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Original poster

Moving to Sittingbourne

49 replies

nalgonda · 29/04/2022 07:36

Hi,

We have been renting in Barking, London for 6 years and finally we are planning buy a house and move out. We were looking for a 4 bed house under help to buy with a grammar school for girls in close proximity and we found Sittingbourne (Quintin Road) as the place. I did some basic research and the city seems to be okay.

I wanted to understand if I’m making a sensible decision. Please help me with info around how the locals are, how diverse it is, is good for young parents etc.. I’ve two daughters 2 and 8 years old and I’m an Indian origin.

thanks,
kiran

OP posts:
YayitisfinallySpring · 29/04/2022 07:45

I went to school in Sittingbourne many years ago. It was a typical English town. Now, it's lost it soul and is an urban sprawl. Some areas are particularly unpleasant which includes the area you mention. Avoid it. I suggest that Faversham, ten minutes away by car and only a few minutes extra from London on the fast train, would be much better. It has a great community feel and is friendly, unlike Sittingbourne. There are excellent primary school and a grammar school.

Original poster
nalgonda · 29/04/2022 10:43

YayitisfinallySpring · 29/04/2022 07:45

I went to school in Sittingbourne many years ago. It was a typical English town. Now, it's lost it soul and is an urban sprawl. Some areas are particularly unpleasant which includes the area you mention. Avoid it. I suggest that Faversham, ten minutes away by car and only a few minutes extra from London on the fast train, would be much better. It has a great community feel and is friendly, unlike Sittingbourne. There are excellent primary school and a grammar school.

Hi,

Thanks for quick reply, much appreciated. Obviously I have not been to Sittingbourne many times. We are considering this place due to factors such as commute to london, grammar school and a big house under help to buy scheme.

When we visited the city, we did take a walk from Quinton road to Station. We took a bus ride from Station to Sapphire close, close to Quinton Rd. That area looked peaceful and alright by looks from outside. I am sure I am missing many things as I am not local to it.

WOuld you mind me helme by describing what do you mean by unpleasant in that area? Btw - the place I am considering is a new built community by redrow and is almost 1 mile from both Kemsley and Sittingbourne stations - www.redrow.co.uk/developments/amber-fields-sittingbourne-212723

Would be helpful to know what's bad about it. Surely I dont want to move into a bad locality by spending lifetime savings.

Thanks,
Kiran

OP posts:
Somanyquestions1984 · 29/04/2022 14:48

Good luck as Redrow will advertise the prices then quickly hike them up fast! In my development they added 40-50k within a month of releasing the first plots

Floralnomad · 29/04/2022 14:57

The problem is @nalgonda that Quinton Road has a bit of a reputation that goes back many years , so although there are indeed some nice parts of Sittingbourne anybody who has known the town for a while probably wouldn’t choose to buy in that area , even though I’m sure the Redrow houses are lovely . The whole of Kent has grammar schools so that should not be a deciding factor .

SomeoneInTheLaaaaaounge · 29/04/2022 15:14

Sorry to say OP that Sittingbourne is really rough. The town has a lot of hardship and can get very rowdy. I wouldn’t want to live there.
like the other poster said take a look at some of the other places on the fast train to London. Faversham has a good grammar school I think.
best of luck.

DoubleHelix79 · 29/04/2022 15:26

We're in a lovely village 10 min drive from Ashford international, with fast trains going into St Pancras several times an hour (38 min). We moved down from SW London in 2019. Ashford itself is nothing to write home about but it's fine. Good village school, near nice towns such as Canterbury and Tenterden and 15 min to the coast. House prices are much more reasonable than in locations with a similar commuting distance. Downside is lots of development around Ashford.

YayitisfinallySpring · 30/04/2022 10:26

@nalgonda I actually live in a Redrow house. They are so well designed and built. The ones in Sittingbourne look lovely, but unfortunately Sittingbourne has, as I said, become a soulless place. Try walking down the high street on a Saturday, it's depressing. There are so many new build estates in nearby towns with grammar schools. Quinton area has had a bad name for decades.

My DD bought a new build in Sittingbourne and after a year rented it out and rented a house herself in Faversham because Sittingbourne was such a dump.

AnnaSW1 · 30/04/2022 10:31

I only know one couple who live there. One is white and one is Asian and they have had people throwing eggs at their door which he takes to be an act of racism as they have been singled out. The white neighbours have not been egged.

IncessantNameChanger · 30/04/2022 10:39

Sittingbourne all of Medway is quite multicultural. However it's, and always has been a dump. It's getting worse. Rainham is nicer. Ashford much better.

If you want to know what Sittingbourne is like go spend time in the high street. Go for coffee and lunch and look around.

Rainham is closer to London and has always been a nicer area. Hempstead Valley etc are nice. But like anywhere it's got good areas and places most people wouldnt want to live.

hesbeen2021 · 30/04/2022 10:52

I've lived in Kent most of my life and worked in Medway, Sittingbourne and Isle of Sheppey for many years. I'd never, ever live in either or anywhere in the Medway towns
Faversham is fine and the town is quaint
Ashford is OK but the town isn't great
Canterbury is wonderful though expensive
Whitstable fine though getting as expensive as Canterbury
Maidstone is somewhere to consider, good shopping and schools

Original poster
nalgonda · 30/04/2022 13:29

Thanks! I am definitely planning to go there and spend a full day, visit local pubs, cycle around and see..

OP posts:
Original poster
nalgonda · 30/04/2022 13:30

Thanks, I am planning to commute to London everyday so Canterbury is out of question for me, it’s too far and HS1 is expensive.

I’ll take a look at Maidstone surely

OP posts:
IncessantNameChanger · 30/04/2022 13:37

Maidstone is much more desirable as is Rochester. However again with Rochester it depends on the area within the town.

AlisonDonut · 30/04/2022 13:43

We used to call it Shittingbourne. I .cnot convinced it has got any better than it was in the 80s.

YayitisfinallySpring · 30/04/2022 13:43

AlisonDonut · 30/04/2022 13:43

We used to call it Shittingbourne. I .cnot convinced it has got any better than it was in the 80s.

It still is!

LetHimHaveIt · 30/04/2022 13:44

I wouldn't live in Sittingbourne for all the tea in China. But I'd be wary about Canterbury and Maidstone, too. Canterbury isn't at all what is was, with lots of empty shops and antisocial behaviour: a German teenager was beaten to within an inch of his life, just off the High Street, a couple of years ago. It's got the Kings School, and the Cathedral, the river and lots of lovely houses - but you don't have to scratch very hard to see the shit under the nice veneer. Maidstone has always been a bit 'livelier' but I never felt unsafe there, on a night out. I would now.

I actually think Ashford is better. More upfront about its less salubrious side. The environs and surrounding villages are mostly rather nice.

Floralnomad · 30/04/2022 13:51

Villages around any of these towns are lovely , including Sittingbourne - Bredgar , Milstead , Rodmersham all lovely places to live .

nearlyspringyay · 30/04/2022 13:53

Medway in general is a bit of a shit hole, I wouldn't want to live there.

Lilypickles1 · 30/04/2022 14:11

Well, I’m in the minority! I liked living in Sittingbourne, compared to barking it’s a delight 😊

Crikeyalmighty · 30/04/2022 14:12

Absolutely horrible place if I'm being honest, only place in that area worth buying is Canterbury

YayitisfinallySpring · 30/04/2022 14:13

Lilypickles1 · 30/04/2022 14:11

Well, I’m in the minority! I liked living in Sittingbourne, compared to barking it’s a delight 😊

Well some people must as there's so much new housing, but having known Sittingbourne from my school days, many years ago, it's one of the last places I'd live and I also include Sheppey in that.

hepaticanobilis · 30/04/2022 14:18

I imagine budget is your reason for looking to move there? It's fine people recommending nice villages but if the houses are £££ over budget it won't help...

I lived in Barking briefly and it wasn't exactly lovely either so also depends a lot on what you are used to and what your priorities are.

Original poster
nalgonda · 30/04/2022 17:53

Yep, it’s the budget that’s mainly driving me this direction..

OP posts:
IncessantNameChanger · 30/04/2022 20:40

www.rightmove.co.uk/developer/branch/Redrow-Homes/Manor-Court-171437.html#pId=120283232

this area is close to Sittingbourne but nicer. In comparison.

LetHimHaveIt · 30/04/2022 21:29

Rainham isn't close to Sittingbourne. It also isn't nicer.

I can't believe that price tag.