would you?

[twinkerbell]

Okay so we have been looking on and off for a year and found nothing worth uprooting for. We are in a nice house in a good area but have a rubbish garden, parking is a nightmare and all our neighbours are 50 or 60+

We have found a cottage, it isn't big but perfectly adequate, 3 bedrooms, bathroom downstairs, toilet/washroom upstairs. beautiful long flat garden with gate opening onto a shared field at the rear, off road parking to the front and it is on a row of 4 with 2 already having young children in.
gorgeous views over sheep filled field to the front and nice pub down the lane.
WE LOVE IT!
HOWEVER.......
primary school in the village is outstanding
BUT secondary school is in next town and not great
BIGGEST problem to us is that the M6 is literally a field away!
owner says it is alot quieter in the summer as trees hedges etc are thick and hide it totally, does anyone else live near a motorway ? is it something you just get used to?

I live a fields width away from a very busy main bypass, in a house with old metal framed windows and the traffic noise doesnt really disturb me.You do get used to it,the only time I notice it,is if we are sat outside and an emergency vehicle goes along with sirens blaring.

okay, well we do get traffic noise where we are now as there is quite a busy roa street away but it goes alot quieter evenings and weekends really but we do get sirens and motorbikes etc.

My dh says that this would be different hough as it is the M6 and there would a constant background noise of traffic

The M25 goes straight through my parents' farm - it is very close to the house. There is slightly less noise now that the m/way has been widened and 'bunds' (big earth mounds) have been put in place. But, I still wouldn't like to live there. My old bedroom window faced out onto the road and it was bloody noisy.

What age are your children? That would have an impact on the secondary school. WOuldn't like the downstairs bathroom either (even with a loo upstairs) - getting showered on cold winter mornings before the house had properly warmed up.

Sorry, not a terribly positive post from me!

you cant really see it, the garden is about 100ft and then there is a field of about 4 times length of garden after that? at a wild guess after that?

My dd is only 6 at the moment
downstairs bathroom doesnt bother me too much because there is an enormous high loft that we would prob convert in the long run as 3 of the other have done and move the bathroom upstairs

You also need to consider the re-sell value of the house - if the road noise is giving you cause for concern it is likely to deter other buyers in the future. Obviously not so much of a problem if you plan being there for 10 - 20 years.

yes but the reality is, if it were not so close to the M6 we probably wouldnt be able to afford it!

the lane has this row of 4 cottages and then about 4 enormous houses worth £500,000+ including one currently being built? so it can't be that bad living there can it?

I wouldn't worry about the secondary schools current report a lot that can change in 5/6 years in that time schools can turn themselves around or even massively decline.

I've lived near motorway and railway lines and under major flight paths you really do stop noticing the noise after awhile.

you could still hear all the birds tweeting and wind whistling etc, it wasnt particlularly overbearing and as she said, it is spring and trees hedges etc are only just beginning to sprout, also it was 6pm on a friday evening

Have a look on google earth to see exactly where the motorway lies. And check there are no plans to widen it etc.

we have done that, it isnt under any plans to widen it, it is highfield lane, corley warwickshire if anyones interested in google earthing it,
there is no doubt that it is close about maybe 6 maybe 700ft I think?

I had a look on google earth and it is about the same distance as I am from the traffic,one thing I would consider if this is a patch of the motorrway that gets jams,some places get traffic jams for no apparent reason as the noise from free flowing traffic is less intrusive than the noise fron start stop traffic[sorry I dont know this part of the country very well].

Could you talk to the other people living there and see how much they are affected by the traffic noise.

Also,will this be a long term move?I know your children are young now but you will have to be prepared to be the taxi service when they are teenagers.

No, we used to live close to the A14, and I absolutely, absolutely, absolutely hated it. The endless noise that never, ever stopped. But DH didn't mind it at all. It is very true that the noise is very dependent on the amount of leaves on trees, and on the wind direction.

I would seriously think about whether you think you will be there forever or not. Our current house is close to an A road. Its the main road into our local town, so its busy but by no means a motorway or dual carriageway. We had 12 viewings to 1 offer and without fail, the only negative feedback we had was that it was too close to a road. Its not a price issue, its an issue which puts people off regardless of price. I would therefore think very seriously if you think you might ever want to move.

My uncle lived in a cottage with open fields and beautiful views, canal running along the back garden in Minworth.
It's proximity to the motorway made it extremely attractive to Cadbury who built a bloody big factory with lorry's coming through night and day so well worth checking if they are any brown field sites near by which could be an issue aside of the motorway itself.

hmm, on average these responses are not too positive

I absolutely love the cottage and so does my dd and dh but I think maybe it IS as big a problem as I had dreaded

I think you
have to weigh up the pros and cons.For me the pros of living in a semi-rural location outweighs the cons of having a very busy dual carraige way 100 yards from my kitchen window.

When I look out my windows,I see fields of lambs,not some guys rust bucket waiting to be repaired,I dont get any cold callers,no loud parties to keep me awake at weekends and nobody elses screaming children to wake me up early on a sunday morning
when theyve been let out to play at 8 0 clock.

You do get used to the noise,I,m sat here on my own,cant here much from the road until a motorbike comes screaming up,only you can decide if you and your family could get used to it.

As you said earlier if the M6 wasnt there,you wouldnt be able to afford it.

Right, have had a good look - love property porn

I like it. I think the motorway is far enough away, if need be you could plant some screening trees at the bottom of the garden to block out a little of the noise.
I love the view both front and rear of fields.

I agree with bubbles - if the motorway was not there it would not be in your price range.

I personally would go for it.

2 posts I like!

well I have a good plan, just found out the local pub (as in a 2 minute stroll) is having a family day next sat-BBQ,Disco,Face painting etc, I have got dh to agree to go as it is same distance from M6 obviously. if we spent the afternoon there we get a real feel for the place and for the noise levels.

Good idea. It does look very good value for money.

Let us know how it goes on Saturday.