Kingsway is positioned in depressing Quedgeley in Gloucester. A swarm of newbuilds that at first glance do look refreshingly smart given the tired looking properties of miserable Quedgeley. But there is a reason why the house prices are so low, you certainly do get a lot more for your money here in Kingsway. The developers sold us the new village lifestyle that featured in their glossy brochures. The myth that ‘affordable housing’ properties are those occupied by low paid public sector workers. We didn’t see a problem with that, nothing wrong with having teachers, nurses, police constables etc in your neighbourhood.
Reality is though, the countless properties shaded as ‘affordable housing’ on the development site plan, were actually local authority housing. Oh yes Kingsway is overloaded with some of the worst social housing tenants you could imagine. It is quite the norm for them to have at least six children all crammed into a 4 bed house, and then to acquire several pets, status symbol dogs seem to be the favourite. Un neuteured cats fill the streets, and their incessant cat figthing can be heard all day and night. That teamed with the constant dog barking, and the screaming unsupervised kid in the streets, boy racer style cars with stereos blasting really would make the area unbearable for even a blind person to live. No joke, this is reality. Kingsway really does fit the stereo typical **** estate. The local schools OFSTED report basically sums it up, “Kingsway”, it reads, “Is an area of high deprivation”. Indeed it is, a lovely newbuild estate where you can sure to be greeted by pyjama clad residents in the local Tesco Express queuing up for their mid morning fix of 20 B&H.
The new build primary school has an influx of Eastern Europeans, and teen parents, not a great combination if you’re looking for a decent atmosphere in which to raise your children. The school run is not pleasant for the few average parents that have to grin and bare the hoards of youth’s that seem to be the common type of parents in Kingsway. With their dogs tied to the school railings, you have to look where you’re stepping, as the school entrance can sometimes look like a dog toilet. Not good for any asthmatics either as chain smoking by the school gate seems to be a common pastime amongst many of the underdeveloped minded parents.
In short don’t be fooled by the shining newbuilds with their attractive price tags. Don’t move to Kingsway, no matter how desperate your finances have become, it’s really just not worth it.
