this morning.... would have taken me 30 mins when I lived in London area! Lots of villages less than 15 mins to Ips station.

@midgedude and @FoxandFeathers that's encouraging. I think that's it - I'm not looking for 'naice' to coin a mn expression. We wouldn't fit in anywhere too quaint... 😂

Also I do want some diversity - I know there won't be loads but a variety of languages spoken and different cultures very welcome. Not sure I can get all the east London out of me, no matter where we go!

Glad to hear the attraction of the big detached house hasn't worn off... it's so appealing. Happy with a bit shabby if I can get a Georgian house.