No go area's in Christchurch

[nickydwuk]

We will be moving to Christchurch next September and wondered if there are any areas in and around Christchurch that we should avoid? We were told by a real estate agent at the expo to avoid Linwood but is there anywhere else that is not suitable for a family with 2 teenage sons? We hope to live just outside the city in one of the suburbs or a little further out.

I also read that Cathederal Square was to be avoided at night - why??

[KiwiHopeful]

I dunno ... I've never been there at night, but Saturday and Sunday morning show evidence of some rowdiness (broken bottles and such) but nothing excessive or, as far as I can tell, dangerous. :shrug:

As for Linwood, it is a bit run down, and my wife has heard there's trouble at the schools. I've heard similar things about New Brighton.

That said, driving around Chch, I've never seen an area that was completely run down or an area that was completely pristine. Obviously, some are nicer than others--Cashmere, Fendalton, Merivale, Sumner, Red Cliffs come to mind--but it seems to me that most areas are a mixture of great, good, okay, and not-so-good.


If you want a bargain in an up-and-coming area, you could look at Waltham--where I live--or Spreydon or Beckenham. There's a lot of what we back in the States would call 'gentrification' or 'urban renewal.' On my street, for example, 1/3 of the houses are a bit run down--some with people who have lived there 20 years or more--1/3 are restored (like our rental) and 1/3 have been torn down and replaced with townhouses.

If you are looking for one of the outer 'burbs, I'd recommend Halswell or Prebleton. Kokopelli can tell you more about them.

There is also Kaiapoi, which is north of the city--but I wonder about traffic, as it strikes me as the one place from which you can't really get back into the city quickly.

You might also think about Rangiora, about 30 minutes north west of the city, or Tai Tapu, 15 minutes south. Lincoln, Rolleston, and Templeton--all to the West--also seem rather nice. Belfast, not so much. I don't know why, but there's something I just don't like about it.

Sorry to ramble, but I think your question is really rather complicated. You need to think about what you want--convenience, good schools, room to breath, near the beach, etc. etc.

And, FWIW, I've yet to find a place in Chch were I haven't felt safe.

[kokopeli]

Big city, saturday night, boys and girls, cheap booze and queues for clubs, taxis and fast food. What else is there to know?

I've been out a few times in Chch city centre at night. Never had a problem inside a venue and didn't feel unsafe outside. I wouldn't think it's anywhere near as bad as a Saturday night in even the smallest market town in the UK. The worst bits are the engine noise and the way the hoons chop lanes to show you their tail-pipes!

[nolasmom]

For the first two months after our arrival in ChCh, we rented a cottage in the neighborhood of Richmond. It was very dicey to say the least. We're pretty sure the woman who lived across the street was a lady of ill repute and/or a "P" dealer. Fences up and down the block were covered with graffiti. One house had a mattress on the front porch. Another home had scary-looking tattooed men in and out at all hours.

Another way to gauge neighborhoods is to check out the area school's decile rating. This rating reflects the income level of the surrounding neighborhood, though it is in no way reflective of the quality of education provided at that school.