Living in Bath
Housing
Newbridge's benefits are that it's on the very western edge of the city, with easy access to countryside, the M4 to the north, and the River Avon and Bath–Bristol cycle path, while also being walkable into the city, and only a few minutes by car or bus. There are schools and the RUH is on its doorstep. This is the same for Weston, on the north-western edge of Bath. Weston has a high density of 'affordable' family homes and is therefore much sought after.
Lansdown, on the northern slopes of Bath, is one of the most desirable areas of the city and prices reflect this for its large Georgian and Victorian properties. It's on the route to the M4 and popular with commuters. It's also home to a number of Bath's private schools.
Bear Flat has nothing to do with bears and isn't particularly flat. It's at the top of a steep hill climbing out of Bath city centre to the south, on the A367 road to Radstock and Shepton Mallet. It is a favourite location with families for its larger semi-detached and terraced Victorian/Edwardian town houses and gardens. Alexandra Park has spectacular views over Bath, and there's a busy shopping area and the highly-rated Beechen Cliff School.
Below and to the west of Bear Flat is Oldfield Park. This area is popular with students but there is other housing mixed in populated by families. Moorland Road is a busy shopping area with pubs, cafes and smaller supermarkets. Oldfield Park is a popular area with a very convenient mainline railway station running through, plus the National Cycling Network's Two Tunnels cyclepath.
A little further west is Twerton, home to Bath City Football Club and many students in its mix of Victorian terraced homes. This is a densely-populated area of private family homes, social housing, elderly sheltered accommodation and student houses of multiple occupations. It has shops, schools and pubs. Bath Spa University is a couple of miles away along the A4 towards Bristol. More housing popular with families and students can be found nearby, on the steep southern slopes of Whiteway and Southdown.
Combe Down is an historic village on the southern edge of Bath. It's the original source of Bath's famous stone, and it's an area in rapid expansion, with a new community and a first-time buyer housing development underway on an old MoD site, with a new school and community centre. Next door, there are plans to 'redevelop' the Foxhill post-war housing estate with 700 new homes, many of them affordable and a proportion for social housing. There are schools, shops, Bath centre nearby and the University of Bath just a mile or so away.
Widcombe is reached from Combe Down via Ralph Allen Drive, named after the man who commercialised the mining and use of Bath stone. It's an attractive and sought-after area within walking distance of the city centre, and sits beside the River Avon, the main Brunel-built railway line, and the Kennet and Avon Canal. There are parks and schools, but also a busy ring road and a residents' parking scheme.
Larkhall is a village of mixed Georgian, Victorian and 20th century homes on the north-eastern side of Bath, set back from the main A4 London Road. It has schools and a busy but small village centre of shops and pubs. Twenty years ago it was affordable but has long since been discovered, with prices for even two-bedroomed terraced Edwardian cottages now at eye-watering levels.
A mile further along the A4 is the old village of Batheaston. Since the Batheaston bypass was built – taking A46 motorway and A4 London-bound traffic away – Batheaston is now something of a backwater. It has few shops, a couple of pubs, some charming and expensive period properties and some late 20th century development. Access to the city centre can be congested and a good half-hour walk away.
For further housing advice from our Local Authority visit:
www.bathnes.gov.uk
For information about Help to Buy schemes in Bath and North East Somerset visit: www.helptobuysouth.co.uk