Would you buy a home near a prison?

[DAISYBELLAxx]

We have found what would be the perfect home for us, but it is located a couple of houses away from a category C prison.

I have attached images of the house itself. It has been on the market since January, which makes me think that maybe people do not want to buy it because of that.

Am I overthinking? The prison is in a very nice area of Surrey. We are going to view it on Saturday but am planning to do a couple of drive bys at different times to see the situation. We also plan to have children in the future, I worry that this wouldn't be a safe environment for them.

Thank you.

Coldingley? I know the area well and I think you will be fine. Lots of police presence. People are on their best behaviour as they don't want visits stopped. Prisoners will be released around 0730-1000 most days. Often met at the gate by families.

Yes I would.
My friend lives a few houses away from a prison, category a. We've been to her house. There's a massive wall around the prison though anyway.
And it's a really nice housing estate.
So I wouldn't discount just because it's near a prison no

I wouldn't. It's not particularly rational but I just wouldn't feel comfortable about my daughters coming and going.

Wandsworth Prison is in a very nice area of London - most people would jump at the chance to buy there!

I live in a city that has a number of prisons, including a high-security prison housing (seemingly) all of the more desperately shocking offenders who hit the news over the last couple of decades.

I don't think it is a problem at all. They don't tend to escape and are far less of a problem than the yet-to-reveal-themselves murderers, etc, that inhabit most communities.

The biggest issue is that from time to time police motorcyclists stop traffic so that a convoy can pass by, presumably including some-or-other severe offender.

My main concern would be how busy does the prison make the area.

Will it be noisy from the traffic of comings and goings from the prison?

@GoogleWhacking you are correct!

I am not sure if you can see from the pictures, but the prison entrance isn't far from the house itself.

I am quite open minded, but a big believer in positive energy and I am not sure how it would make me feel living near the prison and seeing it everyday. X

I grew up near an open prison. It was fine.

People live next door to all sorts of places... bail hostels, drug dealers, abattoirs, pubs, petrol stations, railway lines, motorways, etc.

I'd have thought a Category C prison would be no big deal.

Wouldn’t bother me, let’s face it, if you’ve just been released for prison your first thought would be get me the fuck away from here, not let’s commit a crime asap on the doorstep.

I've always thought that grass squared area outside the prison was rather lovely @DAISYBELLAxx personally I don't think that it would be a problem. As prisons go it quite a calm one with a stable population. As a cat C the prisoners don't tend to do a lot to get into trouble as they don't want to go back to confined conditions.

Op Bisley is a very beautiful village and a great place to bring up children in the future,not far from Woking and Guildford.the prison itself is a category c traning prison.you will have a few who are working outside who are on Rotl (released on temporary licence) but they will be awaiting transfer to a category d establishment.

Personally it wouldn't put me off its a beautiful area and you are very lucky but it sounds like you have a plan,visit the area a few times get a feel for it,but I can't see there being any issues good luck

OP, from the picture, it kind of looks as though there are only two houses between the house you are interested in and the prison. I'm not sure I'd live there, not because of it being a prison, but because I'd not like to live that close to any kind of non-residential (...) building. Could be a supermarket or a factory or a leisure centre, or anything.

My house backs on to a category B prison. The worst we’ve heard is when they occasionally have a game of football on a Sunday afternoon.
nobody has escaped! Even if they did I’m sure they’d be away sharpish. Seriously though the prison is a great neighbour and we have no security concerns.

I'd worry about resale, because it's making you pause and think.

I think I'd worry more about the constant gunfire noise from all the Ranges just downwind.

How close is close? There are only two things I'd worry about with proximity to a prison - noise from the wings 24/7 (booming music is common from tinny radios and echos round blocks, shouting, general noise like a playground when it's association time 🤣) and being so close that you are aware of the oiks trying to throw drugs over the walls.

Otherwise not much else to worry about. They don't tend to go up in a puff of smoke very often but it can happen but then then entire world of policing and prison Tornado teams arrive to manage it and the press obv.

Thank you everyone for your feedback. It's nice to see that some people on here know the area well.

@Ambleen my partner said about the noise from the ranges! It's not a major concern to us, as we currently live in Bagshot and I lived in Farnborough where we experience the same x

I live by a prison - its never crossed my mind to worry about it. Not sure what you think will happen? By definition the prisoners are locked up. Only slight issue for some people might be a bit of traffic when the staff change shifts but it has no impact on us. Traffic outside nearby schools is a much bigger issue, as is the bloody rubbish the kids chuck about.

@SharonEllis I think my mind just goes to all sorts! Especially with potential children in future. X

I did, I had no idea it was a couple streets away when I bought and the 4 years I lived there wouldn't have known it was there apart from the slightly higher prevalence of police vans in the area 🤷‍♀️

@MFF2010 that's really good to know. Thank you.

I think to put things bluntly, my concern would be that with a category C prision, people coming and going would be theives or sex offenders.

I worry that if somebody out on regular day release gets familiar with the house, or sees potential children through the window or playing outside, it may be an issue (if that person hasn't changed their ways).x

I honestly wouldn't worry. I have children & most of the houses round here have kids as there are several schools.

I think my mind is also going crazy because I unfortunately had somebody in my distant family who was exposed as a sex offender and the thought of it disgusts me! I know its not healthy to be this negative! X

I think what might put me off is what it looks like, rather than what it is. That’s probably even more shallow……