Angmering, West Sussex.

[Carolann1]

My partner and I are considering moving to West Sussex and like the look of Angmering. We know, in the past, there has been flooding there. Does anybody know what it’s like in recent times. Thank you

As far as I remember it hasn’t flooded in recent years. I’ve a feeling last time was 2012. (We live about 10 minutes away) BUT they are building absolutely loads of new houses North of there and it is getting really overcrowded.

Depending on what you’re looking for, Rustington is nice. As is East Preston or Ferring.

Thank you so much for your reply, which is very useful

Which part of Angmering are you thinking about? Around the station? Or the village a mile north? What is it that has attracted you to Angmering? We may be able to suggest alternatives.

But another vote for Rustington. Very nice well populated high street, close to beach and some posh property on private roads if that attracts.

I'd also recommend Rustington over Angmering. Far more going for it. But, as PP has said, the whole A27/A259 is basically a building site from Chichester to Worthing. Traffic is horrendous. I used to live in that area, my family still does, and when I go to visit I'm astounded at how bad the traffic is each time and how many more new houses are being built. What were individual villages have become an amalgamation.

The whole of the SE seems a nightmare of traffic. Fine if you only stay local or use rail (when it works) but otherwise an utter shit-show.

We headed SW. As soon as you get past Bournemouth traffic starts to melt away. Still bad in pockets but not in general.

Thank you all for your comments much appreciated and a great help ! We think we may abort thinking about south of the county but still possibly do some research into Horsham !!

Horsham is often more expensive. I’d like to move to Rustington.

I’m not far from Angmering and agree about local traffic. They’re building houses in every space possible between the South Downs / national park boundary and the sea, literally cramming them in. There is little infrastructure to support the increasing population, I have no idea how St Richards (in Chichester) and Worthing Hospitals are supposed to cope, or the GPs, dentists etc. The traffic is hellish, the A27 is a nightmare at the best of times. It won’t be long before Brighton and Chichester are one long strip of housing along the coast with no gaps between!

Having said that, I love being close to the sea and the Downs. Angmering is a nice little village but it isn’t going to be a village for long. Rustington is also nice, there’s a bit more there. Ferring is also nice, again small village vibe. Horsham is also being massively expanded but has a nice town centre. I really like Midhurst but don’t know much about it.

We like Angmering too, seems like it will be sought after in the next 10 years or so.

Also looking into moving into one of the new housing estates around Angmering. If anyone here has first hand knowledge of the Angmering Secondary school, please share. Thanks)

@Carolann1 only just spotted this thread. I live in Angmering and have done for the last 20+ years.
There were some issues with flooding a few years back but they seem to have been sorted now. It was only on Water lane (clue is in the name!) and down into the village centre. There weren't many houses affected but awful for those that were. No flooding since despite all the horrendous weather we've been having (and flooding down the road in Littlehampton this week 🙁)
We are all a bit frustrated with the amount of building going on in our beautiful village at the moment but it hasn't affected the community feel and it's a really lovely, friendly place to live. It's also happening everywhere, you cant really get away from it.
Lots of independent pubs, cafes and restaurants in walking distance or a short drive away. Railway station 10/15 min walk. South downs walkable one way and the beach a 10 minute cycle/5 minute drive the other. Love it !

Absolutely, I love Angmering (moved here two years ago); close to the beach and countryside, lovely little bakery, butchers/deli and cafes and the renowned pub called 'The Lamb'.Super friendly place with lots of activities and Rustington is just a few minutes drive (personally wouldn't live there as I find it quite busy, but lots going on). There has been a lot of talk about new housing but if you look at the local facebook nearly all the comments about building are lead by one very vocal person who is leading a big campaign against new builds (because the view from her house over farmland where they are proposing building some houses will be ruined). Most of us in Angmering are fed up with this negativity - they are building new houses all over the UK for goodness sake! It's no longer a quiet little village but frankly the newcomers have made it a better place (more activities and shops like Waitrose, Next, Aldi & Dunelm all in easy driving distance (just outside Angmering)

I have lived in and around this area for years and can’t recall any MAJOR flooding. Not like Chichester or Arundel.

Angmering is now quite gentrified, as I grew up it was always the poor relation to East Preston and Angmering -on- sea. These villages are much nicer but come at a cost now. Rustington to me, I am sorry is dreadful and I can’t see the comparison others have give it to Angmering. if you are moving into one of the old village houses - lucky you. If you are going to one of the more developed “ new developments “, there is a good community there and the Primary schools all around are very good. I don’t know about anything 11+, someone else should comment.

I just can’t recall any flood problems in my extensive time there !! The Lamb is a good pub, sadly the best pub is the Spotted Cow, it’s beautiful, but currently being run badly. The village has an excellent chippy and decent Indian take away and a below average co- op. For village life it has a young feel , which is rare now .

That's interesting to hear that it used to be considered the poor relation to East Preston as I think it's nicer with more character (although some very expensive roads/properties in East Preston). Some wonderful quaint old cottages and flint-stone library building and the private Ham Manor Estate and The Thatchway are both very desirable roads if you can afford them! They overlook the Ham Manor Golf Course (I think quite pricey like most golf clubs, but you can get social membership there even if you don't play golf - which entitles you to use the facilities, discount bar prices and the Sunday lunches are superb and good value for the quality you get (£26 for 2 courses + coffee). They also have great curry nights at around £15 a head.(agree with sofasofa2025 that the Indian and Fish and Chip shop in the village are really good. Some of the new estates are frankly not that attractive and quite sprawling, but there are nice ones too and friends who live on them tell me the community spirit on them is good which counts for a lot (and everyone should remember - especially the moaners - that whatever age their house is, it was "new-build" once!)

Oh and I don't agree that Rustington is dreadful - it's just quite busy. It does have a gym and also Lanes Health and gym with a 25metre pool (good club, but please don't join as I am a member and I don't want it to get too busy!) - Mainly adults only (yay!!) kids can swim between 3.30 & 5.30pm 7 days a week.

There are various good maps around that use models to predict the impact of sea level rise /climate change on flood risk

https://www.gov.uk/check-long-term-flood-risk

It's not about what flooded in the past, because sea level rises and more extreme adverse weather events are inevitable now so lots of places that "never flooded" are going to flood. No idea about Angmering but I would always look at predictions (and topography) not ask what happens now.

Sadly I don't think many people are going to modify their behaviour so we have to accept the changes will be drastic

Agree, personally would no longer buy a property within 1/2 mile of the coast or close to a river. Angmering village is near to the sea but is not a seaside town (nearest beach 2-3 miles away) and is in the south downs which do soak up a lot of rainwater. In the distant past Water Lane (the clue is in the name!) was flooded (a few inches and fresh water); any issues have now been dealt with. On Angmering facebook you may see a photo of a 'flood' in Bewley Road - a complete fabrication in the hope of halting development on the field behind the road. (It was in July after torrential rain all over the UK and was a very deep puddle; unpleasant to drive through but gone after a few hours. Angmering village centre has been shut for many months due to replacing the sewage system; absolute nightmare for traffic at the moment but will be completed by December 2025 and will be a great improvement to any road flooding in the future. We moved here in the very wet and windy autumn of 2023 and there were no issues (other than big puddles) in the area.

The risk will vary from property to property. People need to use the prediction maps to get a good idea and then also do proper flood searches if they have an offer accepted.
It's not about what happened in the past any more, it's about what's predicted to happen in the future

Traffic isn't horrendous! I moved from Bromley to Angmering and it's considerably quieter on the roads. That said, the village has expanded and is more the size of a small town (which I much prefer) but those who have lived here for several decades often lament the fact! It's not a quite (backwards?) village anymore. I love it!