[Red Devil]

This follows on from our post with regards rentals, as we're starting to seriously look into suitable towns or villages that will appeal for settling.

Using Christchurch as the central point for work, we're using Rangiora as our most Northern location, Darfield as our most Western location and Lincoln as our most Southern(ish) location, as the furthest points from the city centre for initially settling... however, we're after suggestions of other places within this boundary limit.

As much as we like Christchurch city, it's not our choice place to live, as we quite like our space and love for the outdoors.

Our main concern is good schooling for our 5 year old son, friendly and safe environment in which to live and the usual family amenities. We're hoping you good people in the Canterbury area could pass on some sound advice and suggestions, as it's really quite difficult getting a feel for areas via tinternet (best Peter Kay accent) ;)

Thanks for your help :nice1

[rowells]

Red Devil,

You are reading my mind!!!!
I am just getting my NZ nursing registration and me and hubby aiming to get to NZ Jan 2009!!! (Hubby NZ born but not lived NZ since age of 15, and was from north island).
We too are looking for small lifestyle block but not too far out as dont want to isolate ourselves too much.
Our daughter will be 5 in January so lookng for nice primary school areas.
So any advice you get sent from those lovely Canterbury people, can you send to me too???!!!!
Thanks a bunch
Rachel

[benandclare]

We are on outskirts of Chch but have a yearning to move into the country, watch this space.

I work in Kaiapoi which is north of the city and has the feel of a nice friendly town with good schools also have been to Rangiora couple of times which seems to have most shops etc etc but cant comment about schools sorry.

Ohoka , whilst not a town is full of lifestyle plots and has some stunning views to the mountains.

Woodend a bit further north of Kaiapoi is a small village but has big development happening to the north at Pegasus Bay and also lifestyle plots at Ravenswood

[nippa&pippa]

I live in South part of canterbury (Ellesmere, farming hamlet near Springston), very diffferent to north part of canterbury. Took me an hour to drive to Ohoka to see Pip yesterday and on the way, it is amazing how the scenery changes every Km..

Best suggest is you get here and drive around till you found the "best" areas that suit your family. After all we spent nearly weekend for 6months, touring around every towns in canterbury before we pick Lincoln, Spingston, Leeston, Greenpark, Tai tapu and their nearby hamlets to be our areas to live before we started looking for house with land. Everyone is different as would love to live in windwhistle/whitecliff areas but TOO far to get to chch, also other thing you need think about is, how far do you prepare to travel to work? In our case with young kids, we want my OH spend more time with kids rather than he spend more time on the road, so hence we pick our house that is just 30mins from his work and he get home by 4:30-5pm, far cry from our UK's lifestyles where my OH used to spent over 90mins on road, from ashby to nottingham and hardly see our children because by the time he get home, children were ready for bed :(

[Red Devil]

Hi Sophia... thanks for your input. Strangely enough we've also listed down Springston and Lincoln as places to look into with more detail, as we like their close links to both Chch city and Banks Peninsula.

Keep those thoughts/suggestions coming residents of Canterbury :nice1

[nippa&pippa]

Hi Sophia... thanks for your input. Strangely enough we've also listed down Springston and Lincoln as places to look into with more detail, as we like their close links to both Chch city and Banks Peninsula.


:yes just under 45mins to akaroa, prefect day trips...:yes

[Familyofmonkeys]

We have bought a plot of land in small place called Kirwee....not quite as far West as Darfield. We're not living doen there yet, but have been very impressed with how friendly locals have been....OH met a few on his last trip down there and have kept in touch with a few. The local primary school has a good reputation, and Darfield is only up the road with all your local amenities. There are plenty of Brits moving to the area...so must be something there that appeals to us all. Maybe it is the stunning mountain views :)

http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14583

[red]

Hi
We are currently renting in the prebbleton/lincoln/Tai tapu area. We like the rural feel it has here and eventually want to buy land to build so will probably stay in this area. It's an easy drive to CC, takes me about 20-30min depending on the time of day. At most I'm stuck in traffic for a few minutes. I have been told that it is a little warmer to the north of CC but the traffic is busier in rush hour. I would also advise renting first and have a good look around. I think that they are planning on building a new high school in Rolleston as the area is growing rapidly. School zones are very rigid in CC in my opinion, one side of a street can go to one school the other side another. It's a beautiful ciy though with lots of choice.

We have found out things about areas we liked from locals that have put us off certain areas, like Westmorland can be windy apparently. At the end of the day it's all personal choice:yes

Kirwee looks gorgeous, love the view from your plot! how is the drive in to CC?

[Familyofmonkeys]

Kirwee looks gorgeous, love the view from your plot! how is the drive in to CC?

OH did a few trial runs during morning and evening rush hour at different times of year and it worked out about 25 minutes into Centre...without speeding. He timed both Old West Coast road and the main road (73).

[nippa&pippa]

Hi
We are currently renting in the prebbleton/lincoln/Tai tapu area.

Where about are you?? PM me if you want to keep your location secret from forum.

[red]

OH did a few trial runs during morning and evening rush hour at different times of year and it worked out about 25 minutes into Centre...without speeding. He timed both Old West Coast road and the main road (73).

Thanks, we will have to have a look at the area when we get the chance. I would love a mountain view, good luck with the build!