Move to Lincolnshire (Sleaford)?

[VeryExhaustedPigeon]

We currently live in the home counties in what was a 2 bed semi (we had a loft conversion to create two further bedrooms but downstairs is just a lounge and kitchen/diner). We are DESPERATE for more living space (and ideally an extra reception room that could become a sensory room).

Eldest child finishes GCSEs next year and can't stay at current school (lack of A Level options). Our other two children (10 and 9) are severely disabled and can't currently attend schools (may never attend a school, certainly wouldn't be mainstream if they did).

We can't afford to climb the property ladder here so have been considering moving to somewhere with more affordable housing.

We like the look of Sleaford in Lincolnshire. It would allow us to move to a bigger property without increasing our current mortgage (£425,000 looks like it would comfortably get a 4/5 bed detached vs a 3 bed semi here). However, we have no connections to the area and we don't know anything apart from what I've found on Google (happiest place to live apparently!)

We would love any information or recommendations from locals or those who know Sleaford - areas/specific roads that are perhaps less desirable to move to etc would be really helpful. We're not fussed on being near good schools and both drive (happy to commute for eldest's sixth form). We prefer town/suburbs to villages (but would consider villages if not too remote - hubby's benchmark is whether Deliveroo is willing to go there or not! 🙈)

Thanks in advance 🙏🏻

Same, I moved out of Lincolnshire when I was 18 to go to university. I've been back a couple of times and just seems like a different world to where I live now on the coast in the south. Very insular people. And agree with another PP, takes ages to get anywhere compared to the more condensed south.

I live in Sleaford. I think people are being a bit harsh here. I've previously lived all over the UK, including 'naice' parts of the South East. I came here by chance for work, and have chosen to stay here while raising my son. Schools are decent, crime rates low, houses very cheap, people generally lovely. You can buy pretty much anything you need in town, though the high street has been affected by internet shopping just like any other retail centre. There are two leisure centres, a nice small park. There is pleasant countryside nearby for walks. The main downside is that it is a bit boring. It is a VERY small town (population less than 20,000 - the town centre is basically one street). It takes a long time to drive anywhere. There are decent train links to Grantham/Lincoln/Boston/Nottingham/Peterborough though.

The 'best' part of town (estate agent speak) is the triangle of streets between Grantham Road and London Road. Very peaceful here.

Stamford is lovely, but houses expensive.

Have you thought about Lincoln? Beautiful centre, with a bit more going on culturally, if that's important to you.

If you would consider a village, but one with lots of amenities, (though only supermarket is a small Co-op), I would recommend Navenby, which is lovely, and closer to Lincoln than Sleaford is.

We're currently between Lincoln and Newark, either of those are good choices, Newark a direct train to Kings Cross in an hour and a bit. Lincoln probably nicer, and a busier centre with wider choice of restaurants etc. I still go to work in Cambridge when I need to (1.5 hours each way, so not every day....). No decent international airport close by is the only downside side for me, but I'm happy to drive to Manchester (< 2 hours) when I need to fly for work, and some European routes are available from East Midlands, which is close by.

Sleaford is a bit backward and isolated. We have quite a few friends who have moved away from it.

I have lived in Stamford, beautiful to look at but expensive and unfriendly I found!

We are near Newark, cheap prices, excellent transport links, a well thought of SEN school and a lot more going on than Sleaford. Not perfect, but we like it.

Another one suggesting Bingham.

Might not be your dream location, but fir £425k you could buy a good 4 bed property in Milton Keynes, Northampton or Bedford - and you get Deliveroo

I think towns like Market Rasen or Gainsborough are a bit nicer than Sleaford?

😂😂😂 No.

Omg I don't know Sleaford but I know Gainsborough and this statement does NOT bode well for Sleaford 😂

😆

id say they’re all equally shit. Market rasen has some nice woods nearby I guess.

Oh dear God, no. Speaking as someone who grew up in Lincolnshire, Sleaford is dead as a doornail. You'll go mad with boredom. Rural Lincs is a completely different kettle of fish to the rural Home Counties.

Stamford is nice from a history and culture point of view. There are some nice villages close to Lincoln and Lincoln still has a decent city centre and all the amenities you need. Or if you want more of a Home Counties vibe, Rutland might be worth a punt.

Avoid Sleaford, Grantham and Boston - cultural black holes.

Rutland and Stamford are much nicer, but property is more expensive

I'd say Grantham is nicer than Sleaford - bigger, better transport connections, more going on. But has an underbelly (and widely considered boring)

Someone mentioned Bourne, which might be worth a look. What's Bottesford like these days? And Ancaster (between Grantham and Sleaford) might have enough facilities

I used to live near Sleaford on and off for 10 years and in Lincolnshire in total for 18 years. I like it. You have to accept that you need a car if you live in a village as public transport is hit and miss unless you live in Heckington where you can catch the train into
Sleaford.

Sleaford itself nice bits (which are hopefully still there): The Hub, National Crafts Centre
Chinese takeaway near the train station. Used to be a restaurant too boasting Prince Harry and Amy Winehouse as clientele (we saw the latter coming out expecting paparazzi and just saw me and DH instead)
4 small supermarkets (Sainsbos, Tescos, Aldi and Lidl)
Fairly large park with nice playgrounds.
Swimming pool
Lovely garden centres esp in Silk Willoughby
Indian restaurant with Bollywood lounge in the commercial estate on the way out of town.
Great schools

Nice surrounding villages with amenities:
Heckington
Ruskington
North Rauceby
South Rauceby
Silk Willoughby

Pretty villages but less amenities
Cranwell
South Kyme

Teeny tiny farm centric settlements:
Burton Pedwardine
Aswarby

Downsides with upsides of that part of Lincolnshire:
In the winter if you don't live close to a main road you can get snowed in. The seasons are very well defined and gorgeous.
It's flatish (not too flat), therefore Big Sky County and it really is with the best ever sunsets.
Farmland can be stinky but there are great farmshops.
You can't freely roam but there are footpaths.
You need to live in wellies between September-June.

Further afield but close enough to Sleaford that are nice:
Navenby
Scopwick
Harmston
Branston

The area will never be dead as it's very much RAF land which keeps the economy going too. Also fun if you like aircraft ripping about.

Tonnes of great places to visit too:
Woodhall Spa (lovely place but expensive to live) with the Kinema in the Woods, Jubillee Park etc.
Tattershall Lakes
Top of the hill in Lincoln
Stamford
Hubbards Hills in Louth
Belton House

So much more! Undervalued county imo.

@VeryExhaustedPigeon what did you decide in the end. Did you move and or still considering it. Curious as looking at the area ourselves and stumbled across this post this morning.

I would recommend Bourne over Sleaford - it's much nicer!

Probably a bit late since it's two years since the OP was wondering about this!