Moving to Highfield/Portswood Southampton

[LillyFlower1984]

Hi Lovely Mumsnetters

We are hoping to move to the Highfield/Portswood(Belmont Road) area of Southampton and will likely have our offer accepted on a house as I have just sold mine. I know its very studently but I dont mind that becsuse of the facilities that brings. Just wanted to know if any MNers have any information and advice on the area. We don’t need schools yet but currently TTCing. We did also looked at Winchester but just too expensive for what we want (nice semi/detached period home we can put our stamp on).

TIA

Completely agree re: BP - great housing stock, slightly more affordable (but prices are rising) and a great community. I’d definitely put BP higher than parts of PWD.

Highfield is full of people living in terraced houses bought with detached house budgets and all absolutely adamant they would never consider a terrace (I have also been there). The properties are charming and desirable and there is a good community feel. They usually go quickly, especially anything with 4 beds. It’s all village charm in the city with community Christmas trees and all that jazz.

I am a little perplexed about the Oakmount house but at that budget buyers are in short supply. From what I can tell it has had a full refurb at some point so really is just cosmetic. To do the refurb on a house like that you’re talking £150k minimum.

school catchments will be key - even if they don’t matter to you, they will do when you want to sell.

@LillyFlower1984 i was thinking it would be dodgy if you were in catchment for St denys or Swaythling. DH is also Catholic and there is springhill in the city centre but it is literally IN the city centre. Opposite the train station and getting in and out would be a nightmare every morning but it is a well rated school

Thanks, I do like the road suggestions given and will explore these but I imagine houses get snapped up quick? I am also wary about school catchments too as the Highfield school has been downgraded to “requires improvement” and Portswood was “Good” whereas I an sure I recently checked and both were outstanding?

Ahhh - this thread brings back memories of student living in Portswood in the 90s.
I went back to visit a few years ago and couldn't believe how much Portswood High St had changed - Safeway becoming Waitrose was the biggest change I think! But the Koi Noor curry house was still there, and did an amazing curry. When you move, make that a destination for one of your first meals out!

Th Highfield School ofsted rocked the community, but it hasn’t really affected the school experience from a parent or pupil point of view. And my understanding is that the issues identified in the inspection were rectified within days/weeks. The education is excellent. Both Highfield and Portswood are part of a cohort of schools nationally that hadn’t been inspected in over a decade. Very few of those schools are retaining outstanding now

@LillyFlower1984 i missed out Oak Tree Road as well. It's such a lovely area and the community is great. The River is beautiful too and some houses have great views of it. Im not sure how quick houses get snapped up. We bought ours 18months ago and it certainly seems prices have jumped since then! I didn't realise both those schools had been recently downgraded! I think (hope!) Bitterne Park primary school that backs onto the river is still outstanding

If the house you like in Belmont Road is in St Deny's primary school catchment, then it'd be why it doesn't appeal to families.

Highfield failed on record keeping around safeguarding, the teaching and everything else was still good. Portswood is a good school, Swaythling is actually quite a sweet little school despite reputation.
I have lived in Portswood, Shirley and Swaythling and I now live in Eastleigh. We moved out of Swaythling when we had kids because we didn’t want them to go to Bassett Green.
From Belmont Road I think I drive along the back roads and then along Portswood Road and through Swaythling rather than battling Thomas Lewis Way or the Avenue.
Portswood High street has got a lot of new, interesting restaurants recently, but there are loads more students because of the two new halls. When we lived there things could get a bit noisy at pub kicking out time, but we never had anything worse than our wing mirrors being knocked off. I always felt quite safe there.

If a house is a bargain (if 600k can be considered a bargain!) then there is something wrong with it or it’s location. I think your house, OP, is a tarted-up house in the midst of student accommodation. There are a few druggy-type places round there, too, eg halfway houses/bedsits and so on.

Agree to go for Highfield, even if you have to buy a smaller/less fancy place, especially if you plan to move to Winchester. Although Winchester is now seriously overpriced. There are horrible houses on main roads, with no garden, over-extended etc etc with utterly preposterous asking prices. I know someone who moved there from Southampton, pre-dcs, and was still allocated a primary school on the outskirts as the “approved” primary was full of siblings and people who lived half a road nearer.

fwiw I wouldn’t even sweat the primary school, especially at infant level.

“Its” location, even. I won’t be beaten by the autocorrect!

My DD is at uni in Southampton and has lived in a few roads in PW. The high street is great with cafes etc but the litter in the residential streets, parking, bins everywhere due to HMOs is really off putting. And any student buzz dies from May to September and it’s all empty houses, litter and a grim vibe. I don’t think you will recoup any value you put into it if you were to sell on as it would likely be bought by an investor to house students.

If you do have DCs you will likely be relatively isolated socially especially in those early mother / toddler years. It’s much nicer to have families and friends on your street and soooooo much easier to walk locally with a push chair to activities rather than having to pack up a cat, drive, find parking with young babies and then do all the same in reverse.

Houses in Oakmount triangle can take longer to sell than expected as they are valued so highly - it's not uncommon for them to be reduced or take a while to go.

Wow! Thanks so much this is all really interesting. I will look at the house more critically now… If we were to get it sounds like it would be difficult to sell on? It was first listed in March and has had one offer but fell through as buyer became unwell. The kitchen looks to be on the small side so we were thinking of moving it to a back room but it sounds like money spent would not be recuperated.

At the moment apart from Heatherdeane road which is a semi there isn't anhthing else we really like and within budget on the market in Highfield. Perhaps we might continue renting in Winchester and see if we conceive first??

The Chair of Governor’s at Highfield is a friend of mine (I live in Bassett and go to Highfield Church). That Ofsted was a total shock and completely unfair, given that the reason was some issues with record keeping in a pandemic. The teaching at the school is really good and children are very happy there; it’s an excellent school especially if you’re Christian. Welcome to the community 😊

I’m not really sure anyone should be suggesting the Ofsted grading is unfair to be honest, I don’t think it helps the school if that message is put out there. The result may be unfortunate, but in my opinion it was entirely fair. The school had some serious issues with safeguarding record keeping and follow up (as covered by the report narrative) and some leadership issues (also highlighted by the report). I don’t think those issues should be downplayed, but I do think that the experience of pupils at the school is good and not reflected by the grading.

But since we are discussing the report, it is here: files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50179873

I always recommend prospective parents read the text of Ofsted reports and don’t just go off the grading

@LillyFlower1984 are you searching with the sold subject to contract properties included? Things go very quickly in Highfield generally but it will give you a good idea of what has been on recently and in what price and condition. There is a lovely house on church lane at £575k that was snapped up quickly.

@Highfieldlocal
yes definitely with the SSTC on! Problem is I am now getting several offers for the property I am selling starting to worry now!

As others have suggested I would also look at Bitterne Park. Have lives there for 10 years now and wouldn’t move. Local schools and pre schools are good and riverside park is such an asset.

shops in triangle have everything you could need, regular buses to town and you can walk to portswood train stations are also nearby.

There is a real sense of community here with plenty of baby and pre school groups as and when you need them.

just might be worth a look

Thanks, I am a bit concerned it is just that much further from the M3

I’ve just looked at Google Maps and it is giving a live journey time of 24 minutes to Winchester from Highfield and 25 minutes from Bitterne Park. It’s half term so that is going to affect things a little, but you might find it’s not so different. The real bottle neck from BP at that time of day is going to be crossing Woodmill, but that is the route directed by Google, across Woodmill and up Bassett Green Road, not via Highfield Lane/The Ave.

Thanks again, I actually need to get to both Winchester and Basingstoke 3 days a week (different site each day) . I want to use public transport at least once a week.

In that case BP might be an excellent choice as it’s a short drive from Southampton Airport Parkway train station

@LillyFlower1984 are you definitely set on buying a character property inside either Southampton or Winchester? If it's the M3 and the train line to Basingstoke and Winchester you need, then there are many villages or suburban areas outside the two cities that will give you that too.

@ChildrenGrowingUpTooFast
Thanks yes I do want a character property. I am welcome to suggestions but ultimately I am looking for that urban/cosmopolitan vibe of a city with good community spirit and a villagey feel. I used to live in Moseley, Birmingham (relocated for work) and Highfield reminds me of that. Winchester less so but its a just a lively place with excellent schools and a lot of history. If you know amy alternative places with a buzzy feel closer to Basingstoke please suggest!

*Lovely