Nice areas near Cardiff?
Discussion
There's a possibility we could be relocating to Cardiff, but we have little knowledge of the nicer areas to live.
Also, what are the areas to avoid? I know that Grangetown is a bit rough but that's the limit of what I know! People have mentioned St Mellons as a nice area, but again we have no idea
Any recommendations would be most appreciated!
Also, what are the areas to avoid? I know that Grangetown is a bit rough but that's the limit of what I know! People have mentioned St Mellons as a nice area, but again we have no idea
Any recommendations would be most appreciated!
There are a couple of St.Mellons, a guy I worked with was from one and was of the opinion that there was a good one and a not-so-good one. Can't remember which is which, though!
Heath, Cyncoed, Lisvane, Pen-y-Lan are nice places. I think Whitchurch is meant to be too, but I've not spent any time there really.
Avoid Grangetown, Riverside, Canton, Gabalfa, Bute. Cathays is basically student-land.
Heath, Cyncoed, Lisvane, Pen-y-Lan are nice places. I think Whitchurch is meant to be too, but I've not spent any time there really.
Avoid Grangetown, Riverside, Canton, Gabalfa, Bute. Cathays is basically student-land.
I lived in Whitchurch, great area, nice village in a city type feel, as is Llandaff North. Good train service to the city centre and Cardiff Bay. Not the cheapest of areas though. Don't dismiss Canton, some areas are ok, it also backs on to Pontcanna, which is 'trendy' with the Taffia, but again not cheap.
St Mellons is divided into two, the new(ish) very large development (with lots of social housing) and the much nicer and very expensive Old St Mellons. Roath, Lisvane and Cyncoed are also very expensive areas. Cardiff Bay is mostly apartments and town houses, great if your looking for rental property close to restaurants and bars. It's also close to Butetown, which is not as nice
. Cathays is all students.
If you want your money to go further, but still be 'in touch' look further out. I live about 12 miles out, but can 'bus in' in twentyfive minutes. There are good rail links to the Valleys, and you'd be surprised what you can find up there (I recently heard of a four bed house with an acre of land for £150,000, could have been a dump though).
St Mellons is divided into two, the new(ish) very large development (with lots of social housing) and the much nicer and very expensive Old St Mellons. Roath, Lisvane and Cyncoed are also very expensive areas. Cardiff Bay is mostly apartments and town houses, great if your looking for rental property close to restaurants and bars. It's also close to Butetown, which is not as nice
. Cathays is all students. If you want your money to go further, but still be 'in touch' look further out. I live about 12 miles out, but can 'bus in' in twentyfive minutes. There are good rail links to the Valleys, and you'd be surprised what you can find up there (I recently heard of a four bed house with an acre of land for £150,000, could have been a dump though).
Edited by SwanJack on Friday 22 February 10:38
It rather depends on your budget and where you are planning on working as traffic considerations need to be borne in mind.
Old St Mellons is posh and north of the A48, the large housing estate known as St Mellons, south of the A48, is not.
There are many areas to avoid in Cardiff but equally parts of those areas may well be acceptable dependent on budget.
Grangetown is the hub of the Asian community, Riverside and parts of Roath similarly.
Cathays/Roath is a mass of student accommodation and they are mainly pigs who leave rubbish out. Rats can be an issue and parking certainly is but students love it!
Areas around Roath Park and north of there are reasonable - Lakeside, Heath, Cyncoed, Penylan, Lisvane, Rhiwbina, Whitchurch, Llandaff. Llandaff North is an "odd" area between Llandaff and Whitchurch which tends to get associated with the less desirable Gabalfa but my first house was there and it was fine to the west of the main road at any rate (Victorian terraces). Canton and Victoria park can be hit or miss as can Fairwater. Other areas to watch are the distinction between Old St Fagans (posh)and "new St Fagans" which is reasonable housing tagged on the top of Ely/Michaelston.
There are plenty of areas that began poorly which have had a large percentage of council and local authority housing like Gabalfa, Llanrumney, Ely/Caerau, Pentrebane, Llanishen estate, Tremorfa and so forth some of which have slowly been bought into private hands so have matured to some extent.
Prices can be prohibitive though so many tend to live on the outskirts - villages like Gwaelod-y-Garth, Creigiau and Pentyrch towards Pontypridd and Thornhill and Danescourt and Caerphilly Mountain developments, all within 10 miles of the centre.
There is, of course, Cardiff Bay, a mass of flats and tri-storey housing but I wouldn't want to live there myself.
For most people, the MAIN issue is getting a house in the catchment area of a good school for their kids as there are plenty which you might not want your kids to go to.
NB No offence to anyone living in any of the areas mentioned. Like every area, it is not the housing but the people you end up living next door to which make or break an area and I know many people who live in these areas without any issues at all. Even in posh areas, there are plenty of ars*h*les.
The other point to bear in mind is public transport which can be restrictive as there are a number of "arteries" which run out of Cardiff in various directions.
Old St Mellons is posh and north of the A48, the large housing estate known as St Mellons, south of the A48, is not.
There are many areas to avoid in Cardiff but equally parts of those areas may well be acceptable dependent on budget.
Grangetown is the hub of the Asian community, Riverside and parts of Roath similarly.
Cathays/Roath is a mass of student accommodation and they are mainly pigs who leave rubbish out. Rats can be an issue and parking certainly is but students love it!
Areas around Roath Park and north of there are reasonable - Lakeside, Heath, Cyncoed, Penylan, Lisvane, Rhiwbina, Whitchurch, Llandaff. Llandaff North is an "odd" area between Llandaff and Whitchurch which tends to get associated with the less desirable Gabalfa but my first house was there and it was fine to the west of the main road at any rate (Victorian terraces). Canton and Victoria park can be hit or miss as can Fairwater. Other areas to watch are the distinction between Old St Fagans (posh)and "new St Fagans" which is reasonable housing tagged on the top of Ely/Michaelston.
There are plenty of areas that began poorly which have had a large percentage of council and local authority housing like Gabalfa, Llanrumney, Ely/Caerau, Pentrebane, Llanishen estate, Tremorfa and so forth some of which have slowly been bought into private hands so have matured to some extent.
Prices can be prohibitive though so many tend to live on the outskirts - villages like Gwaelod-y-Garth, Creigiau and Pentyrch towards Pontypridd and Thornhill and Danescourt and Caerphilly Mountain developments, all within 10 miles of the centre.
There is, of course, Cardiff Bay, a mass of flats and tri-storey housing but I wouldn't want to live there myself.
For most people, the MAIN issue is getting a house in the catchment area of a good school for their kids as there are plenty which you might not want your kids to go to.
NB No offence to anyone living in any of the areas mentioned. Like every area, it is not the housing but the people you end up living next door to which make or break an area and I know many people who live in these areas without any issues at all. Even in posh areas, there are plenty of ars*h*les.
The other point to bear in mind is public transport which can be restrictive as there are a number of "arteries" which run out of Cardiff in various directions.
Edited by LuS1fer on Friday 22 February 19:12
Try Pontprennau - it's all new build in the last 10-15 years, which I know is a turn off for a lot of people. But the prices are quite reasonable and its five minutes drive to the motorway max if you're working outside of Cardiff. Nice area with a every different size of house.
As other's have mentioned, Thornhill, Old St Melons, are nice. Lisvane and Cyncoed are expensive but some of the houses, especially in Cyncoed are quite magnificent. I remember reading that one of the streets in Cyncoed is Wales' most expenisve post code.
Whitchurch is also nice, close to the motorway and has a village feel to it.
As other's have mentioned, Thornhill, Old St Melons, are nice. Lisvane and Cyncoed are expensive but some of the houses, especially in Cyncoed are quite magnificent. I remember reading that one of the streets in Cyncoed is Wales' most expenisve post code.
Whitchurch is also nice, close to the motorway and has a village feel to it.
Happy82 said:
Thanks for the responses, we would actually be working outside of Cardiff but love the city due to the sports and culture there. We are looking at cheaper areas so that we can try to be mortgage fre earlier in life rather than a slave to the banks for the rest of our lives 
How about wenvoe? Good transport links and village atmosphere but literally a stone throw from cardiff. Houses seem better value for money as well. How about Miskin/Llantrisant/Talbot Green/Pontyclun?
I get through the lanes from Miskin via Groesfaen and the bottom of Creigiau to Cardiff centre in about 20 mins most mornings, just off the M4 and very close to Llandow. There are trains and buses regularly and the transport links are not too bad.
I lived in Whitchurch down near the old canal for 10 years and it was fantastic, shame the old cow made us sell up before she fecked off!
I get through the lanes from Miskin via Groesfaen and the bottom of Creigiau to Cardiff centre in about 20 mins most mornings, just off the M4 and very close to Llandow. There are trains and buses regularly and the transport links are not too bad.
I lived in Whitchurch down near the old canal for 10 years and it was fantastic, shame the old cow made us sell up before she fecked off!
Would avoid Pontprennau. Too many people move to Cardiff, live there then spend ages trying to sell the place. It's too far out with not enough to do (unless you like Asda / B+Q / The Village Inn pub. Decent bus links to town and it's literally right on the M4 though.
I'd try to avoid:
Ely
Llanedeyrn (bits are OK)
Pentwyn (bits are OK)
Tremorfa (got a kicking here at 12 years old - think taxi drivers don't go down here any more either)
Splott (bits are OK - bit grungey though)
Grangetown (bits are OK)
Gabalfa
Llanrumney
St Mellons (although bits are OK)
Trowbridge
Llanishen (the estates)
Riverside (bits can be dodgy)
Cathays (too many students)
Butetown
Another thing to think of - will you want off road parking? A lot of inner Cardiff doesn't have this and parking can be tight.
Avoid the bay if you work to the east of Cardiff. The transport links going to the M4 eastbound are s
te.
I'd try to avoid:
Ely
Llanedeyrn (bits are OK)
Pentwyn (bits are OK)
Tremorfa (got a kicking here at 12 years old - think taxi drivers don't go down here any more either)
Splott (bits are OK - bit grungey though)
Grangetown (bits are OK)
Gabalfa
Llanrumney
St Mellons (although bits are OK)
Trowbridge
Llanishen (the estates)
Riverside (bits can be dodgy)
Cathays (too many students)
Butetown
Another thing to think of - will you want off road parking? A lot of inner Cardiff doesn't have this and parking can be tight.
Avoid the bay if you work to the east of Cardiff. The transport links going to the M4 eastbound are s
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