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Scotsnet

Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

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Original poster

Help With Areas Close to Glasgow Airport

29 replies

WillyBoberson · 26/12/2018 13:13

Hi,

I'm looking for some help and advice please! My family and I would like to relocate to a village close Glasgow Airport. We have a 3 year old and a 1 year old.

We're looking at buying a 3 bed property and we have a pretty tight budget (£160000). Important factors in relocating are nurseries and schools. We've looked into affordable areas that we've heard good things about Bridge of Weir (they have one property within our range at the moment 😂), Kilmacolm, Beith and Lochwinnoch (although the high school for Lochwinnoch is Johnston and isn't recommend by some). Dalry and Erskine look affordable, but I can't find information on the nurseries & schools.

We're coming from Almondbank close to Perth and it's really nice here. Good community, nursery and school (except I don't like any of the high schools close by!). We're looking for a similar community feel in a reasonably sized village.

Thanks for any help and advice!

OP posts:

WaxOnFeckOff · 26/12/2018 22:09

I'm not from that area but i've heard about Neilston - would that be suitable?
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E17952&minBedrooms=3&maxPrice=160000

Drogosnextwife · 26/12/2018 22:17

Im not far from Beith, its not the nicest of places. Bridge of weir and lochwinnoch are nice but not sure what the schools are like. Neilston has nice bits but I wouldn't live there.

LampShadeHeid · 26/12/2018 22:22

Have you looked at Bishopton? There is a big new housing development there with a new primary school being built. Great links to m8 and very close to airport.

MacarenaFerreiro · 26/12/2018 22:28

Bridge of Weir is nice, so is Houston and Kilbarchan. Think they all feed into Gryffe High which has a good reputation. Depends how close you want to be to the airport though - we're north of the river in Bearsden and it's only 20 minutes over the Erskine bridge to the airport from here. Probably the same distance to most of the south side of Glasgow - places like Giffnock, Barrhead, Clarkston, Eaglesham.

TheEndofIt · 26/12/2018 22:31

Isn't the new development at Bishopton on a flood plain?

Or what about Houston? Kilmalcolm? There are some properties on Rightmove at that price.

KeepCalm · 26/12/2018 22:37

Bridge of Weir and Houston are nice and in the Gryffe catchment area.

Kilmalcolm & Bridge of Weir are expensive too.

Renfrew or Erskine maybe?

What about howwood? Although it's. Johnstone High catchment....

Lochwinnoch is nice but smaller which I'd prefer probably.

Good luck.

Original poster

WillyBoberson · 27/12/2018 13:06

Thank you everyone for your help, suggestions and links!

We've not been able to find anything within our price range so far in Bishopton, Kilbrachan, Howwood or Houston.

We have a viewing in Lochwinnoch and 2 viewings in Helensburgh (not sure if Helensburgh is too far from airport or not).

Waiting on conformation of viewings in Kilmacolm & Bridge of Weir.

Erskine, Neilston & Renfrew have loads on offer! I've not heard anything about these areas. So I'm not sure if they're what were looking for.

Thanks again, I really appreciate everyone's help!

OP posts:

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/12/2018 13:21

I think Strathblane/Blanefield is nice but would be about half an hour away - maybe more in poor weather. Catchment for Balfron High School.

Original poster

WillyBoberson · 27/12/2018 16:23

Thank you WaxOnFeckOff. Have a viewing in Strathblane now too

OP posts:

Appin · 27/12/2018 16:32

Helensburgh is about 40 mins from the airport- Cardross is out that way but a bit closer to the airport. Good schools.

Piggywaspushed · 27/12/2018 16:36

Erskine is not very special. Helensburgh would be a bit of a trek imo.
Bridge of Weir is really nice.
There are nice bits of Glasgow that really aren't very far once you get through the tunnel. Jordanhill and Hyndland, for example.Expensive, though.

sunshineNdaisies · 27/12/2018 16:48

alexandria/balloch in west dunbartonshire are affordable and not too far from the airport. There is also a bus that takes you from those areas to balfron high which is in nearby Stirlingshire and one of the best in Scotland

But schools make no difference to how smart a kid is. I know two people who went to a West Dunbartonshire high school, not meant to be a good school, but both now have first class honours in Law.

EmmaC78 · 27/12/2018 16:50

I know people who live in Renfrew and Erskine and I personally would not want to live in either.

spiderbabymum · 27/12/2018 18:27

Hun
Kind of agree with everyone above

It’s gotta be Bridge if weir or Houston
Think secondary schools

Airport less than 15 min from BOW

Sorry but Helensburgh too far IMO

Check out Houston too
And croslee

Appin · 27/12/2018 18:30

You would need a placing request for Balfron, and lots have been turned down in recent years.

Chocolatedeficitdisorder · 27/12/2018 18:35

Have you thought about Paisley itself? There are certainly some areas to avoid, but there are some nicer parts. We spent 5 years in Elderslie which was quiet and affordable at the time. Our primary was fine and the secondary school was Castlehead but we moved before our kids got to that age.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/12/2018 18:45

You would need a placing request for Balfron, and lots have been turned down in recent years. Only if you bought out of catchment. :)

I don't know what their recent intakes/rejections of placing requests are, but it looks like the school is under capacity as a whole (currently has 848 pupils and according to the PFI plan it was looking to cater for between 885 and 920 pupils - not sure what they eventually went with). Who knows what it will be like in future though. Dunblane has been actively encouraging placing requests for the last 6 or 7 years and currently has one of the highest rolls in years, this is despite the Stirling Council website saying placing requests have recently been rejected. I know that up to this year (I don't know for this year), they hadn't rejected a place since 1998.

Appin · 27/12/2018 18:48

The post I was referring to stated that a his went to the school from Alexandria area, which is definitely out of catchment.

WaxOnFeckOff · 27/12/2018 18:56

I thought that was what you were referring to Appin, just clarifying for OP Just in case :)

Blondie1993 · 27/12/2018 19:39

I work just outside Houston and my partner lives in Lochwinnoch. I love Lochwinnoch, Kilmacolm, Bridge of Weir, Kilbarchan ect. I’m not massively keen on Houston, Gryffe High gets a good reputation and exam results on paper are good but I know a lot of people who went there or send their kids there and they don’t give the impression that it’s as good as it’s made out to be. The only other high school I can think of is Johnstone which I don’t think is great so Gryffe would probably win there!

I would say Helensburgh is too far, although it is really nice with good schools.

TheEndofIt · 27/12/2018 21:16

Maybe consider Howood, Old Kilpatrick or Langbank. Or Uplawmoor, Beith or Kilbirnie.

Brookfield or Quarriers might be too pricey.

Original poster

WillyBoberson · 28/12/2018 06:50

Thanks so much for all the input!

We've definitely got lots of homework to do! Trouble is going to see all the places suggested when we live so far away 😔 Lots of the suggestions above don't have anything at our price range.....yet, but maybe after the new year 😄

I work away from home (Mon- Fri in London), so would like a nice community for my wife and kids to meet new people. The school thing isn't about academics for us, we just want a school that is going to be good for our boys. Not one that is going to push for good grades and ignore the ones who don't get them. A good all rounder that nurtures and respects all kids......in a perfect world! 😆

We've not looked into Paisley as we wanted a smaller community and we've heard very mixed things about Paisley.

Thanks again! Gearing ourselves up for a monumental trek tomorrow......Almondbank - Lochwinnoch - Helensburgh - Strathblane 😆 We'lleven try to fit in the affordable place in Bridge of Weir!

OP posts:

TheEndofIt · 28/12/2018 08:12

I'd maybe leave Helensburgh & Strathblane out of your journey today & stay this side of the Erskine bridge - these places are adding on a lot of time.

Instead, I'd do a trip down A736 & back up A737 - you'll see most the towns this way.

Fabuleuse · 28/12/2018 08:20

What about Inchinnan or Langbank? They're a lot nearer than Helensburgh etc, cheaper than Houston/BoW and I think they'd be in catchment for Park Mains.

TheEndofIt · 28/12/2018 08:28

Here's a few to consider:
Finlaystone Crescent, Kilmacolm, PA13
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-75584117.html

Quarry Drive, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, PA13
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-77876939.html

Hillview, Bridge Of Weir Road, Kilmacolm, PA13 4AP
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-48839961.html

Park Road, BRIDGE OF WEIR
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68821624.html

Old School Square, Kilbarchan
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58951686.html

High Barholm, Kilbarchan, Johnstone, Renfrewshire, PA10
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58086321.html

Molendinar Terrace, Neilston, GLASGOW
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-58737396.html

Good luck!

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