[spider]

I was reading somewhere that someone was asking about nice places around ch-ch to live. But I can't find the post now so here are some good areas that have potential and still have the small town rural community.

Glentunnel
Whitecliffs
Southbridge
Leeston
Doyleston
Harwarden
Waikari
Oxford
Springfield

All these places are within 50km drive from ch-ch and are true rural community not a lifestyle community which tend to be commuters who spend most of there time in town and don't build the neighbourly friendships like rural communities. These places are also areas for potential growth and houses are still cheap. Maybe Leeston would be the only exception to this, as leeston has grown fast in the last few years.

None of these areas are on the coast but most have rivers near by which have fantastic swimming holes.

[K&CS]

Hi Spider and thanks for that!

We've been doing a lot of research into areas of Chch to live. I copied over a link that I got from here about someone's opinions on good and bad areas to a Kiwi friend who lives in Christchurch and these are her opinions on the various areas: -
(btw, please can I stress that this is NOT my opinion. I haven't visited any of these places and am certainly reserving judgement until we get there, so if the area anyone lives in has been unfairly slagged off, please don't blame me. In fact, I would love to be corrected!!)

The Good

NORTH
Waimari Beach (N/E) - ok (new suburbia and old baches)
Burwood - ok (new suburbia)
Redwood - ok Casebrook - No
North Shore - ok (new suburbia, but by the beach)
Avondale - No
North Brighton - ok

SOUTH within about 10mins drive of CBD
Cashmere - excellent
Huntsbury - good
Murray Ainsley - good
Beckenham - good
Somerfield - good
St Martins - good
Halswell - (only if it is on the hill, on the flat can be quite rough - schooling might be borederline)
Tai Tapu - lifestyle properties (5-15acres), new and character and within 15 mins drive of CBD but a country village type feeling. Prices are a bit higher as it is the closest lifestyle area to town.

WEST (all within about 10mins dirve of CBD)
Ilam - excellent
Russley - ok
Merivale - excellent
Fendalton - excellent
Burnside - good (good schooling on a par with the areas identified as excellent, but tends to be 80s suburbia housing) - depends on what your taste is really.
St Albans - good/excellent (borders Merivale)

EAST (by the sea, but on the port hills, most properties have lovely sea and Mt views). Can take anything from 15/20mins to 35/40 on a bad day into the CBD, this is due to its popularity, however, Redcliffs Primary is where the girls would be zoned for and that would only be a couple of mins drive depending on where you bought. good school and quite a villagey feel out there. Nice restaurants/shops and good facilities (plus of course the beaches and hills to play on). No high schools, but all children go to high schools in Fendalton/Ilam or Merivale together, and everyone is in the same boat. Usually when you move from Primary to High, most kids say goodbye to about half of their primary school friends anyway, regardless of whether they live in that area. So I wouldn't be too worried about the High School problem, unless you don't want them to have a half hour commute to school in a couple of years time.
St Andrews Hill - excellent
Redcliffs - excellent
Mt Pleasant - excellent
Sumner - excellent
Scarborough - excellent (my favourite of the lot!)

----------------------------
Not So Good

EAST (terrible!)
New Brighton
Aranui
Linwood
Bromley

SOUTH (all ok, but not good)
Waltham
Sydenham
Spreydon

EAST
Addington - No
Upper Riccarton - good (this suburb borders Ilam and Avonhead, so quite good as a result of its proximity, not bad schools and may just be included in the excellent school zone)
Hornby - No

THE... CITY
Most of it!

Kate x

PS would love to hear other peoples' opinions of these too. By the way, Spider, where do you live (I presume you're in Christchurch)?

[adamsat]

Agree about the rivers, not sure I'd fancy swimming in a river near Oxford at this time of year though :laugh