Relocating to Leeds- what's it like!
Discussion
Perhaps more than many other cities Leeds had a boom in city centre living in the good times, leading to an oversupply of flats in the centre. The area around Wellington Street had a large number of flats, some more luxury than others. In fact I'm not sure of any around Wellington Street that jump out as being 'luxury'.
If you are after a city centre flat try and look at some of the older conversions which retain period features, including some near the river. Also, there is one block West Point which has had a number of issues with water supply (google it). Plus, a number seemed to be used for 'nighttime business activities'.
I wouldn't dismiss Wakefield to live in. It's possibly cheaper than Leeds so you could get more for your money. If you want to live near the city centre there's St Johns, but as a preference there's a number of nice villages surrounding it including Walton, Horbury, Sandal, Newmillerdam.
If you are after a city centre flat try and look at some of the older conversions which retain period features, including some near the river. Also, there is one block West Point which has had a number of issues with water supply (google it). Plus, a number seemed to be used for 'nighttime business activities'.
I wouldn't dismiss Wakefield to live in. It's possibly cheaper than Leeds so you could get more for your money. If you want to live near the city centre there's St Johns, but as a preference there's a number of nice villages surrounding it including Walton, Horbury, Sandal, Newmillerdam.
As already said, there were a lot of new build flats thrown up in Leeds when demand was high but a lot of them haven't aged very well at all and quite a few ended up empty for a long time.
I lived in a converted loft on the corner of Leeds Bridge about 13 years ago as I worked in the city centre so it was an easy commute walking along the river bank. It's a lot better now as there are plenty of city centre Tesco Metros etc which didn't exist back then.
If you're commuting by car then at least you'll be going the right way, ie out on a morning. Parking can be a pain in Leeds CC as there are a lot of flats without spaces so it fills up quickly after the 6pm pay and display cut off.
I lived in a converted loft on the corner of Leeds Bridge about 13 years ago as I worked in the city centre so it was an easy commute walking along the river bank. It's a lot better now as there are plenty of city centre Tesco Metros etc which didn't exist back then.
If you're commuting by car then at least you'll be going the right way, ie out on a morning. Parking can be a pain in Leeds CC as there are a lot of flats without spaces so it fills up quickly after the 6pm pay and display cut off.
philmots said:
It may be nice to rent a flat in the centre for a year or so while you find your way around the city and enjoy it.
I'd not want to live centrally for ever.. There's so many quiet suburbs which don't demand the silly premium.
Perhaps depends on your interests and lifestyle. City -v- Smaller town -v- countryside. I love living centrally and it suits my lifestyle perfectly. When working from my usual office I also have the benefit of a 10 minute walking commute so "get back" 1 - 2 hours a day over those who travel into town. Even the short 25 mins in from Ilkley grows to best part of an hour each way by the time you factor in a 10 min walk each way to the station and arrival 5 mins before the train is due. I'd not want to live centrally for ever.. There's so many quiet suburbs which don't demand the silly premium.
As it happens, I also enjoy city living. Everything on my doorstep and stuff going on every night of the week.
If I had a family things my priority would no doubt be very different but to live in a quiet suburb would drive me insane in my situation.
t holesat1983 said:
Mrs and I are relocating to Leeds and have initially decided to live in town as we're commuting to Wakefield. One of those 'luxury' flats near Wellington street. Is it decent?
Didn't fancy Wakefield as it really looked dull- am I right?
Town centre living wouldn't be my idea of fun and the chap above is right about the trains screeching on the tracks as they go in and out of the station. Also worth mentioning that rent (and house) prices in Leeds suffer the LS postcode tax so expect to be paying a good £50+/week vs. WF/BD postcodes for comparable living space. The bulk of those 'luxury' flats in the town centre are absolutely tiny inside btw. They take the pics with panaromic cameras to make them look bigger than they actually are.Didn't fancy Wakefield as it really looked dull- am I right?
Believe me we wouldn't do it if we didn't have to. We've lived in some very nice suburbs since we've lived together and city living never appealed to us.
But with the other half not being able to drive proximity to the station is essential as it makes her journey to Wakefield a very short one. By next year she should be able to drive and we might then be able to move somewhere in North Leeds.
And yep, those sort of flats are tiny- just the same in Sheffield- but it'll have to do....
But with the other half not being able to drive proximity to the station is essential as it makes her journey to Wakefield a very short one. By next year she should be able to drive and we might then be able to move somewhere in North Leeds.
And yep, those sort of flats are tiny- just the same in Sheffield- but it'll have to do....
Clearly from the replies on here, one man's meat is another's poison insofar as city living is concerned. I wholly appreciate it's not for everyone (or even the majority).
You pay a premium to live in a city and LS central postcodes will be a fair amount higher than surrounding towns and cities. You also have to compromise on floor space, neighbours and all the disadvantages that come with density of city accommodation.
I like city living but also have to pay a premium for central location, and then a further premium for a decent size apartment with a large amount of outside space. And given we are all PHers, its also worth mentioning the car parking. I have 2 spaces and in my block they tend to rent for £110 - £120 pcm. Another premium for being based centrally.
North Leeds is nice, but the lack of any rail service and heavy traffic into town puts it in a funny compromise as far as I am concerned. You neither get the space and countryside of, say, Harrogate or Ilkley, but you pay a city premium without any more convenience than living out of town. If I were paying for taxis home after a night out, or having to drive into town in heavy traffic and paying £6 a day to park, I'd rather choose to live outside of the city, rather than just another city suburb.
If you aren't too bothered by city centre living and it's more about convenience for your partner to have access to rail services to Wakefield, I would be tempted to look at somewhere like Outwood. Easy service to both Leeds and Wakefield, a lot cheaper than Leeds to live and yet even a cab back from town if you happen to miss the last train isn't too expensive.
You pay a premium to live in a city and LS central postcodes will be a fair amount higher than surrounding towns and cities. You also have to compromise on floor space, neighbours and all the disadvantages that come with density of city accommodation.
I like city living but also have to pay a premium for central location, and then a further premium for a decent size apartment with a large amount of outside space. And given we are all PHers, its also worth mentioning the car parking. I have 2 spaces and in my block they tend to rent for £110 - £120 pcm. Another premium for being based centrally.
North Leeds is nice, but the lack of any rail service and heavy traffic into town puts it in a funny compromise as far as I am concerned. You neither get the space and countryside of, say, Harrogate or Ilkley, but you pay a city premium without any more convenience than living out of town. If I were paying for taxis home after a night out, or having to drive into town in heavy traffic and paying £6 a day to park, I'd rather choose to live outside of the city, rather than just another city suburb.
If you aren't too bothered by city centre living and it's more about convenience for your partner to have access to rail services to Wakefield, I would be tempted to look at somewhere like Outwood. Easy service to both Leeds and Wakefield, a lot cheaper than Leeds to live and yet even a cab back from town if you happen to miss the last train isn't too expensive.
I live in an Apartment in Leeds city centre and have done for the last 10years, having moved in at the age of 34. It is absolutely amazing and I wouldn't live anywhere else now and I certainly am in no hurry to go back to a dreary suburban lifestyle having done that pretty much since I left home.
I lived in a lovely north/east Leeds countryside village for 10 years before that and whilst it was nice and peaceful and full of wildlife I will not be moving back anywhere like that again. In short it is just boring, there is so little to do and the cost of taxis or arguing over who will drive and therefore not drink means staying in all too often. Its all so easy to slip into a life of a takeaway on a Friday night being the highlight of the week.
By far the biggest upside of living in the city is the lifestyle. You have hundreds of restaurants and bars of all grades right on your doorstep meaning that you never have to plan a meal out or drink out with mates or the mrs. Leeds city has thousands of shops, 3 large supermarkets and countless local small supermarkets, 2 big cinemas, several museums, galleries, theatres and concert venues, farmers markets and international food fairs almost every Sunday now and there are numerous seasonal events happening all year round.
All of these things are just 5mins walk away once you live in the city. There are some very cool nightclubs and bars too if you know where to look.
As noted above, try to find one of the well looked after developments on the riverside if you can - many of these have so much more character than several of the huge developments down wellington street. Check out how clean the common parts are and if they look well maintained and run.
The main upsides are :
As you can probably tell I love Leeds, but then I am Leeds "born n bred" too! We are literally never bored living in Leeds city centre.
I lived in a lovely north/east Leeds countryside village for 10 years before that and whilst it was nice and peaceful and full of wildlife I will not be moving back anywhere like that again. In short it is just boring, there is so little to do and the cost of taxis or arguing over who will drive and therefore not drink means staying in all too often. Its all so easy to slip into a life of a takeaway on a Friday night being the highlight of the week.
By far the biggest upside of living in the city is the lifestyle. You have hundreds of restaurants and bars of all grades right on your doorstep meaning that you never have to plan a meal out or drink out with mates or the mrs. Leeds city has thousands of shops, 3 large supermarkets and countless local small supermarkets, 2 big cinemas, several museums, galleries, theatres and concert venues, farmers markets and international food fairs almost every Sunday now and there are numerous seasonal events happening all year round.
All of these things are just 5mins walk away once you live in the city. There are some very cool nightclubs and bars too if you know where to look.
As noted above, try to find one of the well looked after developments on the riverside if you can - many of these have so much more character than several of the huge developments down wellington street. Check out how clean the common parts are and if they look well maintained and run.
The main upsides are :
- Huge social scene - lots of nice bars/restaurants as above and as a result its very easy to meet new people and make friends.
- Zero taxi fares and no last train home ever hampering your fun.
- Get a job in the city and your commuting costs and times plunge to near zero. Personally I find the 5min journey to and from work just priceless. It can easily cut 2-3hours off normal commute times from a nice out of town location, which means more time in bed on a morning and more time on an evening to socialise and relax.
- Warmth - most city developments are very cosy and warm to live in, which reduces heating costs considerably. You gain heat and insulation from your neighbours. The heat of the city also means it snows and freezes less frequently than it does in the suburbs.
- Living in the same place as other people. No matter what some people just don't know how to behave - they make a mess, make noise or just do stupid things in your development. It's not just the students too...
- Apartments can be small unless you have a decent budget.
- Car Parking spaces with apartments are not so common and are expensive to buy or rent when you do find them.
- Again outside space such as balconies and terraces are not so common. If you do find one bear in mind its direction. South westerly facing balconies are the best for the evening sun which is when it is most enjoyable and usable.
- Can be noisy - ambulances and such, but get a high elevation to negate this and choose your location carefully - i.e. don't rent right about a big bar! That said after a year or so you grow deaf to city noises and learn to sleep through anything.
- Bad for your liver! With so many bars on your doorstep its easy to end up drinking a lot more often and quantity than you perhaps used to do.
As you can probably tell I love Leeds, but then I am Leeds "born n bred" too! We are literally never bored living in Leeds city centre.
Edited by AdamV12V on Monday 2nd September 23:38
Wakefield is a dump. My choice would be Sandal or Outwood as you have the rail links. Overton, Middlestown and Netherton are too far if you don't drive. Public transport round there is terrible. Horbury and Ossett are nice. Well most of it!
Edit - I've misinterpreted half of the thread and you have already settled but the above is still true!
Edit - I've misinterpreted half of the thread and you have already settled but the above is still true!
Edited by marksx on Tuesday 3rd September 19:42
North west leeds is one of the most burgled areas in the whole country, although you shouldn't have any such problems in the city centre.
My mate lives in a flat opposite the corn exchange, likes it. How many cars do you have, parking will be an issue I would think.
I recognise your username, did you used to have a Lupo GTI?
My mate lives in a flat opposite the corn exchange, likes it. How many cars do you have, parking will be an issue I would think.
I recognise your username, did you used to have a Lupo GTI?
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