Hayling Island

[Brilliantjh]

Hello everyone. Not sure if this is the right section to post, but here goes. My Autistic (high functioning adult son) and I live together in Southampton. He is unable to work at the moment and we are considering selling this house and buying two smaller properties. (I think with assistance he could be in a small one bedroom flat) and I could live nearby. He needs to be nearer to the sea because it calms him and he can walk the dog. We are looking at Hayling Island which seems to be more in our price range than the other way into Dorset. Does anyone know what Hayling Island is like to live on? (I am in my 60's) and he is 25 but not social, so he wouldn't be needing night clubs etc! Which is the nicest area to live in and also it seems short on supermarkets, so do the supermarkets from Havant deliver there as well? Any advice you can offer (good or bad) would be great. Thanks very much

It’s a lovely place unless you want to get off or on to it in the summer when the road in is horrendous, and the beaches are full. Great in winter when the visitors are not there.

The beaches are full.
The beaches that I go on which I have been doing for 20 years are never full. I would say the supermarkets were good sainsburys, tesco, coop. If I was looking for somewhere near the sea to live Hayling would be my first choice.

You might get more traffic for this in Chat, or Property.

Hi, would your son need any support via Adult Social Care if he was on his own in the future? Sorry to be macabre, no offence. Do you need to investigate any funding - would it be from Hampshire County Council or a local borough? I think Portsmouth and Southampton City Councils are separate but seeing current headlines re devolution and mergers of Fareham, Gosport, Havant (which I think would include Hayling if not PCC or HCC). Often done a bike ride from The Spring art centre at Havant, down the Billy Track (old Puffing Billy steam train with produce) then across the bridge.
A random aside but Warners are doing good offers at the moment. Could you do a mini break to Sinah Warren, if you are both free, for a recce? Off there tomorrow if you want photos. Good luck

Thank you so much for your sensible reply Carol. Yes he probably will need help if I'm not around - but getting help from Adult Social Care is impossible. I suppose I needed to hear your thoughts to bring me into a serious state of mind regarding his future. Enjoy your time on Hayling Island and thank you for your kind reply.

Op, i don't know the area but just wanted to jump in and say you sound like a great mum

Hayling comes under Hampshire County Council (Havant Borough Council).

The beaches are great - shingle, shelving quite quickly so easy to get in to swim without walking out miles. The water quality is pretty dreadful all along the coast here though (thank you Southern Water).

There are lots of nice houses and apartments on Hayling and it is a really pleasant area, except as a PP said the traffic on and off can be awful in the summer. With just one bridge to the mainland, it was bound to be the case.

Hi @Brilliantjh , sorry if I put a downer on your idea/post. I work in adult social care and know things are pared down to the bone and only getting worst re HCC deficit/social care in general. I only mentioned it in case you have any support already and what it would involve moving any package to another area. If you don't have support at present maybe now is the best time to move in order to get your son settled and established in a new property/ area. I am a bit further along the coast so can't advise on groups/charities in that area. Good luck. X

I think Hayling is a great idea. I don't know much about availability of the types of properties you are considering within walking distance of the sea front but you're right that in general the island is cheaper than other areas along the coast. Someone above has already mentioned that the main road can be very busy in the summer but if you don't have to commute on and off daily I really wouldn't let that worry you. Depending on how far your son likes to walk with the dog, the west and east ends of the island are never busy eve on the sunniest days (mostly people simply don't walk more than 10-15 minutes from the car parks). Also think the idea of booking a few days at one of the parks for a recce is a good one. Good luck!