Where to live in Staffordshire....help required please

sportbilly

A few posts under my belt
All, I am hoping that shortly I will be offered a position with a company based in Cannock...and not knowing much about the Staffordshire area at all, was hoping for some local guidance on the best / worse places to live.

Background :-

I have no children so a school(s) is not a current consideration.

My budget will probably be up to 200k, but ideally 180k max.

I don't want to be more than say 10-15 miles from Cannock.

Based on the above criteria...where would you suggest good places to consider please?
 

United57

Well-Known Forumite
Your only choice is Stafford. On a good train line and near a motorway. You would get a lot of house for your money.
 

henryscat

Well-Known Forumite
Lichfield is expensive, dull and over-rated...

Stafford is a good choice. Depends if you're after a town or village location though?

Parts of Burntwood you'd get a lot of house for the money, but it isn't the most exciting place, but pretty close to Cannock.
 

darben

Well-Known Forumite
There are lots of nice places to live around Stafford, more good than bad.

Are you after town, suburb, village or countryside?

Town wise you might find the south side of stafford town centre (forebridge) handy, right side of town for commuting to Cannock, walking distance to town, station, supermarkets etc...If your sporty as your name would suggest it's walking distance to the sports centre, Rowley park (running) & cricket club. Countryside / village for your commute Milford or Brocton are by Cannock chase.
 

grumpystaffordguy

Well-Known Forumite
You'll get more house for your money if you go for Cannock rather than Stafford. So if you are not from around here and are working in Cannock it would seem to make more sense to be over that way.

As has been said above though it depends on what you want and where you see your life heading.

I tell you where I quite like though - Cheslyn Hay. It has a nice village style feel, plenty of pubs and take-a-way's etc. Easy access to the motorway as well.
 

andy w

Well-Known Forumite
Whilst never living there, Penkridge seems to have alot to offer being close to the motorway, near to Stafford and Cannock. There is a number of pubs and takeaways, a reasonable number of shops(but not as good as it used to be). Special mention for Jaspers the bakery which must be the best in the area with a vast range of products all of excellant quality(the branch at Weeping Cross is sorely missed)
 

ddub1984

Well-Known Forumite
grumpystaffordguy said:
I tell you where I quite like though - Cheslyn Hay. It has a nice village style feel, plenty of pubs and take-a-way's etc. Easy access to the motorway as well.
I would second that. Lived in Stafford all my life then moved to Cannock 2 years ago (at the age of 25). A lot of my Stafford friends turn their noses up at Cannock but I actually really like it & have made lots of friends. Cheslyn Hay is really nice, I would recommend Heath Hayes too, thats where I live & Ive found it really quiet & friendly, nice atmosphere, loads of local shops, countryside on your doorstep, just a really pleasant place to live. We also have a fantastic bus service compared to Stafford- I can get a bus at the end of my street to Cannock bus station every 10 minutes, also a direct bus to Lichfield which only takes 20 minutes. What I like as well is each suburb of Cannock used to be like a small village so has a high street with small shops, pubs, restaurants, etc, unlike Stafford where you have to go into the centre for anything. Its much easier to drive around too!

Other places in Cannock that are nice are Huntingdon, some areas of Hednesford, Great Wyrley, Norton Canes seems nice to me but some people disagree for some reason, Burntwood/Chasetown is OK too. Avoid Pye Green & Chadsmoor.
 
Little Haywood - great pub (The Red Lion) and the others close by aren't bad either. Good bus service and a bike ride from Stafford/Lichfield/Cannock etc.

On reflection, "great" is too small a word for that pub. Lovely community too.
 

sportbilly

A few posts under my belt
Wow, thanks for all the replies...need to print them all out and have a good sift through. Really appreciate all the constructive comments.

To answer one poster..I am 35 and no partner...so moving on my own........I was thinking about Cannock itself but googling it did not really fill me with confidence with many negative comments about Cannock. (Disclaimer - I have only been there once for an hour so am in no position to judge...purely stating what I read....no offence intended).

Would consider a town or village....like I said must be within 10 to 15 miles of Cannock + with a very good gym close :)
 

gilbert grape

Well-Known Forumite
Might be stating the obvious as a local here but, for commuting to Cannock from Staffford, the Wildwood, Weeping Cross & Baswich areas could be worth a look as they are all on/off the main A34 out of the south of Stafford.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
The 'gym nearby' requirement might restrict the southern Stafford areas, perhaps - depending on how nearby it needs to be. You could nip up Baswich Lane to the University, if their gym is available and suitable..

Bednall might be worth considering, if it's your sort of place.
 

CreamCake

Well-Known Forumite
gilbert grape said:
Might be stating the obvious as a local here but, for commuting to Cannock from Staffford, the Wildwood, Weeping Cross & Baswich areas could be worth a look as they are all on/off the main A34 out of the south of Stafford.
Gilbert is bang on the money, good areas on the best side of Stafford.

I miss Jaspers too.....A LOT !
 

Mrs Stafford Beast

Well-Known Forumite
I have no idea about Cannock apart from everytime I go to a meeting there I get lost! lol

I moved from outside the county and work in Lichfield, I chose Stafford. Lichfield is expensive and not a lot happens. Burntwood I believe you can get quite a lot of house for your money but the town centre doesn't have the best first impression.

Stafford is quite central to everything, close to motorway, has good train links etc. There are many gyms in Stafford I believe (not that I ever go), there is a fairly new Council run gym here which people say is nice and Esporta, and some other smaller ones.

Yeah and all the areas Gilbert said are desirable places to live here. Stafford is about 12 miles from Cannock, doesn't take me long to get there when I have to. One year on I am very happy living in Stafford.
 

flossietoo

Well-Known Forumite
Alternatively, look towards Newport. You can get on to the A5 in a matter of minutes via the A41. The A5 takes you straight in to Cannock. Moving back towards Stafford along the A518, the villages of Gnosall, Haughton and Church Eaton offer country lane access to the A5 at Wheaton Aston although as with any village, you get less house for your money. I wouldn't want to tackle the A5 at drivetime but then, to be honest, I wouldn't want to go anywhere near the Lichfield Road at that time of day, either. Mind you....whether you were battling the A5 or the A34, you'd get there a lot quicker if you used a bike, in which case you wouldn't need to look for a gym!
 

gon2seed

(and me! - Ed)
Housing should be cheaper in Cannock, and towards West Mids, but unless someone who comes on here has lived/spent time there, I imagine you'll get a lot of positives about the County Town, not necessarily objective opinions. As someone born here, schooled here, who has lived in various Counties, around the Country, and chose to move back to raise a family, you'll get no dissent from me! Not sure my eldest will agree, but as he's at Uni' in Liverpool, I think that is a bit futher than 15m.

To sum up:- Rail, Road links Excellent, bang in the middle of the Country; vibrant cities within easy travelling ditance, Cannock Chase on your doorstep, thriving artistic community, where ever you choose to live in the Creative County, I hope you enjoy it,! :stafford:
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
It's not particularly odd that asking people on Stafford Forum where to live should yield the answer, Stafford.

But yeah - Wildwood, innit?
 

gon2seed

(and me! - Ed)
Having just visited Cannock town centre, for work, I heartily endorse Stafford! OK their isn't much differencein the range or quality of shops, and the people aren't too different, accept in Cannock they have sillyier accents!Having just visited Cannock town centre, for work, I heartily endorse Stafford! OK their isn't much differencein the range or quality of shops, and the people aren't too different, accept in Cannock they have even more silly accents! :rolleyes: There just seems to be more about Stafford:- County Buildings, Art Gallery, Uni', Castle, ect, and all the new developments to come, http://www.staffordforum.com/viewtopic.php?id=8113 but I am probably just biased!
 
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