Where we live in the SE at the moment, we are spoiled with kid friendly amenities. Within walking distance, there are outstanding and good schools, a waitrose, opticians, dentist, cafe, hairdressers, and in approx 10 minute drive, we have 2 leisure centres, 3 soft play centres, cinema, trampoline centre, large parks, shops, and motorway junctions for access elsewhere. My DD2 attends an amazing special school, and DD1 is about to start at a nurturing secondary school.
All great, except we’re on the boundary of two local authorities, both of which are building massive new build estates all around us. So by next year, there will have been approximately 5-6 thousand new houses built in our small area of town alone, with even more around the town itself, and no additional infrastructure planned. We’re only half way through the builds, with even more sites being proposed, and it’s gone from being the outskirts of a market town to like living in a city. The traffic is horrendous, the air quality is bad, crime has suddenly spiked, and there’s huge strain on all resources in the area.
My dh and I had been considering moving for a while, as he felt very strongly that the south east wasn’t the area he wanted to raise our children in. We’d only just started looking at potential areas when he became ill and so our plans were put on hold. Now, sadly, he has died and I’m torn between staying in our overcrowded area with DD1's worsening asthma, or making a move somewhere else.
I would probably rent at first, and rent my current house out, but I would love some ideas of where to look. Really, I want a small town or market town with at least one of each of the above kid friendly facilities, but somewhere less built up. The schools are most important, DD2 is thriving in her PMLD school and I want that to continue. DD1 needs a very nurturing small secondary school. I’d love an area where I could buy a detached bungalow with a large garden, yet still be able to walk into town and to waitrose, without spending over £350k. Is this an impossible dream? I am open to anywhere in the UK, so any suggestions of where might be a good fit for us? Thank you very much!