Areas to move to between Manchester & Preston

[Florence02]

Hi all,

My partner and I recently moved from down south to Manchester. We are currently renting but looking to buy. We work near Preston and currently commute from Northenden. We want to move to a nice area where we can start raising a young family (currently trying to conceive) that has lovely parks, is safe and has good schools. We are looking at any areas between South Manchester up to Preston, any recommendations would be much appreciated.

Thank you

depends on what you want to spend and where you need to be near for work?
Upper Penwortham and Longton/Hutton are nice, Ribble Valley is expensive, Buckshaw village is good for families.

Thank you, our max budget is £700k. Our offices are either side of Preston but currently doing a 55 - 1hr commute.

I would drop Mamchester like a hot stone and stay nearer to Preston-, as PP advised..... or go near the seaside and buy in Lytham, no idea about schools though!

Yes I'm curious why Manchester is in the frame if your offices are either side of Preston. I live a bit north of Preston and prefer this side.

Oh and what's your budget?

With your budget you’d be fine looking for somewhere in Hutton, Longton or Penwortham.

Agree with others - unless you need to be very close to Manchester for another reason (in which case I'd suggest Monton way for being near the M61) I'd go with Euxton/Croston type area or Lytham if you can afford it.

Penwortham - outstanding schools, nice bars and restaurants, nice parks. Your budget will get you something lovely in the area. It’s a great place to live and raise a family.

Clitheroe, whalley, todmorden, downham, haskingden, Chorley,

We currently live neat didsbury and love the area, but it is a bit of a jaunt to get to work. I guess we want something similar but a little bit closer. Our budget is mac £700k x

Just seen some lovely houses near Middleforth Green Park (lower penwortham) is this still just as nice as upper penwortham. Apologies, not sure if there is much difference.

Lower Penwortham not as nice as Upper, unfortunately. With top end £700k I wouldn’t buy there. Top end £400k I still wouldn’t buy there!

I grew up in Leyland, still visit family there but it still seems ok on the surface

No, it’s not as nice, don’t look there. I wouldn’t look at Leyland either.

I disagree about Middleforth - it’s not as affluent as Higher Penwortham but it’s still a nice area with good local amenities. It depends what you class as a good area.

However, with the budget you have I would be looking at HP.

If you’re working near Preston, Lytham and St. Anne’s are lovely towns, an easy commute.

But what about Blackpool Victoria Hospital that serves the whole Fylde coast and has just been categorised as "Inadequate" by CQC?

Lytham is lovely but I would have concerns that Blackpool Victoria Hospital - that is the main hospital serving the whole Fylde coast - has just been categorised as "inadequate" by the CQC.

Rossendale, Ramsbottom, chorley and Clitheroe are nice. Good schools/ two grammar schools in those areas.

Lytham, Wrea green, great eccleston, little eccleston, elswick, pleasington, Croston, Bretherton

Lots of good suggestions here. If you are prepared to look north of Preston, Garstang is lovely and Lancaster is a gem of a city, fantastic place to bring up a family.

I wouldn't buy in Lytham if you like Didsbury and Lytham is really poorly connected. It's a schlep to get anywhere.