Town Centre House

XVGN · 13/03/2025 17:55

With the increase in EV vehicles, driveways will become a goldmine - especially with a charger attached

Original poster

margoesquire · 13/03/2025 18:01

XVGN · 13/03/2025 17:55

With the increase in EV vehicles, driveways will become a goldmine - especially with a charger attached

a very interesting point to raise; what about those town houses where it is only residents permit parking - say in London and most town centre houses - I have seen electric vehicle chargers on the street... but I doubt they will be getting rid of petrol too soon!

OP posts:

steelseries · 13/03/2025 18:03

I wouldn't buy a house without a driveway. I used to live in London and it was never an issue but when we moved to a market town to a house without one, it was a nightmare. Firstly because it's a pain finding a space near the house and the when we tried to sell, 80% of potential buyers refused to view when they realised there was no drive.

ChickpeaPie · 13/03/2025 18:07

Can you extend your current house? Or go into the loft?

Original poster

margoesquire · 13/03/2025 18:09

ChickpeaPie · 13/03/2025 18:07

Can you extend your current house? Or go into the loft?

no, we are in a conservation area, house (cottage) doesnt allow to go into the roof and planning is strict and we have a very very challenging neighbour... sadly, who put rejection letter for our one and only extension...

OP posts:

Worsthousebeststreet · 13/03/2025 20:30

I've just moved from on-street 'residents only' parking, to our own parking space next to the house.

I would never go back and its one of the reasons we moved. If close to town you get chancers parking there and going Into town. You get idiots who can't use the space efficiently and waste half a car's length of space so you can't get in.

There's nothing worse than trying to get two toddlers plus bags safely from the car to the house in the dark and pissing rain from halfway down the street.

You could do an experiment and drive to the 'new house' at the times you'll need to park, like when you'd usually get home after work/school whatever, and see if you'd get a spot.

soupyspoon · 13/03/2025 20:33

margoesquire · 13/03/2025 17:49

We currently live in town centre with a drive (very rare where we are - only 5 mins walk to the high street) and garden, but now needing to increase to a larger property for the family... and we need to stay in town. I have found a larger town house (perfect for us) but only residents permit parking... I can live with it if I pretend I live in Central London... but as we are not in London, am I spoilt with the drive we have now?

Do you mean a town house, or a house in the town centre, or a town house in the town centre

I would never have anything without my own drive and off street parking. I also would never buy a town house, the layout is all wrong in my view. I would have a town centre house (with a driveway)

Mumlaplomb · 13/03/2025 21:16

Personally, if you have gotten used to the off road parking I think it will feel like a wrench to not have it any more.
Particularly so if you have younger kids.

Original poster

margoesquire · 13/03/2025 21:20

... it's in town, townhouse in an old market town - it's a victorian property (town)house over four floors, lovely garden but no drive. Tree lined road - with terraced and semi detached and detached houses.

I've lived in London - Kensington Gardens Square for years - but didn't have a car or need of one then.

Now with work and family, need one. Boys will walk to school (again 5 min walk); it's whether I'm going to be kidding myself over giving up a drive....

Though a previous comment was to try parking there; on three occasions when I'm driving back from work, there's been a few parking spaces.

Agree with those who still haven't got the hang of parking... and then weekend shoppers in our market town....

OP posts:

soupyspoon · 13/03/2025 21:22

Its the sort of property I would drive past and wish I could buy but then reality kicks in and I realise I wouldnt want it without parking

friendlycat · 13/03/2025 22:58

My first flat I could always park outside pretty much. My second flat not the case and coming back later in the evening I often had to circle the block and compromise on where was available. It was a pain especially with heavy shopping. My last two houses have had off road parking on private driveway. The difference is enormous.

In your case I would definitely drive past at lots of different times of the day and evening and weekends and see accurately what the parking is like. It’s no good just doing it during working hours when people might have driven to work. Evenings later on give a more detailed view.

Original poster

margoesquire · 14/03/2025 14:25

thank you all for your experiences... it will be a tough decision, but then to accept it, warts an all - for the house and convenience.

OP posts:

5128gap · 14/03/2025 14:39

Think about the long game too. If you have two or more DC and a house big enough theyre in no rush to leave, you could end up a 4 car household. We had 4 (necessary) vehicles in our family for the best part of a decade.

AmandaHoldensLips · 14/03/2025 14:45

I live in a lovely town centre with resident permit on-street parking. It works fine for me.

Polistock · 14/03/2025 14:47

I live in a town centre (in a conservation area in a market town!). It's honestly never bothered me and I always find it interesting how people can't fathom experiencing even the mildest inconvenience (not aimed at anyone on this thread but this question comes up now and then and the reactions can be so extreme!). It's just really fine, I've never experienced an issue with it.

soupyspoon · 14/03/2025 18:15

Polistock · 14/03/2025 14:47

I live in a town centre (in a conservation area in a market town!). It's honestly never bothered me and I always find it interesting how people can't fathom experiencing even the mildest inconvenience (not aimed at anyone on this thread but this question comes up now and then and the reactions can be so extreme!). It's just really fine, I've never experienced an issue with it.

Its about what your life needs though isnt, for example we often transport heavy bikes around, so need to be able to put the bike rack on, put the bikes on, fiddle with the bikes, put all the accompanying stuff on and in the car.

I dont want to do that on the road, much less parked further down the road from the house.

When we take animals to the vet, I dont want to be trudging down to a parking space in the rain with a heavy cat carrier, same when we had the dog and his dog crate, when he was disabled we had to pick that up with him in it and lift it into the car, not going to happen from the pavement, very awkward angle.

Thats just a few examples, loads more about loading logs in for the wood burner, refurbing the house, carrying stuff home on the roof rack etc etc

People have their own lives and different lives to yours, surely not hard to understand.

MujeresLibres · 14/03/2025 20:24

If the new house has a garden, can you make a drive? That's what we did.

Nettleskeins · 14/03/2025 22:39

Residents parking is perfectly fine. I have cats dog children bikes shopping and managed absolutely fine with no driveway for 25 years. It also stopped me using my car so much....not sure whether that is good or bad!

friendlycat · 14/03/2025 22:43

I think it always depends how much residents parking is available outside.
If it’s both sides of the road all down the road that’s one thing. Where I am now there are strips of RP that only allows say 10 cars per section before yellow and double yellow lines in a row of houses. Many people would not be able to park in their road or adjacent roads.

Original poster

margoesquire · 15/03/2025 12:05

Thank you all for a balanced feedback - it is about how you live; I really have been spoilt with a drive.

I hadn’t thought of more cars from the children (long term!)

The on-street parking is mainly RP only (both sides of the road - with a few spaces for shared parking.

a lot of the terraced Victorian smaller houses have converted the front garden as a drive. Its modern town living…

thank you all!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

margoesquire · 05/08/2025 23:37

An update: after all your advice, we did our checks for spaces during the day, weekends, mornings.... and finally we bought the house and love it... DS are 3 mins wall to school (no more driving) and 150m from the high street. Parking space is there for our car. It's actually making us walk around more (which is a good thing) and being residents only parking, it's working out good so far! Though a lot of rogue chancing parking by non permit holders... otherwise, the convenience outweighs the off street parking (helps the kids are entering their teens).

OP posts:

mondaytosunday · 06/08/2025 00:22

Meh if I could park near or relatively near my house most of the time it wouldn’t bother me. I moved from a detached house with in and out drive to a terrace with on street permit parking and it’s fine.

Tradescanti · 06/08/2025 09:29

Great to get an update. Glad it's working out so well.