What part of Lancashire?

[Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles]

We are planning on relocating to Lancashire, but don’t know which part.
We were swaying towards Preston, but after visiting we felt unsure because I didn’t like the city centre layout - it felt too easy to be run over, and it seemed a bit too lively on a Saturday!
We have heard only negative things about Burnley and Blackburn (can anyone confirm or deny?). We considered Chorley, but unsure. Lancaster looks lovely, but the grammar school system there has put us off as our eldest will already be Y7.
Obviously actually living in these places would be very different to visiting though anyway, so it would be good to hear opinions.
Also, if anyone could suggest other places that might be suitable that would be appreciated.

Our criteria is:

budget: 190k max

We need good public transport

somewhere that has a train station.

amenities - hospital vital, things for the DC to do, cinema, parks, supermarkets nearby

WFH so jobs not a problem.

DC in primary and secondary school.

Somewhere friendly - community feel, if that still exists.

Can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks!

I would avoid Blackburn, Burnley and Leyland. Lancaster is nice but you might not get much for 190k.
Cottam or Penwortham in Preston are nice.
Or St Annes and Poulton. If you want any more info on Poulton feel free to message me.

Chorley is alright you know, gorgeous park in Astley park with play areas and a great cafe, the big house has a great Santa thing at Christmas.

town centre has brand new cinema and entertainment village

swimming pool at the leisure centre has slides

train line to Preston and Manchester, or drive to Buckshaw for free parking for quick service train.

all the major super markets

range of high schools and prinaries

yarrow valley park is lovely walk around a mill pond with a play area cafe and water falls.

birkacre garden centre is great

theres a soft play too

essy to get to other close areas like worden park in Leyland, deepdale shopping centre retail park, Capitol centre retail park, close to the motorway

Buckshaw Village in Chorley is on the main railway line to Manchester and London.
Central Preston is the pits, most people shop out of town. Penwortham is lovely, in the right parts, and has good schools.

Heysham is another option near Lancaster - good bus links in, gorgeous seaside location and quite a bit of house for your budget. I don’t know what schools are like but there have been quite a few of our friends move out there for bigger houses once second and third babies have arrived and it’s got a nice feel about it. You would need to get the bus into Lancaster for cinema etc but easily manageable and quick. There is a small train station (and a ferry port!) but not sure how many trains run.

You have all been so helpful, thank you! So many great ideas, and so much helpful information and local knowledge. It is really helping to narrow things down. I’m grateful to all of you.

Chorley
Horwich
Standish
Westhoughton
All worth a look, all decent transport links.

I live there. It’s very good for transport links, but town centre very dominated by student places and a bit dead for families imho. no cinema in town but yep, Liverpool is a shortish train ride, and is great for younger people. preston train services are limited to one per hour, and there’s not a direct line to Manchester (change at burscough) .

schools though are not great in comparison to say Cheshire - I know kids who had a difficult time at high school. Not sure about catholic high school though which is large.

surronding villages are expensive - Aughton, etc. mainly because they are so convenient for Liverpool.

When I saw the big bus station I assumed that the bus networks would have been good.
What’s wrong with the transport system? Is it frequency of buses? Or do you have to get multiple buses to get places? It is it cost?
I will be reliant on buses/walking as I don’t drive.

I've checked and there 3 bed houses in Lancaster on good bus routes for up to £200k that with market I think you could offer £190 on.

Stunning Victorian one but I can't work out how to do links!

Sometimes buses don't go from a to be except via c which can add a long time. If you don't need direct access to a train Garstang itself might suit you or Galgate, can't comment on house prices but decent public transport links with buses running between Lancaster and either Preston or Blackpool make it very accessible. Garstang has a few supermarkets and a decent sports centre/swimming pool and a decent high school. Plus direct access to open countryside and walks.

@Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrringles
The £190k will not get you a lot in nice towns in Lancashire, however, there are loads of gorgeous rural villages which could be in scope.
Is rural an option?
On your budget even places like Darwen are mostly too expensive.

You need to know what you are willing to compromise on - location, bedrooms, garden......?

@Pipsquiggle the problem with villages is the transport side of things because I can’t drive. If there are villages with good transport links I wouldn’t rule them out. I wouldn’t want to live somewhere where eg buses are every 2 hours or the last bus back is at 5pm.
I am open to any suggestions though.

I live in a village just outside Lancaster. It's a wonderful city. I work in Preston. It's an absolute dive.

From everything everyone has written it seems Lancaster, Chorley and Lytham St Anne’s are the most suitable places for us, and we will put Preston at the bottom of that list too.
I assume we will get the least desirable schools in these places as they would be more likely to have in-year places.
Does anyone know what schools they are likely to be? (The least popular), and what they are like? (Primary and Secondary)
Thanks.

My mum lives in Fulwood.

The buses in Preston (hospital aside) are on a hub and spoke system so you pretty much need to go into the centre and change to get anywhere.

The hospital has circular buses precisely because so many people have this problem. Royal Preston Hospital is a couple of miles out of the centre out Fulwood way. Parking is beyond appalling.

Over the years the frequency of the buses has been cut so she is now down to one an hour and they stop at six. They used to be (many years ago) every 15 mins and there was an evening service.

I don't think they are expensive they are just not very often.

Oh and to add;

I cycled everywhere when I grew up if my parents didn't drive me.

I volunteered at the rspca place which was about a two mile cycle ride.

No buses unless you went into the centre and back out again.

Lots of teens cycled then.

It's a reasonable way to get around Preston mostly.

Tbh public transport in the NW is pretty dire overall. Preston has a cycle Ringway though.

I’m going to go completely against the grain here and recommend Burnley!

For your budget and the fact you don’t drive you’ll A) get a fabulous house for 190k and B) have excellent transport links.

Burnley has 3 town centre train stations where you can easily reach Manchester, York, Halifax, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Preston and the Fylde coast and a really good bus station/service.

The two houses I’ve found for you are up near Rosehill/Manchester Road which is still one of the nicer parts of town and close to Scott Park (& on the bus route to Manchester/Rawtenstall). That area also has good primary schools. Rosewood is a good school.

The town centre (walking distance) and is nice and pleasant. It’s all pedestrianised and has some decent independent shops and cafes alongside the usual shops like M&S, Clarks, Boots, River Island, New Lokk etc. Little Barista is a locally run coffee shop with a very busy vibe. All coffee is roasted onsite and everything is handmade. Rhode Island coffee is good too. It also has a good library, Burnley Mechanics which is a theatre/gig venue and 3 lovely parks. My favourite is Towneley Park with its beautiful hall and grounds. Lovely cafe as well. It’s got a famous football club, loads of cricket clubs, a skatepark and a good hospital. Surrounding countryside is the best you’ll see in all of the UK (Lake District aside!). Pendle Hill and the surrounding areas including the Ribble Valley are beautiful.

The only thing I don’t know much about are secondary schools as my DC are too young yet. And one downside is living near Pendle Hill it attracts clouds and more clouds means more rain!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/150041861#/?channel=RES_BUY

Another house in Burnley

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149022497#/?channel=RES_BUY

I haven't lived there for 40 years, but Burnley is my home town and I went to school in Blackburn for a couple of years. My ancestors have lived around Burnley for the last 500 years. It makes me sad that the proud, busy town of my childhood has become a place people actively avoid. I have family members still there in the Ightenhill area and it's really quite nice there, but sadly I would never return to the town to live. Still miss Pendle Hill though.

I would look at a Northern rail map and see which lines look of most use to you

Lytham St Anne's is pricey. I would doubt you would get anything there.

I grew up in Darwen which has a train line that gets to Manchester which I used a lot as a teenager to go out. I got the bus to Blackburn.

Would learning to drive be an option open to you?
TBH public transport is a bit hit and miss

Primary schools tend to be very good in Lancashire, so I wouldn't worry. I grew up in St Annes (loved it and still love going back) but have family in Chorley and have been surprised by the good amenities and transport connections. The rail service to St Annes is poor, unfortunately. Chorley's not by the sea, but does have access to great outdoor spaces. Both have a Booths, so either one is a good choice!

@burnleylasses One set of my grandparents lived on Scott Park Road and the other set in Rosehill Rd. My parents met in infant school at Rosehill Rd!

@mateysmum i know it all well! I live there now!

It makes me sad too that people who don’t live there/have never lived there say Burnley is a skithole 😞 Yes it has its problems like any town in the country does and yes it’s a working class town full of working class people but Burnley folk are the nicest people you’ll meet.

It’s really thriving and is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the uk. In my opinion the areas in West Lancashire that people are recommending are boring and bland. Lytham/St Anne’s are nice but v expensive and where older folk go to retire.

@mateysmum
I agree. Blackburn and Burnley are both very big towns. There are parts in both towns with high deprivation and other parts that are really affluent. They both get tarred with the poverty brush and lack of inclusion.

Both towns have a proud industrial heritage that hasn't been strategically harnessed for decades which is a great shame.