Advice on St Austell area

Ducktard

Thinking of buying a house in St Austell. Is it a pleasant place or grotty?

Ramouth

I’d say it’s very mixed.  The town centre itself is a bit tired but there have been efforts to regenerate it.  Some of the coastal villages to the south are really lovely.  Some of the inland villages are a bit odd.  

sammyjammy

Ramouth said:

I’d say it’s very mixed.  The town centre itself is a bit tired but there have been efforts to regenerate it.  Some of the coastal villages to the south are really lovely.  Some of the inland villages are a bit odd.  

I think that pretty much sums it up  , my parents live about 4 miles away and I haven't been to StAustell town centre in about 20 years worth of visits to them - says it all.

Owleyes00

I went there once on a day trip when we were in Cornwall generally thinking it sounded like a nice quaint Cornish town. Turns out I may as well have been in Harlow!

Thrugelmir

The town centre is like many now, is tired and in need of regeneration. 

teachfast

It's a dump. Truly horrid

SallyDucati

One of my sisters friends who lives near calls it 'St Awful'.  Didn't actually visit when we were down there so can't comment myself.

Ramouth

I think it depends what you are comparing it to.  It’s not the nicest town in Cornwall by a long shot - but neither is it the worst.  And nicer places are generally more expensive or have less good transport links.

I don’t know if the OP needs to be near St Austell for work, but if not, I would suggest Helston as a far nicer town which is similarly good value for money.

smc103

I lived there for a few years and my mum still lives there. The town centre is is dump. They have blue lights hanging off the trees in the church yard to stop druggies shooting up! There are some nice areas close by and miles of gorgeous beaches. Most of the villages in the clay areas are cheap but bleak. 

olgadapolga

SallyDucati said:

One of my sisters friends who lives near calls it 'St Awful'.  Didn't actually visit when we were down there so can't comment myself.

Ha! We call it that as well. It's not a great place and has little going for it. It would be the last place I'd choose to live.

Muttleythefrog

I've only visited the town once and found it sedate with the usual issues of the English dying town centre... high rents driving businesses out and general neglect but elements of charm and regeneration (like the Market House). It is clearly not the most picturesque or quaint Cornish town (Fowey to the east though probably is up there and an example of somewhere easily reachable from town by bus or road) but it is well located for things like road and rail to the rest of county. However I have watched and listened carefully to many who have moved to the St Austell area over recent years and overwhelmingly they seem to see it as a very positive move (especially those coming from more metropolitan areas of the country) - some are involved in trying to liven up the town and I think that there is a good element of people wanting to change the place for better. My impression is the suburbs (which can range from only a couple minutes to half an hour walk from town centre) are generally pleasant and depending on where in the town you lived a place like Charlestown (Poldark fame etc) could be walkable distance. The surrounding villages in St Austell bay area can be very desirable but the clay country villages to the north of the town perhaps feel a bit more away from the action, or bleak as someone above said. The tag of St Awful perhaps more applicable to the local MP in all honesty.

Depends what ultimately you want and expect. I'd move to the town tomorrow (without visiting again first) as would clearly many others as trying to even get a viewing on newly advertised properties can often result in a 'sorry too busy' - I would say typical houses have increased in value by about 20% in the last year in the town and surrounding areas. Busy roads are clearly an issue but not something that would be issue for me.