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!

Penwortham is great - you might get lower penwortham on your budget. Great schools. All Hallows, penwortham girls and Hutton all within reach and equally good. Gods transport links, nice countryside not far away. Can be at the beach or in the midst of the trough of bowland within 40 minutes. Lots of independent shops, leisure centre, community events. It’s great 😊

Just had a chat with DS2 just about to start 6th form at LRGS. He doesn't remember many in year admissions but there were often new boys at the start of each academic year.

It's worth noting that LRGS (boys only till sixth form) and LGGS (girls) are very separate so comments about one don't apply to the other.

Kids bus in to Lancaster from quite far away eg Preston to the South and Carnforth to the North. So you don't have to live in Lancaster to attend although entry is slightly easier if you are within the Lancaster council tax area.

I was brought up in Burnley - I would not recommend it. The hospital doesn't have an A and E anymore you have to travel to Blackburn. You do get more for your money though https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/147432662#/?channel=RES_BUY

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/149698679#/floorplan?activePlan=1&channel=RES_BUY

I worked in Preston and I liked it. It's station is on the mainline so you can go directly to London in one way and Glasgow in the other.

Kids bus in to Lancaster from quite far away eg Preston to the South and Carnforth to the North. So you don't have to live in Lancaster to attend although entry is slightly easier if you are within the Lancaster council tax area.

Quite a few girls used the train from carnforth or even silverdale, I think they're within the catchment for the standard selection criteria. This spans a fair way north, out to morecambe and a fair way west. It doesn't go so far south so the bus up the A6 is just those who've got residual places plus some extra sixth formers.

You are all amazingly helpful. Every single post is helping, thank you for taking the time to reply 💐

More help is needed, if any of you great people can help!
We are STILL looking.
We went up over the summer and saw lots of houses.

I want to say first - I mean no offence to anyone who might live in these areas, this is why I’m back, to get real locals opinions on the place.

We fell in love with one in Ribbleton, Preston. Then got told bad things about the area. Does anyone know much about Ribbleton?

Lancaster we loved, but don’t think we can afford much there. We viewed some on The Ridge, but the area didn’t feel right for us.
We seem to be able to only afford houses in this area and Skerton and the area around Ryelands Park. The internet tells me it’s a bad area, but bad comparable to what? It felt fine when we were there, didn’t see anything bad. It felt safe. Can anyone tell me about Skerton and Ryelands Park area?

Can anyone tell me more about Buckshaw Village? What’s good or bad about it?

Thanks!

I work and live in Chorley area. I work for children's social care so have a pretty good idea of what areas are better than others. I would choose Chorley over Leyland ( significantly more run down in leyland and bigger drug problems). Much more problems in Preston. Id look at surrounding villages/ outskirts of Chorley. Buckshaw village has its own train station, also Euston.

@milkysmum thank you for the reply.

Whats Buckshaw Village like in general?

I used to live in Lancaster. Whilst Lancaster is lovely skerton and rye lands park is rough! I would choose Buckshaw definitely.

If you had to choose between Preston, Leyland and Ryelands/Skerton area which would you choose? or are they all pretty much the same?

Very different to other places as completely new build area. Lots of local amenities, train station so easy access to Manchester etc. couple of pub/ restaurants, kfc, good primary school, village hub and swimming pool. I really like it

Buckshaw is just one giant housing estate (built on a brownfield site). Which is why it's cheap.

Buckshaw’s all new build, lots of families. I know lots of people who moved there from Chorley and Leyland. There’s a primary but no high school and the side you live on determines whether you’ll get Chorley or south Ribble for high schools.

Is the ground it’s built on thought to be unsafe in any way?

Theres a similar estate in my town, the people who worked in the previous use of the site say the ground shouldn’t have been built on as they thought there would be health implications later on, so people from here avoid it. Is it similar?

Skerton is quite a large area, which streets in particular? Lots of ex student rentals going up for sale if you don't mind doing it up over time.

I can't compare to Buckshaw as I don't know it.

It’s the site of the old ROF, made bombs and ammunition, built in WW2. Some of the roads have wartime references like Barnes Wallace Way. Like I said, I know a lot of people that live there and are perfectly happy

Which bit of Ribbleton do you like? There is a bit of old Ribbleton round Cromwell Rd that’s quite nice. Generally it’s a deprived area but there are small pockets of it that are better than others.

That ^^

It's hard to say as I live in an area of the city that people seem horrified by but it's usually fairly quiet

That’s where we looked in the Cromwell Road area! So is that area ok?

There are some lovely houses on Cromwell Rd but what I would say is think of what you need in your local area. The schools aren’t great, traffic is bad as it’s round the corner from the retail park. No getting away from the fact that on the whole Ribbleton isn’t classed as one of the better areas of Preston.

On the other hand you get a lot for your money but if it were me I’d look at Ashton or Fulwood instead if you want Preston. Better schools, lower crime rates etc

I’d avoid Preston like the plague 🥴
Kirkham not far away has a grammar
Penwortham quite nice
St Anne’s some lovely areas, some not so, but it has a station and is next to lovely Lytham.
Poulton le Fylde - lovely town and surrounding area, has a station - direct line to Preston and Manchester airport, good transport links.
Garstang and surrounding villages all lovely, closer to Lancaster - but no stations nearby (that I’m aware of 🤔)
Clitheroe, Whaley … lovely area

I'd avoid Leyland!

Clitheroe is nice.

Most of the longer term locals avoid Buckshaw like the plague. My family has lived nearby for generations and some of them worked there when it was the ROF and have some rather scary knowledge of munitions and hidden tunnels. I still have childhood memories of going to the ROF's Social Club for various parties.

It's mainly populated by people who've moved into the area ('incomers' - although that's a horrible word, you know what I mean). The new builds and cheap prices attract them plus the reasonable commute into Manchester etc. That was all part of the Central Lancs Development Corporation's master plan decades ago. No-one I know would consider moving there. Mainly because no-one wants to live on a huge bland housing estate when there are much nicer (and hence more expensive) places to live nearby. Buckshaw reminds many of us locals far too much of a new shinier version of Clayton Brook (a similar but much older estate that is now riddled with crime and to be avoided).

I’m a longer term local as are many of the people i know who live there so that simply isn’t true. Clayton brook is also mainly social housing so doesn’t compare. I’ve never heard a single person compare them - eaves green maybe.
You’re also talking about munitions dumps and tunnels that were filled in years ago.
You clearly don’t like Buckshaw but thousands live there and obviously do - including many ‘locals’ .
Most of Chorley is built over mine shafts

Kirkham not far away has a grammar

No, it has a private school called Kirkham Grammar. Big difference!

The only grammar schools in Lancashire are Lancaster Girls', Lancaster Royal (boys, mixed sixth form), Clitheroe, and Bacup&Rawtenstall .