Best areas to live in Newcastle

[househuntinginthesouth]

Currently live down south and have been looking to buy locally however everything we like is way way above budget, needs more work than we can afford or any nice houses are in bad areas :/

Have started considering Newcastle. We've visited friends there every year (pre covid) and like it (although that could be as we were with friends), seems like we'd get a nice house for our budget (max £325k) and transport there seems good (I drive but kids are getting a bit older so be nice for them to get the metro etc with friends into town).

What areas would people recommend? Must be close to a metro station, close to great secondary's, preferably nice places to walk the dog within walking distance. Would prefer to be close to some local shops.

How about Gateshead, Forest Hall, Killingworth/Palmersville...these are some areas we've seen houses we like the look of? I really don't know much about the areas to be honest so any advice greatly appreciated. Hoping to do a trip up this weekend or next and cram in as many house viewings as possible.

Hi -

I'm Newcastle, currently live in Gosforth which is a lovely area. There is a good school system in Gosforth which many people move to the area for.

Look at Melton Park, Brunton Park, Whitebridge Park and Great park. Not necessarily near metro but good bus routes to town.

Some nice areas towards the coast as well but I'm not overly familiar.

.... just to add grange park in Gosforth to list above too particularly if you want to be nearer metro, backs onto Gosforth academy too, look at the avenues at the top end, Cranbrook, Westbourne, Kensington, Kingsway are lovely 30’s/ streets and tend to go for that price bracket. Also garden village too (Hollywood Avenue is Main Street) for accessibility to town/ regent centre metro and most have amazing gardens as the name might suggest. Good luck !

Gosforth and Jesmond are 'the' areas to live in - outstanding schooling at both state and private level and lots of excellent facilities. Both easily accessible to the metro system/city centre. Forest Hall and Killingworth are OK. You'd get a nice house for the money. Outstanding primary schools but lack of choice at secondary level. Gosforth sounds like it'd fit your bill although property is expensive. Traffic is significantly better than down south, as are the waiting lists in hospitals etc.

Thank you so much for your help, I will add those to the list.

Does anybody know what Wallsend is like? Also Gateshead?

There are some niceish bits to Wallsend but it wouldn't be my first choice of place to live. Same with Gateshead - some bits are nice others not so much x

Kingston park area area is nice but not sure what school it feeds to. Also Ponteland is nice but of Newcastle but good school system x

Heaton, long Benton and Benton are quite nice too depending on which bits but again I'm not sure on the schools.

X

Wallsend has some more than niceish areas, anywhere in and around 'The Green', which is also close to Wallsend High Street and plenty of shops, plus a Metro station and loads of buses. It's easy access to the Coast Road which will get you to the centre of Newcastle or the coast in under 20 minutes by car (except in rush hour,) and about 10 - 15 minutes on the Metro. It's also close to the A19 which gets you to the A1 pretty fast in either direction (and is usually a quieter road,) as well as up into Northumberland in half an hour.
There are loads of large shopping areas close by including Silverlink and three massive parks which are well kept and well used.
It was a shipbuilding town but has moved on massively since then and has a lot of offshore companies now, but some people who don't know it well still think of it that way and write it off as 'a bit rough'.
You can get a lot of period property for considerably less money than the equivalent size in one of the leafier suburbs of Newcastle and get to the same places just as fast.
There are two secondary school, both OfSTED 'Good'.
Property sells really fast, particularly close to the town centre. with your budget you could probably buy a family home and a 'buy to let' flat

Gateshead isn't in Newcastle. It's a large town and, like most large towns, has horrible areas, nice areas and everything in between. Low Fell is probably the best and it's worth looking at Whickham too. I believe Emmanuel College is one of the better secondaries in Gateshead.

Honestly? Don't do it.

You could also take a look at Fenham.
In and around Fenham Hall Drive. There's a row of shops there and its walking distance to the centre of Newcastle.
Lots of nice period property well within your budget. Often overlooked leafy suburb as everyone thinks of Jesmond and Gosforth first.
No Metro but plenty of buses.
There are two schools in the area, Sacred Heart for girls and St Cuthbert's for boys, both Catholic and both OfSTED 'Outstanding'. Might be tricky to get a school place though as everyone wants in! There is a state school 'Excelsior Academy' but that would require some travelling by bus and it's currently 'Requires Improvement'. Also an independent school, Dame Allen's, in the middle of Fenham.

As for walking the dogs, HUGE moor on your doorstep, the Town Moor.
Just had a look and here's a few for sale.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/79836981#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110994779#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110881937#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/111125324#/?channel=RES_BUY

And if you fancy a bit of a 'fixer-upper' this one.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110823143#/?channel=RES_BUY

They normally sell for £250 - 270k
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/80245719#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/110670059#/?channel=RES_BUY

I would look at areas near the coast like Cullercoats, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay. Not far from Newcastle city centre but has the lovely coastline and nice shopping areas.

There was a very similar thread on this exact topic a week or so ago if you can find it. Please don’t go anywhere near Palmersville, Killingworth or Wallsend. PP is correct about the coast - Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, Monkseaton and Cullercoats. All on the Metro, lovely independent shops and restaurants, cafe culture and of course the gorgeous beaches.

Sounds like you want somewhere like Great Park. Great schools, good walks, well connected, good transport links and affordable.
Those suggesting Whitley Bay and Tynemouth - they’re lovely but you don’t get a huge amount in the right school catchments for 325 and it becomes North Shields very quickly.