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MCJnr graduates next summer and has a job offer, based in Birmingham.
FutureMCDaughter-in-law is currently in Leamington Spa but needs to move out next summer anyway, and the current plan is that they will look to rent together, and Sutton Coldfield is looking favourite. They can both work from home but he needs rail access to Birmingham New Street to his base office and she needs rail access to Birmingham airport as she flies for work at least once a month.
Any faults with this plan, or tips or alternatives gratefully received.
Thanks
Solihull would also fit the bill. Not lived there but seems nice enough. Regular driving on m42 would get old quickly
Lichfield is worth a look instead, lovely pretty little 'city' and very easy to get to Brum on the train.
I'm sure Sutton Coldfield has something to offer, but my only memory of it is row-upon-row of tacky multimillion pound mansions.
row-upon-row of tacky multimillion pound mansions.
. . . and an army selection centre (circa 1977)!
The park is a plus. Quite large and relatively wild in places considering it’s suburbia. Plenty for regular runs and XC mtb.
The West Midlands makes me itch, can't stand anything about it
But maybe that's because I had a particularly shit part of my working life spent there
I'd pondered Solihull - Lichfield would be an interesting option maybe.
Think they are hoping for "Not quite as nice as Leamington, not quite as stupidly expensive as Leamington"
Bromsgrove, rail link to Brum, around 40 mins, airport 40 mins, a lot cheaper than Lemmers, lots of surrounding green areas and riding (in case Dad visits) easy access to M5
“Not quite as nice as Leamington, not quite as stupidly expensive as Leamington”
I’d have thought Sutton was almost as expensive as Leamington, it is the ‘rich’ area of Birmingham, along with Solihull. Great park (some off road trails there, nothing technical, but I’ve only done a small part, it is a huge park)), good canoe club in the park, but I really wouldnt want to rent there, the prices whenever we looked were ridiculous. If it were me, I’d be looking to the East, around Marston Green, or, to the South, Kings Heath, or Acocks Green. Some rough areas all around, but some really nice areas too.
Solihull definitely a better option that Sutton Coldfield... Still not cheap, but not as expensive as Leamington and not quite as horrendous as Sutton Coldfield...
I’m sure Sutton Coldfield has something to offer, but my only memory of it is row-upon-row of tacky multimillion pound mansions.
It has a big park... But that's about it. It's a nightmare to get into or out of, I find it incredibly pretentious yet at the same time there's an awful amount of poverty there, and you've got the hell hole that is Walsall only just round the corner...
Bromsgrove, rail link to Brum, around 40 mins, airport 40 mins, a lot cheaper than Lemmers, lots of surrounding green areas and riding (in case Dad visits) easy access to M5
I'm with rocketdog here... Bromsgrove has a lot going for it if you need easy access to Brum, but also want some kind of life too. It's a lot nicer than many/most other satellite towns close to Brum (Kidderminster, Redditch, Tamworth, Lichfield for a start!), you're only minutes from decent countryside, you're close to both the M42 and the M5, decent rail and bus links etc...
The West Midlands makes me itch, can’t stand anything about it
There's some shit parts to it don't get me wrong, but there's also some stunning parts too. I live in Worcester and am only minutes from epic countryside, and live in a really pleasant suburb where even at 43, I'm dragging the average age in my street down considerably (I'm one of only a few working age people in the entire street, they're mostly all retired! 😂)... The West Midlands isn't just the hell hole conurbation of Dudley/Wolverhampton/Walsall/Stourbridge and everything that lies within! Even Birmingham has its nice parts (albeit they are few and far between)...
The nice parts of leam would be my option.
Solidull is ok but my God it's stuck up it's own arse. Ballsall common is ok for links in and out but it's more a yummy mummy and little tarquin of a place.
Don't dismiss Mosley if they like a party it's got some nice old houses but it can go one way or the other.
Lichfield is a long commute on the train. Sutton Coldfield is fine. Sutton Park is a big bonus imo. You're never far from somewhere a bit shit though.
There's a lot of pleasant places surrounding Birmingham city centre to choose from.
Trains are unreliable at best. Canals are alright to ride in on. Plenty of piss heads on them on the way back though although they never bothered me.
if it was me I'd be looking at somewhere around Kenilworth or Warwick, near to Warwick Parkway station for getting into Brum, trains from there serve Moor St which is basically by New St, and also Kenilworth and Warwick are on the 'right' side of Brum for getting to the airport too, especially if driving, or even cycling, it ain't that far and it's a nice part of Warwickshire.
if it was me I’d be looking at somewhere around Kenilworth or Warwick,
If the OP thinks Leamington is expensive he's gonna love the prices in Warwick or Kenilworth!
Actually kings heath is a good shout if you want more if a city vibe, with the soon to open new rail station links will get easier. This will bump up the local prices though. The only green space is really the park
I live in Leamington which is nice but as you say very expensive.
If I was young and working in Birmingham I’d be looking at Kings Heath or Moseley which are ‘cool’ urban areas with nice pubs, gig venues and cafe/restaurants. Not so sure about ease of route to airport and would have to pick area a bit carefully.
My in-laws are from S9lihull and mot sure I’d choose it as a place to live personally as feels a bit snobbish (not my in-laws I hasten to add!)
Used to live in Moseley and work in King's Heath.
Kings Heath 15 years ago was a pretty spicy place but it's been gentrified to hell and back since then, I'm sure property prices have 'adjusted' accordingly.
+1 for Moseley though, it won't be the cheapest but as I recall it was a fun, slightly Bo-Ho area with gorgeous Victorian housing stock and great pubs.
Shame the old Jug of Ale metal pub is long since departed though, amazing place that.
There’s some shit parts to it don’t get me wrong, but there’s also some stunning parts too. I live in Worcester
Well, yes. I don't count Worcester as West Mids. Worcester is lovely. I have friends in Upton Upon Severn and love it there.
Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the bits in-between can get in the bin for me though
I lost a weekend at the jug of ale in my 20s
Jug of ale
Dance hall till 3am Friday, drove home Monday with no clue at all apart from some bonkers house party that you had to pay to get into.
. I don’t count Worcester as West Mids.
😂 You don't get to choose what is the W. Mids... The official region contains the ceremonial counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands* and Worcestershire.
* not entirely sure why the W. Mids is list as being listed as in the W.Mids
I live in Warwick and I still think of it as cheap, but then I grew up in Totteridge. I would avoid both Sutton Coldfield and Solihull as they are, as has been said, rather pretentious. There is stuff around here that is affordable, and up until recently the train services were fine. I moved here in '86 and stayed mainly because it was so well connected for travel - my job meant I travelled a lot. I like the idea of looking at the up and coming areas of south/south-west Birmingham - Kings Heath, Mosely, even Selly Oak all have some nice places. My younger daughter was looking for a place to live and she picked Malvern - I'm really jealous, it's a brilliant place, but probably just a bit far out for the OP.
If the OP thinks Leamington is expensive he’s gonna love the prices in Warwick or Kenilworth!
It's not that bad to rent, around £800 a month for a flat in Kenilworth, let's face it nowhere is particularly cheap these days, or if it is there'll be a reason why!
Moseley is pretty pricey too.
Sutton has good and bad bits, it’s typical suburbs in that the rough bits can be very rough. Transport into Birmingham is easy quite far out. I live in Hednesford about 45 mins on the train from new st houses are cheap and Cannock chase is in our back garden.
Depends what you’re after really, south Birmingham is more expensive and nicer, £800 would get you a 3 bed house to rent round here, Peak District is 40 mins in the other direction, train is £80odd quid a month for unlimited use, less than £12 a day return.
Don't know if it has any relevance but there's a direct train to London that takes about 1 hour 20mins from Lichfield. It's significantly longer from Sutton Coldfield as you have to go into Birmingham first
The B&Q in Sutton Coldfield has more paint than the Sistine Chapel.
I always point this out every time a Brummie tells me there are more canals in Birmingham than in Venice. It really isn't about quantity!
I had another thought, but on reflection I think all I can say is Tamworth exists.
Have a look at all the rail links in. I lived in Rubery then Solihull as a kid. The air quality in Solihull made me ill, I left as soon as I could for sea air and regained my health. The prevailing wind is SW; I'd live somewhere on the train line out to Bromsgrove if the Midlands were the last place on earth.
Read back through a week of the online Brimingham Mail for a crash course in Birmingham life and attitudes.