WANT TO LIVE IN POOLE - WHAT ARE THE GOOD AND NOT SO GOOD PARTS?

[Bettina777]

My DH and I are planning a move to Dorset and have decided that Poole in particular seems to be a good fit for all we want from life. No DCs so schools are not an issue. The problem is that we don’t know Poole in the slightest from a living point of view though we have visited a couple of times. As it is quite a big town and has lots of suburbs, we haven’t a clue which is a good area and a not so good one and we don’t want to end up in a “what on earth have we done” scenario.

If anyone has a good knowledge of Poole, I would really appreciate any help in guiding us through the areas. We do know enough to realise we can’t afford to live in Sandbanks or Canford Cliffs! Crime is a big issue to us too so we want an area with low crime and not hoodies dealing or boy racers at all hours. So the more desirable parts would suit us better for peace of mind and hopefully a better life.

Look forward to hearing your views!

Good areas are Lilliput, Ashley Cross, Penn Hill and Lower Parkstone. If you want lots of cafes, eateries and pubs/bar then Ashley Cross is perfect.

Not so good are Turlin Moor, Upper Parkstone (especially near Rossmore) and West Howe.

Thank you BovineJuice that is very helpful. Are all the roads in the good areas ok or is one end better than the other end?

I have seen some houses for sale in Oakdale. Is that a good part?

oakdale is fine,

generally south of Ashley Road is better/more desirable than north

are you likely to have to commute for work as that is also worth considering

Yep, all the roads in the good areas are ok though as someone else has said the dividing line between Lower and Upper Parkstone is Ashley Road and if you're only just south of the road (ie Lower Parkstone) then you're very close to the problem areas. That said we are generally only talking about ASB rather than stabbings, etc.

Oakdale is fine. Hamworthy would be great as it's so close to the sea if only it had some infrastructure (pubs and shops, etc).

Upton is a bit further out of town, but still has doc/dentist/library/coffee shops and a new Aldi opened at the end of last year. And close to the dual carriageway if you did need to commute.

Avoid Turlin Moor.

Thank you SpikeyHatePotato. We don’t need to commute as we work from home so fortunately any traffic problems won’t be an issue apart from tourist traffic in the summer I assume. We tend to prefer to cycle (but not on busy roads) and walk as much as we can.

Thank you BillHadersLeftEye. That’s certainly worth knowing. Are there any other parts to avoid living in that you know of?

Branksome (not the posh part but near the viaducts around Yarmouth Road area) is ok. I lived there as a child haha.

Definitely avoid Turlin Moor, West Howe / parts of Kinson, Bourne Estate, Rossmore, Upper Parkstone, and there's another place I can't remember the name of sorry.

I've got various friends and colleagues who live in different parts of Poole than those places to avoid and seem happy enough.

Thank you BovineJuice. I have been looking at a detailed map of Poole to see those areas you mentioned so I can understand better and can see the Ashley Road dividing line. I can also see an area called Branksome and further down Branksome Park - what’s your opinion of these parts? Also Whitecliff which seems close to Lilliput?

I have looked at Hamworthy which looked feasible on the face of it but I read online that it can be a bit rough in places which did put me off a bit. I think we’d rather be in Poole itself really as we can walk to the marina/beach and get into the village vibe.

Thanks for that SommerTen. I have seen Branksome on the map - where does the posh bit start/end so I know how to differentiate between them?

Branksome is where I lived and some colleagues live, they like it.
Branksome Park is very expensive think mansions!!

Whitecliff is lovely probably expensive. Depends on your budget.

Hamworthy can be very insular. True Hamworthy people have lived there for generations.

The other place to avoid is Alderney.

Whitecliff is lovely and you're that bit nearer to Sandbanks. Branksome Park is very nice but expensive. The Branksome part near the station and behind the retail parks is ok and decent prices, though these increase the nearer to Coy Pond you get. Only downside about that area is probably lack of schools which is probably reflected in prices. Further you go away from Branksome Station though and nearer to the University you are in danger of getting too close to Rossmore, etc.

Baiter is right on the sea front and next to Poole Park so has those benefits, plus you can walk to the Quay but the houses are a little boxy and new, with tiny gardens.

Branksome is on one side of the main road and Branksome Park is on the other.
Branksome Park has woods in it.
Branksome is near the railway viaducts and road names include Yarmouth & Wroxham Roads IIRC.

Yes Baiter is ok. A typical 80s housing estate but on the harbour front.

Not sure the exact road but the nearer to Coy Pond and the retail parks off Poole Road then the better. If you follow the Alder Road north it steadily gets more risky. A whizz around on Google Maps will show you there are some nice cul de sacs and roads.

Thanks for your comments SommerTen they are really helpful. I’ve got a lot of Googling to do!

Thank you for your comments BovineJuice. Great insight into Poole. You and SommerTen are Poole experts which is just what I was hoping for!

If you can think of anything else that would help me, please feel free - everything is gratefully received! 😀

As a rule I would probably search on BH14. That should cover most of the best areas (that aren't ludicrously expensive). Another good thing about Ashley Cross, apart from the numerous eateries and bars, is that it has Parkstone BR station for London AND is on the main bus route between Poole and Bournemouth.

Thank you BovineJuice. That is a good rule of thumb that I will adopt and thanks for the info re Ashley Cross.

I have been looking around the BH14 area for housing but it’s fairly expensive. So, as mentioned by BovineJuice and SommerTen, we’ve also looked at Hamworthy (but not further north anywhere near Turlin Moor) which is more within our budget and still close to the sea/marina/park/beach etc which is what we wanted especially around the Lulworth Avenue/Lake Drive areas. Looks quite a nice established area on Google Maps. But you said that it lacked shops/pubs etc but is there nothing at all there? Also, how long does it take to walk from there to Poole centre/Lilliput/Sandbanks? Can you walk across the bridge to Poole or is it vehicle only? Sorry to ask so many questions but I’d never heard of Hamworthy till you mentioned it! Any info would be appreciated.

What's your budget?

You couldn't walk to Sandbanks from Hamworthy.

If you go on On The Market and select a house and then view map you can often see food shops listed if you toggle that. It's not always up to date and doesn't include all but gives you an idea. Here's a random example: www.onthemarket.com/details/12214556/#/map

We would prefer a new build if possible but as they are scarce we are prepared to put our own stamp on a house instead provided its in a good location - the location being the most important factor. That’s why we prefer Lilliput/Whitecliff/Lower Parkstone because of low crime/shops/eateries etc and walkable to pretty much everywhere else in the vicinity.

Baiter, Hamworthy and Canford Heath have lots of new builds, as does Baiter. BH14 doesn't.

Maybe look at Baiter. Crime is low and you're literally next to the sea and walking distance to Poole High Street, the Quay and Poole Park. Prices are decent-ish, just don't expect much of a garden or privacy. My mother lives in a flat there.