Where to live south Manchester/Cheshire?

[Soniarc]

Hello! I’ve been having a good trawl of previous posts but can’t find one that fits my question.

We are looking to get more acquainted with areas of Cheshire to move to in 1-2 years. I’d love to hear of your thoughts and experiences. These are our desired traits:
House:
-4/5 bedroom detached with garage and garden
-around the £550k mark

The area should be fairly safe and good to bring kids up in. We are currently moving from Prestwich in North Manchester because of this. We would like somewhere that’s on the train line to get into Manchester if needed (we both work from home), with good primary schools but in catchment areas for excellent secondary schools (this could also be private).

Bonus for anywhere that has a tennis club, fairly rural and has things to walk to. A Waitrose is also a request from my partner, haha. Also within 45 min of the airport.

we have been eyeing up places like Poynton, Macclesfield, Bollington. Any thoughts?

I was going to suggest Poynton. Maybe Knutsford.

Holmes Chapel. There’s a Waitrose in Sandbach so not far and you’d easily get what you want for the money. Good links to the M6.

Urmston, Trafford? Great schools.

My mum just sold a gorgeous 4 bed semi, 2 reception for under 350

I've always lived in the south but my parents grew up In Macclesfield and I still have family there.

I think it's lovely, beautiful countryside on the doorstep but also on the main line to Euston and Manchester. Particularly like Langley and Prestbury where my family lived.

My thoughts are that you are unrealistic with your budget and your wants.

Cheadle Hulme ticks all those boxes (4 bed rather than 5 bed) other than being fairly rural, it feels quite suburban.

It has a Waitrose, an outstanding state secondary and a really quick train line into the city centre.

Otherwise Wilmslow (with your budget you’d be looking at North wilmslow rather than the leafier and more desirable South Wilmslow).

Knutsford is beautiful and feels more rural but the train is crap and the secondary school isn’t as good as the other two.

Wildcard: Goostrey. Feels very rural,
but great train link and close enough to Alderley Edge for a Waitrose. Definitely in budget but can’t really walk anywhere.

Not unrealistic at all. I have a 4 bed detached in Holmes Chapel, near a Waitrose, good links to airport, low crime rates, semi rural and a garage. £450 k. I moved from Whitefield/Prestwich area too for same reasons as OP.

There are a fair few threads like this. But I can't remember another one specifying a Waitrose!

Poynton and Marple/Marple Bridge will be top of your list.

Poynton has the Waitrose.

Marple & Marple Bridge are surrounded by beautiful countryside and feel rural, but the train will get you into Manchester in 21 minutes. Feels quirkier than Poynton or the South Manchester 'burbs. BUT no Waitrose.

Your budget might stretch to a detached in one of these areas, but it will need work.

They usually specify a Booth's

I think you'll need to move 'out' to be able to get a 4/5 bed detached with garage/garden on that budget. Holmes Chapel etc rather than the Cheshire areas closer to Manchester.

What about Sandbach, also Hartford (nice part of Northwich) very near to The Grange private school? Tytherington in Macclesfield?

Mobberley too?

Sale Moor has a tennis club and easy walks to the Mersey/trans Pennine trail, is on the Tram to town but you'd need to go to Alrrincham for Waitrose.

There's a nice gated community near Nantwich / Crewe - Wychwood Park. Some nice houses there, with a golf course and 'country park'. Some villages around Nantwich are quite nice - depends what you're looking for.

No Waitrose but Appleton/Stretton/Whitley areas are lovely and right by the M56. There's The Grange private school and also Cransleigh. Also good state schools though too. Possibly Lymm too? Plenty of tennis clubs! Near to Stockton Heath for amenities. But really close to the countryside.

We are looking to get more acquainted with areas of Cheshire to move to in 1-2 years. I’d love to hear of your thoughts and experiences. These are our desired traits:
House:
-4/5 bedroom detached with garage and garden
-around the £550k mark

we have been eyeing up places like Poynton, Macclesfield, Bollington. Any thoughts?

Yep. You are looking in the right areas. Sandbach is also worth a look.

Those on this thread suggesting Knutsford on that budget are bloody delusional. Urmston detached 4 bed on that budget? Are you having a laugh!!!!???

You will need to be further out to match the budget.

Alsager has a railway station. Waitrose in Sandbach about 15 mins drive. They have a decent high school and half a dozen good primaries. Very close to A500 and M6. About 35-45 mins to Manchester airport, 55-60 to Liverpool airport or (by far and away the best airport) an hour to East Midlands airport.

I agree. A semi possibly but I doubt you'll get a detached with your budget.

Super delusional…. obviously not loads but can be done if OP decides they love Knutsford.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131257913#/?channel=RES_NEW

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/126109442#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/85777614#/?channel=RES_BUY

Not South Manchester, but further out is realistic. Lots of areas suggested would meet the criteria.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131257913#/?channel=RES_NEW

Four bed detached in Knutsford

I wouldn't choose Knutsford - rush hour traffic through the town is a nightmare and it's right under the flight path for Manchester airport so you will have the noise from a lot of planes at only a few thousand feet. Get the free Flightradar24 app and watch for yourself.

Congleton

Start with Sandbach, Alsager, Holmes Chapel - but look at Nantwich too. It doesn't have a Waitrose, but does have M&S and Sainsburys and a tennis club. There's also some really nice spa/gym places nearby.
Kingsmead nr Northwich is a bit bland - it's like an enormous Redrow estate.

Do you want new-build or something older?

Amazing suggestions, thank you!! I’m ok with moving further out as long as on a train line, as it’s possible that we may have to go into Manchester from time to time, and I hate driving with a passion.

I don’t think I’m too delusional with the budget and the ask. This is based on current prices, which I’ve noticed have come down somewhat.

And for those wondering about Waitrose, my husband is from East Sussex, and that’s like The Mothership to him. I know nothing, I’m from Spain - but I’d love to map out all the Waitroses and measure the crime rate in those areas vs non-Waitrose. I think they’ve done all the hard work for me and identified the nodes of population that we would like to live in. Safety is extremely important to me - I can’t continue to live looking over my shoulder at night thinking I’m going to get mugged. It’s either Cheshire, East Sussex (now THAT would be unrealistic on our budget) or back to Spain.

we are going to scout out Bollington and Macclesfield tomorrow. Possible Holmes Chapel if we get the time!

Heaton Moor, in Stockport. It doesn't have. Waitrose but it ticks the other boxes.