Would you buy a house near a prison?

[tintodeverano2]

I have seen a beautiful property that fits all our wants and is £50k below our budget. It doesn't need any work doing to it and you could move straight in. The only issue is the proximity to a prison. It's literally 300 yards away. That's why it's so cheap isn't it?

@Dumblebum

Surprised at people saying it’s more safe due to increased security, the prison guards don’t protect the houses nearby and police do not give these houses special service levels, sure they will move fast if there is an escape, but that’s rare, they are not going to move faster if someone smashes your car windows, breaks into your home or mugs you, and of course there will be some dodgey people around at visiting times

For me I don’t think it’s more or less safe than anywhere else, more it would be can I see it and is it an eye sore, is there enough parking or do visitors park on the side streets, and is there any noise from it.

Who said anything about increased security? There are more cameras around prisons though and if you're a petty criminal, you're less likely to rob a car or a house if there's more cctv and/or it could belong to a screw.

Lived near a max security. Noise occasionally from the dogs in the yard. Another poster mentioned the convoys of police cars and vans, cops hanging out the window with machine guns, copters overhead as they transport high profile criminals to court. This can be daily twice a day for weeks and they willhold traffic around so noone can break. up the convoy. There is a nursey right opposite which alwats seemed odd to me. There is a grim feel around but i don't if know that's just me knowing what type of people are in there.

Doesn't seem to affect house prices in Winchester

I wouldn’t. We stayed on the island of Portland last summer and during that week there were ambulances with sirens driving past very frequently to the Young Offenders and the main prison holding hundreds of sex offenders (including Gary Glitter!!) - didn’t sleep well that week and whole area had a weird feel about it.

If its in suffolk then don't...been there done that.

Yes. But not in it.

@superram

I used to live next to Wandsworth, the only issue was the banging on the windows/bars at lights out. I wasn’t really worried about escapees.

And that would have been at least 25 years ago!! They don't have lights out now, you can have it all on all night now!

We're a few roads up from one. Nicest part of town, though I admit I did a slight ??? when the area was recommended to me.
Absolutely no issue... although the halfway house at the end of the road did have an attempted murder recently though!

@JenniferAlisonPhilippaSue

I think you need to go and walk around at different times of day. I used to walk past Pentonville frequently. Some times silence, sometimes it was super loud, like loads of rowdy shouting and banging continuously, couldn’t have lived with that.

Someone I know was in a student rental slap bang opposite Pentonvillle and can confirm it was really noisy, and their fairly modern rental had a persistent problem with rats too.... possibly a coincidence. ‘‘Twas a bit grim

I used to live near Pentonville. Never bothered me. There are houses (not mine!) that are worth £££millions within about 300 yards from the boundary wall.

No way. On my commute for years I would be stuck in traffic passing a prison and there were blokes being released in the morning always carrying plastic bags with their stuff in. Wouldn't want to see that out my window

@trumpisagit what!!

Does it have a proper car park?

Our local prison - massive car park, no bother.

Some town centre prisons, you may be scrapping over parking.

Cat C will have proper security and but worth checking for noise - some like playing loud music and banging on windows, there will definitely be noise at times like New Year.

No guns or helicopters at Cat C - no such drama, and no frequent convoys to court either.

Admittedly not living, but I walked past the walls of Wormwood Scrubs for my every antenatal appointment and DH used to live very close by it. Didn't bother me and didn't seem to bother anyone else in the area.

We live less than half a mile from a prison. Walk past it often. Never heard any noise from within at all.

Absolutely I would. I really don't see the issue but I do work in criminal defence.

I worked near one for a few years and it was noisy at times with ‘visitors’ shouting from outside trying to make themselves heard. So I definitely wouldn’t live near one.

I used to have a house near a prison. No problem at all. I used to hypothesize that if any escaped they would get out of the area as soon as possible.

Depends how close. We looked at one on this road when we last moved but ruled it out because of the prison wall opposite making it super dark (check out street view). We did buy nearby so general proximity to the prison not an issue as such.
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/116936195#/?channel=RES_BUY

Would depend on the type of prison for me. Maximum security with murders and people in for child related offences would definitely put me off, but otherwise I'd be fine

The Prison itself wouldn't put me off, but the view of the building probably would, they're hardly nice to look at!

It wouldn’t bother me at all.

We live in close proximity to a large Cat A prison. DH works there! (We loved prior to him getting the job). Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

@sparklecrazy

We live in close proximity to a large Cat A prison. DH works there! (We loved prior to him getting the job). Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

moved

I lived near Wandsworth prison too. No trouble al all. I now live near another prison ( the old prison buildings are amazing