Moving to South Wales, any Newport folks about?
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm hoping to move to S. Wales within the next few months, pending house sale.
I've picked out Newport and the surrounding areas as my base as I need to be within 35minutes-ish of Portbury near Bristol.
Ate there any local folks who could tell me where I want to live and more importantly where I want to avoid.
Here are a few links to places that have caught my eye (in order of preference):
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/66661622
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/60148486
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/65983706
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/65647316
Thanks folks
I'm hoping to move to S. Wales within the next few months, pending house sale.
I've picked out Newport and the surrounding areas as my base as I need to be within 35minutes-ish of Portbury near Bristol.
Ate there any local folks who could tell me where I want to live and more importantly where I want to avoid.
Here are a few links to places that have caught my eye (in order of preference):
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/66661622
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/60148486
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/65983706
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/65647316
Thanks folks
Having recently moved from Bristol to Magor/Caldicot, I can't add a huge amount I'm afraid - but what I would say is that each of the houses you've picked out so far are likely to be more than a 35 min commute dependent on the time you leave. The first house (near Tredegar Park) will take up to an hour or so during rush hour (1530-1830 or so), as travelling through the Brynglas tunnels is always slow. That bit of the M4 also regularly has accidents, meaning it isn't too easy to judge times.
The second/third houses you've picked are near to the main A48 (Southern Distributor Road) which is actually very useful, but also near to some industrial areas. As for Rogerstone, I can't pass comment as never been there.
I would recommend the Magor/Undy area if you can - it'll make your commute much easier (I get to Filton in 25 minutes), and is much less 'city' than central Newport.
The second/third houses you've picked are near to the main A48 (Southern Distributor Road) which is actually very useful, but also near to some industrial areas. As for Rogerstone, I can't pass comment as never been there.
I would recommend the Magor/Undy area if you can - it'll make your commute much easier (I get to Filton in 25 minutes), and is much less 'city' than central Newport.
You might do well to avoid Newport itself as the M4 is a pig from the Coldra onwards in the evenings...
As mentioned above Magor/Undy would be a good starting point, as would Langstone.
Parts of Chepstow are good but traffic can be a nightmare if on the English side of the Wye especially in the mornings.
Also being in Chepstow would mean having to use the M48 which adds a bit of journey time as you'd have to go up to Aztec West to join the M5 for Portbury, whereas Magor, Langstone etc would enable you to cut the corner and use the M49...
As mentioned above Magor/Undy would be a good starting point, as would Langstone.
Parts of Chepstow are good but traffic can be a nightmare if on the English side of the Wye especially in the mornings.
Also being in Chepstow would mean having to use the M48 which adds a bit of journey time as you'd have to go up to Aztec West to join the M5 for Portbury, whereas Magor, Langstone etc would enable you to cut the corner and use the M49...
Can't help you with the houses, but I do drive the M4 to Bradley Stoke/Aztec West a few days a week, and moving to Newport won't help with the congestion much!
As others have suggested, Magor is a better bet as far as traffic goes, as it tends to be after that junction that the traffic really piles up. All that said, I know nothing about the area.
As said, other options could be Chepstow and places just above the A48.
Good luck though!
As others have suggested, Magor is a better bet as far as traffic goes, as it tends to be after that junction that the traffic really piles up. All that said, I know nothing about the area.
As said, other options could be Chepstow and places just above the A48.
Good luck though!
Avoid Newport if you can. there's a reason the roads are pretty much straight out of there 
I'd avoid the areas more central and along the river. A lot of those estates are built on marsh land previously utilised for when the river would burst its banks. or so I'm told by builder friends who've been working on projects down that way. and a lot are being chucked on old industrial land so surrounded by current and dilapidated units.
As others have said the outskirts of Newport, north of the M4, are much nicer than in town/south of the M4. Maybe worth looking in areas such as Caerleon. The uni campus there has recently closed and is being sold off to residential development, so worth knowing if this area is to be considered.
Newport is crap for traffic and the main stretch along the river is pretty much 1 way and lights every 1/2 a mile. Despite the millions they've spent tarting the town up and putting the Friars Walk stuff in, Newport on a whole is still a deprived run down city. I see it every now and then when I have to visit there for work. looks good on the surface, but the roots still remain.
That said, there's probably some locals going to come along and smash everything negative we say.
I'd avoid the areas more central and along the river. A lot of those estates are built on marsh land previously utilised for when the river would burst its banks. or so I'm told by builder friends who've been working on projects down that way. and a lot are being chucked on old industrial land so surrounded by current and dilapidated units.
As others have said the outskirts of Newport, north of the M4, are much nicer than in town/south of the M4. Maybe worth looking in areas such as Caerleon. The uni campus there has recently closed and is being sold off to residential development, so worth knowing if this area is to be considered.
Newport is crap for traffic and the main stretch along the river is pretty much 1 way and lights every 1/2 a mile. Despite the millions they've spent tarting the town up and putting the Friars Walk stuff in, Newport on a whole is still a deprived run down city. I see it every now and then when I have to visit there for work. looks good on the surface, but the roots still remain.
That said, there's probably some locals going to come along and smash everything negative we say.
NickM450 said:
Cheers folks, I should probably mention though that I go to work at 3-4am in the morning and return early afternoon 
Your commute time saves you from the hell (and I do mean hell) of the tunnels.However I would echo the thoughts here. Newport itself... It's a no from me. Magor is nice. Small, but nice. And accessible.
I used to live in Rogiet - not great itself but I wanted to still be able to go out on the piss in Bristol/Cardiff and get the last train home. Severn tunnel junction is a great traveling resource!
Newport isn't that bad, I've lived here all my life and like anywhere there's bad parts and good parts. If you're commuting to portbury you definitely want to be east of the brynglas tunnels because they're a nightmare as everyone else has said. I used to regularly commute to portbury myself and with a good run it can be done in 25-30mins, at 3am in the morning 20mins.
hornetrider said:
However I would echo the thoughts here. Newport itself... It's a no from me. Magor is nice. Small, but nice. And accessible.
^^ Same here, personally I would not move to Newport. A little bit further the wrong way but they are building lots of new houses in Radyr in Cardiff (which is a lovely area), just a short drive to get onto the M4.My search area is quite wide and also includes all the areas mentioned already as well as up towards Cwmbran. I guess I'll stay away from the Corporation Road area, although that's where my favourite house so far is. Funnily enough I heard a report this morning on the news about the most and least popular places in the UK, Newport was mentioned..... last 
There's a new estate near Tredegar Park/House that is about 3 minutes from the M4, its very quiet and clean!
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
Worth seeing if there's anything you like there as its ideal for commuting from that area.
The estate also connects to the park which is nice for evening walks etc. and easy access to Newport centre and Cardiff.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
Worth seeing if there's anything you like there as its ideal for commuting from that area.
The estate also connects to the park which is nice for evening walks etc. and easy access to Newport centre and Cardiff.
Currently sitting just up the road from that one actually but even though you could commute on the
SDR if the tunnels fall down/block/explode or whatever, and they will, all the time, the SDR will block
Immediately as well. Longer term I suppose you have to factor in the proposed relief road.
SDR if the tunnels fall down/block/explode or whatever, and they will, all the time, the SDR will block
Immediately as well. Longer term I suppose you have to factor in the proposed relief road.
Can echo the comments about staying east of the tunnels if possible.
My preference would be:
1) Langstone - it's a commuter village but has a decent community feel about it
2) The new development just outside spytty on the Magor link road on part of the old steelworks site (the name escapes me) - good amenities close by (gym, shops) and an empty dual carriageway up to J23A
3) A wildcard would be Llantarnum, at the south of Cwmbran. More for your money and still easy access to the M4 at 25A. If there's a snarl up at the tunnels you can come off at the Coldra and cut through Caerleon & through the lane back home.
My preference would be:
1) Langstone - it's a commuter village but has a decent community feel about it
2) The new development just outside spytty on the Magor link road on part of the old steelworks site (the name escapes me) - good amenities close by (gym, shops) and an empty dual carriageway up to J23A
3) A wildcard would be Llantarnum, at the south of Cwmbran. More for your money and still easy access to the M4 at 25A. If there's a snarl up at the tunnels you can come off at the Coldra and cut through Caerleon & through the lane back home.
All you need to know right here from some local boys....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx8CZyFM4b4
Or if you feel like moving a few miles further inland....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvuxYxmlfrc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx8CZyFM4b4
Or if you feel like moving a few miles further inland....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvuxYxmlfrc
Out of them all, I wouldn't live anywhere there.
The ones on Corporation road area are all on a flood plain, and you will be looking at a muddy river.
The junction there can get snarled up, especially if you're coming down the SDR and want to head into Newport onto Corpor road.
Caerleon and Cwmbran is just a pain, as you're still getting stuck at the Coldra,
Cwmbran you'll get Coldra to Tunnels traffic, then you'll get the Duals traffic up and into Cwmbran
Caerleon, Same as above, really, but it's just kind of a s
t place to live these days, it's got horrible little cliques and it's lost it's charm (lived there for a long time, happy to get out of the place, don't think you would find many people who would move back there if they left)
Personally for what you want I would look at Chepstow area (not so much Bulwark though) nice town, few pubs there, minutes from great roads, seriously good roads, you're next to the M48 and the old Severn bridge which rarely gets snagged up, about 20 minutes into Bristol really.
Some idea on the roads for you
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Chepstow/Abergav...
The ones on Corporation road area are all on a flood plain, and you will be looking at a muddy river.
The junction there can get snarled up, especially if you're coming down the SDR and want to head into Newport onto Corpor road.
Caerleon and Cwmbran is just a pain, as you're still getting stuck at the Coldra,
Cwmbran you'll get Coldra to Tunnels traffic, then you'll get the Duals traffic up and into Cwmbran
Caerleon, Same as above, really, but it's just kind of a s
t place to live these days, it's got horrible little cliques and it's lost it's charm (lived there for a long time, happy to get out of the place, don't think you would find many people who would move back there if they left)Personally for what you want I would look at Chepstow area (not so much Bulwark though) nice town, few pubs there, minutes from great roads, seriously good roads, you're next to the M48 and the old Severn bridge which rarely gets snagged up, about 20 minutes into Bristol really.
Some idea on the roads for you
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Chepstow/Abergav...
Sargeant Orange said:
Can echo the comments about staying east of the tunnels if possible.
My preference would be:
2) The new development just outside spytty on the Magor link road on part of the old steelworks site (the name escapes me) - good amenities close by (gym, shops) and an empty dual carriageway up to J23A
Glan llyn.My preference would be:
2) The new development just outside spytty on the Magor link road on part of the old steelworks site (the name escapes me) - good amenities close by (gym, shops) and an empty dual carriageway up to J23A
I worked in the Steelworks for a few years and all the old hands there agreed that they would never buy a house there. The amount of s
t they used to pump in to the earth was the common reason why.I would assume there's environmental regulations etc but they were all signing from the same hymn sheet.
Maybe more than you're looking to pay but a nice area:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...
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