Make it in Livingston??

[SconeShoes]

First and foremost, yay for Scotsnet!!
Ok, Our potential move is iminent, I know it's a "new" town, I know it's got no soul, I know it's roundabout central but I need you to give it to me straight, the good, the bad and the ugly, I can can take it!
I know where all the less desirable bits are but I'd like to know which are the "better" parts of the better parts, if you know what I mean. Which are the decent schools etc in your opinion? What stuff is there to do at weekends with the kids? Are you happy there? If not, why not? What make it worse/better than nearby areas?
Residents personal experience would be great please, I know people are very keen to slag off Livi just because they drove through it once trying to get back on the motorway!
I'm trying to build up a picture of what it's going to be like, I know it ain't pretty and it's certainly no Linlithgow, but it's got a fair bit going for it, right??
Or wrong???

Depends what area. Where you think king?

Murieston, Bellsquarry, Eliburn, Livi Village, Deer Park?
Any thoughts?

We went through it to get to Edinburgh recently, looked as there was a nice housing estate just outside of the train station, sorry if don't know the areas

I live not too far away, the areas you mentioned are the ones I would have suggested. My friend lives in Bellsquarry & it looks nice.

Lots to do at weekends. Cinema, zoo, farm, mini golf, swimming, parks incl. country parks.

Good train links to both Edinburgh & Glasgow.

Need a car though I would say.

I had my second child in St John's and it was so much better than the Edinburgh Royal.

What about mid Calder?

Murieston, bellsquarry and livingston village are all ok areas...Eliburn less so IMO, deer park I don't get personally, really expensive housing and nothing much there - I kind of assume it's because it has the golf course and is on the outskirts that it's billed as luxury housing, because it's next to some really not so nice areas.

I'd look round about livingston as well some of places round about it have equally good transport links and are nicer...and you don't pay as much as in the nicer bits of livingston for houses, and better secondary schools as well. (Can't help you with primary other than I know a couple I'd avoid).

Tabulah, any particular reason why you're less keen on Eliburn?
Also, which are the nicer areas round about Livingston that you mentioned?
I like Mid Calder Gumnast but the houses tend to be older and more expensive, do you agree?

Oh there's nothing wrong with it, it's just not quite as nice as the other places. More flats I think is probably why I'm not so keen on it. I'm not in livingston btw, I'm a few miles away.

Apart from the definite avoid bits, most of west lothian's ok tbh, if train stations matter, most of west Calder is nice too.

Uphall and Uphall station are ok - though west Calder has a better secondary school.

Kirknewton is lovely, but expensive.

I second west Calder, I like the calders

Mid Calder, nice, good primary, nice village and feeder for west Calder high which is good.

Definitely mid or west Calder rather than livi. They're really pretty and have a nicer feeling about them. Not far from livi either. It's not like you can walk around livi easily. There's a beautiful park at mid Calder.

I never considered West Calder so will look at that.
Any opinions on schools? Primaries and secondaries, any input good or bad would be helpful

Livi village is ok. Lot of the other bits the houses are too close together. MidCalder is quite nice. Both have quite nice walking round about and good transport. Kirknewton is nicer but has fewer amenities.

Secondary - St Margaret's is the best.

None of the rest in livingston are great tbh Deans is probably the best, then james young and then inveralmond.

The catchment areas for West Calder and Broxburn cover two sides of livingston - there's a couple of places that are separated purely by a road.

West Calder is pretty good, Broxburn has done pretty well recently, if that continues it could be good as well.

For really good obviously Linlithgow or there are a couple of places that are still west lothian but in catchment for balerno. (I'm just mentioning them as they are good schools)

Primary I don't know well, I do have professional experience of one, but it's in a definitely avoid area.

What are your reasons for choosing West Lothian in general?

Wondering whether a bit further out such as Larbert might be of interest? Good High school and primarys and on the train line for Edinburgh?

or Penicuik? 4 miles from the bypass and easy access for the Borders countryside, 2 decent High Schools, primaries are good too and a variety of housing.

We are moving to be near family onemagnum
Livingston is closest for all.
Haven't totally ruled out other places, just don't really know anything about surrounding areas if you see what I mean. Will look at all suggestions mentioned.
This thread is proving really helpful, thanks all, keep 'em coming!

Have you looked at South Queensferry and Kirkliston? There's some good family housing in South Queensferry, the village itself is pretty though some of the estates don't look very nice in themselves, but it's a nice community with good schools.

If you're moving to be near someone are they in livingston? And how far away is too far in terms of time to drive between or would you be using public transport?

That might narrow it down a bit in whether it absolutely has to be livingston or if it could be either there or somewhere nearby.

Yup, loads of factors, where are the family living? how often would you be visiting? will you have transport? Do they require to be able to get to you easily? Do they have transport? What sort of travel time would you be happy with? What times of day will you be travelling? Do you work/Where do you work? How old are your children? What size of house do you want?

:o

You don't need to answer all that btw - just musing on what needs to be taken into account. For example there is a house for sale in my old street in penicuik that would take you half an hour in busy traffic to get to the center of Livingstone by car, but if you were more planning on being able to pop in for visits while walking past on the way to do the school run that is clearly not for you.

I'm in Livingston and I'm sorry but I can't stand it! My DH is from West Lothian which is how I ended up here and he likes it well enough. I'd second the South Queensferry recommendation though I'm planning on moving to Balerno as soon as is practical I.e. Not for years yet...

I'll try my best to answer some of that! Family are mostly in Livingston, yes, and friends. Everyone has cars so getting to and fro not really an issue, popping round after school could be a fairly regular thing I think, so need to be reasonably nearby or maybe not more than a 10/15 min drive. Jobs are Livi and Edinburgh so train line to Edinburgh is fairly crucial. Kids are primary age but not looking to move agian before secondary so need to consider both. Looking for a 3 or 4 bed detached, pref under 200. I think house prices are ruling out S Queens and Balerno! Taz what's making you hate it in particular? I'm trying to draw up a pros/cons list!

I have friends that live in this estate - seems nice - nice kids about etc.

www.espc.com/properties/details.aspx?pid=348581&sid=11880176080

Ok you won't get detached for that price in SQ but you will get an end terrace. Plus 3 - 4 trains an hour to Edinburgh and a great high school. Worth thinking about. There are a few (extendable) 3 bedders on for sale just now at 170...

Gah, pressed too soon. They're not necessarily pretty houses, but you're not going to get pretty in Livi for that budget either.