Need to choose North or South Devon to live. Help me!

[RainbowShoes80]

Any advice would be appreciated!

We will be moving to Devon towards the end of the year as my husband has been offered jobs at both Barnstaple and Torbay.

So basically we need to choose and struggling! Both jobs similar , although Torbay around 20k more a year.

We have a 4 year old so primary schools is a big consideration. Both areas seem a mixed bag but generally lots of good choices. Obviously grammar schools in south.

Our heart says north Devon as we would like to live in a quiet village close to a sandy beach. Villages look beautiful. We don't mind being away from lots of shops but worried there might not be lots for DD to to when she gets older.

My head says south Devon, due to more money and grammar schools. Would need to love within 30 mins of Torbay and areas maybe don't look so nice ( might be totally wrong about this though as still checking the villages out) .

Does anybody have any experience of moving to either?
Any views about this would be great. Such a big decision.

I live in Somerset rather than Devon, but my advice would be South too. I've lived in lots of places and countries and would say for a holiday you can go with your heart, but for a permanent move it has to be head.
All the things that you want to get away from and to, that make a holiday destination perfect are usually the opposite to what makes day to day life easy!
Access to good schools, activities, healthcare and easier access to Exeter/M5/Rail and air links are important and much better in South Devon. N Devon link road can be a bit of a nightmare in summer too.

South devon ,much more to do and less bleak in the winter

When you say your OH would need to be within 30 mins of Torbay, is there a specific place within Torbay he’d need to be within 30 mins of? Torbay covers Babbacombe to Berry Head so it’s a really big area.

You have all been so helpful, thank you. You have reassured me about South Devon. My plan is to visit some of the areas you have suggested in the next few weeks. Really exciting to see the area.

We need to be sure a nice primary school is available as we have missed the 1st school application date. Not ideal but hopefully we will find somewhere.

My husband will be working at Torbay hospital

Ah that’s a good location in terms of where you can look. Have a look at Bovey Tracey, and there’s lots of little villages between a38 and a380. For grammar schools, there’s Churston and Torquay Girls which both have good reputations.

Definitely not Barnstaple!

Where are you moving from, if you don't mind my asking?

South Devon definitely has better links to Exeter and Plymouth, which are the only two cities of any size in the region. Bear in mind Exeter has the airport, which, though small, has reasonable links to the rest of the world, and the universities are mainly in Plymouth and Exeter (very different types of uni).

If you're moving from somewhere very rural already then North Devon would probably not be too much of a culture shock, but if you're moving from anywhere near a reasonably sized city, definitely stick with South Devon. Major hospitals - Exeter; Plymouth; Torbay. There is a hospital in Barnstaple but it's much smaller and check out the latest CQC reports. And definitely check out how difficult it is to travel out of Barnstaple if you don't have a car or find yourself unable to drive for any reason. Try out the AA, RAC and Google maps websites for commutes at different times (and add on at least half an hour for the first and last ones). And bear in mind that if you did go for something on Dartmoor, say, if it snows that will have a huge effect on your commute; and in the summer tourist traffic may have an effect. LOTS of caravanners and motor-homers head for this part of the world as it's so very pretty.

As other posters have said, the area is surprisingly deprived in many ways, once you're past the chocolate box second-homes image. I wouldn't actually recommend Totnes unless you like "woo" and lots of it. (And I do like "woo" but it's too "woo" even for me.)

I can't speak for Plymouth but lived for 4 years around Exeter and always found it quite a friendly town, I still have good friends down there. (Though Devon itself is even nicer and you can get to Cornwall really quickly and easily a lot of the year.)

If your husband is in the medical or healthcare field, maybe also check out the facilities at both hospitals for teaching, CPD etc.

Good luck though, it's a lovely part of the world.

Torbay area - Galmpton, Churston, Stoke Gabriel (between Paignton and Totnes)
Totnes area - Dartington, Chudleigh, Combeinteignhead.
Exeter area - Ottery St Mary, Westhill, Powderham

All lovely!

I live in Barnstaple! And everything said previously is true, North Devon is lovely but quite cut off from the rest of the UK really, the schools aren't brilliant, I often hanker after a bit of culture but then it is very beautiful in north Devon and fab in the summer.

South and Tavistock in particular.

I would echo all the South Devon opinions. It's so much more connected and so many more options for schools and activities.

30 minutes to Torbay Hospital gives you quite a big radius tbh as the new road has made everything quicker.

I'm East Devon and love it so would be tempted to recommend places this Exeter side of Torbay.

North Devon is there for the visiting but it's a more isolated kind of place.

There are nice coastalish villages along the Teign that would be within easy distance to Torbay Hosp - Bishopsteignton, Combeinteignhead, Stokeinteignhead, Shaldon even...

I wouldn't recommend the Tavistock area, as although it's lovely, once you add in a bit of snow, there is no way on earth your DH is going to be able to get to Torbay in half an hour - he wouldn't even be able to get to Derriford in that time.

Coffinswell always used to be quite cute but I haven’t been there in a while. Might be worth a look?

My mum used to run the pub in Coffinswell, lovely village!

I come from Exmouth in south Devon (although live in Scotland now) I would say south Devon , especially Torbay is a much better choice for things to do etc.

Coffinswell is a bit out in the sticks and the roads have no pavements. The Linny used to be a nice pub though WingBingo But I don't think it's a great place for kids. Abbotskerswell has a bit more going for it with a village shop (and POST OFFICE) but again not great for kids being able to roam around. Kingskerswell is better and since the new road has been built is far less blighted by traffic. You'll be minutes away from the hospital if you live there.

Shiphay is the area where the hospital is, it has nice roads and that's also where the grammar schools are. However, Torquay itself isn't very nice except for the sea front. St Marychurch is quite a nice area though and has its own mini town centre.

Newton Abbot has some great housing stock but is hilly and as others have said, has been blighted by out of town supermarkets and lost its M&S. Teignmouth isn't bad but is about to lose its Waitrose. These things matter because if you lose those shops the town centre loses custom.

Totnes is nice and not that far away. I really like Exeter but I don't know what the state schools are like there. It would be within 30 mins of the hospital though and there's plenty of new housing.

you can get to Cornwall really quickly and easily a lot of the year

if you are in Devon you don't need to!

The thing about the lovely villages is that they used to be lovely. But they are blighted by cars. Not being able to walk around easily would be a real pain for me. Country lanes with no pavements and people driving too fast isn't great. Hence why I would go for a bigger but less picturesque village like Kingskerswell.

Thanks for so many replies.

We have 100% decided on south Devon,so that's a start!

I have been busy looking at right move at all your suggestions! There are lots of lovely looking houses. It's difficult to get a feel of them in terms of traffic, how busy etc. Hopefully we can go down look and looks.

I'll be coming from the edge of Oxford (which I will miss!!) it isn't too busy where we live, but we have a river, play park, pubs etc nearby. We know we want a good view and decent size garden! I also really like the idea of being near a safe country/coastal path to cycle with family.

It might make more sense to rent initially so we can get to know the area better. The only problem I face with that is deciding on a school location. Unless we choose a school near the hospital maybe?

Renting is a good idea. I think you need to narrow your search area so that you can pick and stick with a school, but the better you know an area the better decision you can make on a house and not be under time pressure to buy before you move.
It's not hard to buy a house from a distance, but you will be buying just the house whereas you actually want to be buying in to the neighbourhood/traffic/lifestyle etc. as well.
When does your DH start his new job?