Further to my previous post about South Wales...SE Birmingham area advice requested!!

[texasjohn]

Right then, I am lucky in that I have a job offer in South Wales, but now I have an offer in Birmingham which is better!

Thus, I am 99% likely to be moving to the Midlands to take up a job near Birmingham Airport.

This means I have to move...But where?

Ideally I want to be 25 mins drive (or less) from Marston Green, which is moreorless where the airport is.

However, I know nothing about the area and am looking for some advice as to 'nice' and 'not so nice' areas.

I have been told Chemsley Wood isn't nice, don't live there! Coventry isn't the best, and Solihull is nice. A mate at work is from Birmingham and has offered a little advice, but he hasn't lived there for 25 years so he's suggested I ask people living in the area today, things change over time and all...

Trouble is, I can't really afford house prices in Solihull.

Can anyone give me some ideas of areas that are nice and not too expensive. By nice I mean safe enough to leave a reasonably nice car in the drive with no vandalism, safe to walk up the road with the dogs after dark.

Is Bromsgrove more than 25 minutes away? It looks to be 20 miles or so along the M42 but whether or not that is 25 minutes at commuting time (715am) I have no idea.

So, can anyone offer any ideas?

Is Leamington commutable in 25 minutes? I have family there so that's the attraction if anyone is wondering why!

[devonutopia]

What about the villages / small towns on the A452 / A45?

Thinking about places such as Meriden, which is conveniently where the FunkyJ meet is next Sunday. Hampton in Arden? Bickenhill? Not really familiar with the area that much, but I would say look East away from Brum, rather than West.

[texasjohn]

Cheers Jason, already been looking in Meriden/Bickenhill area for houses.

I'd prefer to live east or south of the M42, and anything along the A45 / A452 is ideal as it leads right into Marston Green...

[Dr Zoidberg]

Bromsgrove is a little bit far , but Redditch has some very nice areas and would be my first pick.
You'd get onto the M42 at J2 or J3 and then it's not too long to get to J6 if you are leaving early in the morning.
At the end of the day you are travelling against the majority of traffic and should be fine too.

If you want Birmingham proper then Shirley is ok (but not outstanding).

Leamington will take quite a lot longer.

Dorridge , Meriden and Balsall common are very nice but not cheap

Chelmsley wood is a hole.

[texasjohn]

Thanks!

What are nice and not nice areas in Redditch please? Houses do seem much more affordable there than Solihull.

By the way, what is the problem with Chelmsley Wood? Seem to be a lot of (cheapish) new houses going up there, that's all

[Dr Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by texasjohn

Thanks!

What are nice and not nice areas in Redditch please? Houses do seem much more affordable there than Solihull.

Look at the satellite photos on google maps. You can get a pretty good idea.
I don't know it in that much detail but someone I work with lives there and may be able to help.

Originally Posted by texasjohn

By the way, what is the problem with Chelmsley Wood? Seem to be a lot of (cheapish) new houses going up there, that's all

It's really rough with a very high crime rate.

[texasjohn]

Thanks Dr Z

I think it's going to be Redditch then!

Brockhill and Batchley (on the north side of Redditch) seem to be where all the newer houses are and we are after a new house. Plus, the north side is easier to get to the M42.

If you might ask your work colleague about those areas, and also recommend any nice areas then post back sometime that would be great and I owe you a pint/a hand servicing the car/favour

UK Estate agents with homes, houses & property for sale on rightmove.co.uk

[Dr Zoidberg]

That one looks like a nice house for the money and I've driven through that side of redditch recently as our company is moving there soon - it's quite pleasant round there and there's a supermarket and a skoda dealers very close to hand.

I'll have a word with Andy tomorrow and see what he says about it.

If you do come down for a nose round let me know and I'll pop over and say hi.

[texasjohn]

Ta

Will PM my mobile number, likely to be around over the coming weekends.

Cheers

John

[funkyjutel]

Texas, if you come to my meet next weekend 22nd (See Midlands meet) I can give you plenty of info on where to live. Have lived in Birmingham / Coventry Stratford area pretty much all my life.

Seeing as we are looking at moving at the moment, I have a pretty good handle on prices too.

If you can come, I can tell you more.

Regards

Funky J - My mates call me Funky J

[texasjohn]

Thanks for the invite

I may well be about that weekend but looking at houses and will have dogs with me...

So unlikely able to make it to the meet

However I will get to the next one I promise!

[Baker21]

I live in Leamington and it doesn't take me much longer than around 30 mins to get to Marston Green which is where my Uncle lives!!

[mluton]

I live in Rubery South birmingham, not far from redditch and bromgrove. takes me 25 minutes into the city cente and the same to birmingham airprt. Right near M5 junction 4. easy access to M6 and M42. House prices are very very resonable. i am currently renting myself, but will be buying in this area in the not to near future.

i would highly recommened it.

See map.
Map of B45 9WA United Kingdom | Multimap.com

if i can be of anymore help, please let me know.

[texasjohn]

Cheers for the advice on travel times, Baker21

LEamington is too expensive for me but Kenilworth would be just about affordable

Originally Posted by mluton

I live in Rubery South birmingham, not far from redditch and bromgrove. takes me 25 minutes into the city cente and the same to birmingham airprt. Right near M5 junction 4. easy access to M6 and M42. House prices are very very resonable. i am currently renting myself, but will be buying in this area in the not to near future.

i would highly recommened it.

See map.
Map of B45 9WA United Kingdom | Multimap.com

if i can be of anymore help, please let me know.

Thanks for the advice

What route would you take to get from there to the airport in 25 mins? It seems quite far looking at the map, that's all!

I notice there are a few new build estates right between the M5 and M42, jsut northeast of Bromsgrove (between Bromsgrove and Lickey End) so easy access to J1 M42

Do you know how many miles it is (roughly) from J1 to J6 M42 and how heavy the traffic is normally at say 7am - 740am? How long would it take in minutes to drive that stretch of motorway?

[mluton]

A good run without traffic 15-25 mins, but this stretch of the m42 can be a right pain early doors, but if you hit it before 7am you shouldnt hit the worst of it. After 8am its a nightmare. All of that stretch has Average Speed Cameras now, so even more of a pain in the ar$e, but does help in keeping the traffic moving.

The m42 on the return journey can be quite bad to using the motorway between 4pm - 7pm.

If i go to solihull i use the back roads staying off the m42, its slightly longer, about a 30 min run, but misses all the motorway traffic if there is any.
If you want detail of my back road route i could do you a map, but it would have to be tommorrow, when i can get access to a scanner. quite a few roads involved.

[texasjohn]

Thanks mluton.

I will let you know if I need the back route map Will get settled first - I might even be Sutton side of the city, who knows...

[mluton]

Durrrrr, I dont need a scanner.

A bit shi77y but i gave it a go.

[texasjohn]

That could be very useful indeed if I live in Bromsgrove (or Redditch if I pick up the road just north of Beoley and hit the rest of your route from Earlswood onward)

Cheers!

[Dr Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by texasjohn

Cheers for the advice on travel times, Baker21

LEamington is too expensive for me but Kenilworth would be just about affordable



Thanks for the advice

What route would you take to get from there to the airport in 25 mins? It seems quite far looking at the map, that's all!

I notice there are a few new build estates right between the M5 and M42, jsut northeast of Bromsgrove (between Bromsgrove and Lickey End) so easy access to J1 M42

Do you know how many miles it is (roughly) from J1 to J6 M42 and how heavy the traffic is normally at say 7am - 740am? How long would it take in minutes to drive that stretch of motorway?

I did J6 to J1 in 20 minutes at 6pm on Monday , but it can take ten minutes to get onto the motorway from the airport at rush hour.

If you really want a commute of under half an hour you will need to be closer than that.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Originally Posted by mluton

Durrrrr, I dont need a scanner.

A bit shi77y but i gave it a go.

That will take longer than half an hour even with no traffic.

Oh , and the cameras on the M42 don't measure average speeds.
They function just like Gatsos