Relocating and need advice on villages nr Macclesfield

[freckles66]

Hi, I am new to the site and I am looking for advice on a possible relocation (husbands job in Macclesfield) my husband doesnt want to be driving much more than 30 mins to get to work. We have looked at Congleton, Biddulph, Middlewich and Northwich - mainly because these are the areas we can afford as looking for a 4 bed.

I have an 11 yr old son and an 8yr old daughter so would like somewhere with facilities within a 3-5 mile drive if in a village. I can drive so wouldnt mind being in a countryfied place as long as I wasnt driving over 1/2hr to get to a supermarket/family facilities.

I would appreciate any comments x

[amazonianwoman]

Bollington?

[RCheshire]

How big a place do you want and any view on which side (north/south; east/west) of Macc?

Congleton and Northwich are towns (I prefer Congleton), Bollington & Middlewich are closer to small towns than villages nowadays (I prefer Bollington). Biddulph is small.

What do you want within walking distance?

I live within 10 mins of Macc and have been house-hunting for 18 months at least so have a good idea of what's around/different places offer!

[freckles66]

Within walking distance would like a decent primary school, some shops to shop between supermarket visits, a park of some sorts for the children, a family pub since I wouldnt have any babysitters! I quite fancy the look of Middlewich but wondered how much of a possibility there was of flooding - is it a higher risk area? I live in Hull at the minute which has everything on my doorstep so wherever I move it will be very different although I am looking forward to seeing greenery! As mentioned in my previous post I have my own car and I wouldnt be working to begin with so I dont mind being a little away from a big town - dont want to end up being somewhere too remote and end up having to be a taxi for the kids as they get older lol

[chosenone]

bollington is lovely but houses pricey. Lots of pubs, excellent schools and lovely little shops. Rainow nice but pretty small. Whaley Bridge probs 20 minute country drive but lovely size, pretty, excellent schools too.

[emark]

alderley edge, not all footballers mansions got everything on your list

[RCheshire]

If you want somewhere a bit bigger/where the kids can get about when older then Holmes Chapel and Wilmslow are worth a look.

Wilmslow - bigger (a town); good schools; plenty of facilities; more stuff for teenagers to do than the next two places; train to Manc in 20 mins when more independent

Holmes Chapel - smaller; great travel links (5 mins to M6; 40 min train to Manc); great schools (primary & secondary); compact but ok range of facilities/shops - great baker!

Bollington - more attractive than Wilmslow or Holmes Chapel (if you like more of the stone Peak District look) especially the Kerridge side, good range of shops/services, good primary schools, no secondary (it's in Macc and not the best Macc school), lots of pubs, walks (canal etc)

There are lots of smaller villages but only Prestbury and Alderley Edge have a good range of shops/facilities. Both very expensive compared to the other places. Alderley Edge is my local village and I go there a lot for convenient range of shops but wouldn't be in my top 5 to live in itself.

Loads of other villages - Henbury, Sutton, Langley, Chelford, Peovers, Rainow etc etc, but at best you're getting a primary school, two pubs and a couple of shops, and with many now not even that. Runs the risk of proving stifling for teenagers/turning you into permanent taxi

[kissmyheathenass]

Hi, I have been looking at Macclesfield too today! I was looking at the MAcclesfield Academy as it has been recommended for SEN by another poster on here. I want to be fairly urban rather than in a village as ds is nearly 13 and will want some independence one day soon I hope.
Good luck - I'll keep watching!!

[kissmyheathenass]

RCheshire, do you know secondaries with good SEN? Pref near to a good primary?

[RandallPinkFloyd]

Some of my family lived in Rainow for a while. Lovely houses and stunning surroundings, there are shops and a school and at least a couple of pubs if I remember rightly. Can't remember how close the supermarket was though. I know they were very happy there.

I'd agree Middlewich and Northwich are both nice, I worked in Northwich for a while, nice atmosphere there I found.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Places like Biddulph are going to be much cheaper than Macclesfield villages such as Bollington/Rainow etc.

There are done areas to avoid ( the estate near to Biddulph doctors for example but Biddulph Moor, the area around the leisure centre & Knypersley/Brown Lees are all fine

I like Congleton too and both secondaries are good.

Biddulph has a middle school system so you don't go to high school until age 13.

What about Leek, it's lovely there and lots commute into Macc from there. Again Leek has a middle school system. It's a lovely little town.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

In Macc Fallibroome us the secondary everyone tries to get into and the catchment areas for there Prestbury etc are very expensive areas.

[RCheshire]

Randall, I could be wrong but I don't think there's anything left in Rainow now apart from the primary. Nice green spot though.

Kiss, I'm sorry but I don't know anything about SEN, except that there's a private school (called 'Ram...' something or other) in Cheadle area that's well regarded.

Pictures is talking about areas I don't know so well. I know North of Macc very well and a little way South. Leek is supposed to be a nice market town but I've never been that way as I like knowing Manchester isn't too far away (child of the city at heart despite living in a field now and chopping logs for heating!)

Fallibroome is the best comp secondary in Macc but as you say the catchment is West of town, so West Macc, Broken Cross, Henbury, Prestbury etc

[RandallPinkFloyd]

Isn't there? Oh that's a shame. It was a few years ago now but it was a lovely little village. Definitely a bit isolated if there's no shops or anything though.

[guineapiglet]

Hi - we have just moved out of Bollington to SE for job reasons. Very sad to leave Bollington, miss it terribly - lovely place to live and bring up kids. Good primaries, and all secondaries are good, some outstanding. In the recent league tables, All Hallows and Poynton state schools did very well, - Fallibroome is outstanding but has quite restrictive entry criteria re catchment. My kids went to Tytherington HS, which is now under a new Head and making good progress.
One factor to consider is that CECouncil are now cutting school buses to some HS in the area, so you might want to investigate this! - Especially if you choose a rural village.

Sutton and Langley are lovely villages - 10 min drive into Macc and up in the hills. A friend with a SEN child sends hers to a school in Leek - which is about 20 mins from Macc on a good day. Also there has been a constant threat to close Macc Hospital, which has up until now been strongly fought against - the designate hospital if this happens would then be in Stockport, not a nice drive in rush hour - this factor was important to us because of our son's needs.

It is a lovely friendly area - you will enjoy it!

[chillikat]

Freckles - I'm in Hull but originally from Macc - the hills will be the biggest shock for you (I miss them). The nice thing about Macc is that you can walk half an hour out of the town centre and be in the hills, but you could also be in Manchester in a hour on the train if you want.
Bollington would probably be a good bet for shops, pubs, etc.

[freckles66]

Hi All, thank you very much for your replies - all are very useful.

House prices are obviously going to be a big factor in ruling out some of the places unfortunately - we are looking at max 200k for 4 bed det - RCheshire if you have been house-hunting you may know which towns are within our price range?

I didnt realise the school system was different to each town - the issue over the school bus is one to look into as I was liking the sound of Middlewich but my high school choice would be Holmes Chapel which is across the M6 so obviously not a bike ride away lol!

I would love to be in a pretty market town but taking into consideration my son is 12 this year I would worry about being somewhere too far from facilities - I think small town is prob as rural as we could go - unless a stunning village was VERY close to a town :)

Chillikat - Hull must be a bit of a grey shocker for you after coming from all that countryside!

Does anyone know if flooding is an issue in any of these towns?

[kissmyheathenass]

Freckles, I spent hours reading a 35 page thread last night about living in the countryside with teenagers. It put me off! Most people with teens seem to regret being rural or remote. That's why we are very towards big town.city. My ds is 12, I also have 2 dds, 8 and 6. I will see if I can find the link - its worth a read or skim at least. If you google the environment agency, one their website they have asection "Am I at risk of flooding" - put in a placename or postcode. Dh obsesed with flooding so we check everywhere!

[kissmyheathenass]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1571405-to-hate-living-in-the-country Hullygullys thread on how shit rural life is.

[freckles66]

cheers will have a look

[MrsTMD]

Hi freckles...i moved from hull to congleton 2 years ago bcos of husbands job!where abouts in hull r u?x

[freckles66]

Hi Mrs TMD - I live on Holderness Road near the Mill pub, how have you found the change and do you have children? I have a pub, leisure centre, primary and secondary schools all within walking distance and cinema/bowling etc within a 15 minute drive and one of my concerns is that my children will find it too stifling - although I believe Congleton has more than say Middlewich (which I really like the look of) and is only a short drive to Macclesfield which I think has most of the things I have mentioned.

Have you settled and do you wish you hadnt moved?

[SpangleMaker]

£200k for detatched 4 bed would probably have to be Congleton or Leek type area. Or Biddulph, but there is less going on - I currently live near there and gravitate towards Congleton for DC activities.

I gather they are building a lot of new homes around the Holmes Chapel area so should be a lot on the market but I've not been looking in that area so couldn't say.

[freckles66]

cheers

[carlajean]

we lived in Prestbury several years ago. given the choice again, I'd live in Macc. itself.

[MrsTMD]

My brother has only just moved from wold road so not too far away from u.i have 2 children 5 and nearly 2 yrs old.we walk to school, i can walk into the centre of town and i can walk to the leisure centre from where i am.i am glad i moved...i like living in congleton and have so far found it really friendly.only downside is i do have to drive to macc or stoke for cinema etc and bigger shopping places.but its only about 20 mins so not too bad and am only an hour from trafford centre.x