Moving to South Devon

[ondevontime]

Reposting in chat in case better place for this.

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this or not but would be really grateful for any advice.

We are relocating to Devon due to my husband's new job in Torquay. The commute needs to be 30 minutes or less. We have two teenagers and one in primary so obviously need to take schooling into account. The children are not keen to be somewhere very rural or at least want somewhere with reasonable transport links. They are actually keen on Exeter itself but I'm concerned the commute might be a bit too far for my husband. Torquay itself seems quite run down.
I am torn between being near the sea and the moor.
I wondered if anyone has any recommendations of possible locations for us and might be able to describe the pros and cons of the places and whether they might suit a family/ what the roads are like, etc

Many thanks

I grew up in Devon. You are correct in that Torquay is quite a deprived area. I also don't think most of the secondary schools in that part of South Devon have a great reputation.

Exeter is the best choice for somewhere a bit more lively and has some good schools. If you want to be closer to the moor has you considered Totnes, a biggish town with a trainline to Exeter? It is quite hippyish though, but has quite a lot going on that might appeal to young people.

Some of the areas futher along the coast e.g Salcombe, Dartmouth are nice but have a lot of second home owners and are exoensive and probably not ideal for teenagers in the winter.

Most kids who grow up in Devon head for London for university precisely because it's so difficult to be a teenager there. (DP was one of them). TBH, if you have the ability to act as the older ones' taxi service all the time, I'd go for somewhere rural and they would have to put up with it until university.

Torquay-Exeter really is a hellish commute to do every day. Maybe look up the hill from Torquay (Shaldon, St Marychurch)? It's not the greatest place for teens (unless they're into sailing).

Exeter - Torquay is a terrible commute. Snails pace crawling along. Some lovely places out of Torquay. I wouldn’t go further than Newton Abbot due to traffic. Along the coast traffic might be better, but in the summer it’s impossible. I used to live in Newton Abbot and work near Totnes. It was painful in the summer.

Oh I see you don’t want the commute to be more than 30 mins. Exeter is out.

Newton Abbot area might be too far depending on time of day. The roads get so snarled up. I think I’d go higher than Torquay on the hill. Beautiful views.

@DobbyTheHouseElk- I heard that the commute from Exeter to Torquay isn't too bad now they have built the bypass.

Do you have any specific recommendations of places to consider outside Torquay? Are Shaldon/ Teignmouth or even small villages outside Torquay worth considering?

The commute is loads better since they built the bypass. I live near Kennford and it takes 20 minutes to got to my mums in Ellacombe, which is near Torquay town centre.

Maybe have a look around Chudleigh, Ideford or Kingsteignton?

Don’t you need to decide on schools first and then choose somewhere a good distance from both.

I wouldn’t ever want to live in Kingsteignton or Newton Abbot. Ideford has nothing and zero transport, why would they want to live there?

Newton Abbot is a depressing place. I wouldn’t live there by choice.

All the towns in the area are a mix of v run down and pretty nice.
Whilst parts of Torquay are run down, there are some good schools (three grammar schools for example) and there are some nicer areas. Up around cockington is pretty etc. So it might be worth looking at houses in Torquay anyway.
Similarly Newton Abbot (Newton Armpit) has some nicer areas (up on the hill overlooking the gold course).
Totnes is quirky and could be seen as cool by your kids if they’re into that sort of thing.
Teignmouth is dead but there is the beach in the summer and Muse came from there.

Even Exeter has some really rough parts, and as PPs have said it’s a ball ache of a commune.

It might help to know where you’re coming from? You aren’t going to find London down in the South West.

(I have tried to be even handed but I dislike Torquay because I went to school there and I think Totnes is full of pretentious twats and I refer to Newton Abbot as Newton Armpit... but I’m clearly bitter)

I have just read my post back and realised that it sounds like you shouldn’t go to Devon. You should - it’s totally lush. Just don’t expect a metropolis anywhere.

The grammars are single sex in Torquay if you really want that. Girls is better than boys. Teignmouth isn’t dead and has rail links to Exeter.

But yes need to know where you’re coming from and schools really.

I really wouldn’t live in Torquay.

What sort of schools are you looking for? Grammar? Comprehensive? Independent? The new bypass is quick and the road to Exeter is ok outside of rush hour. I drive at least 20-30 minutes to anywhere and am just used to that. If you want your kids to have more independence then perhaps Teignmouth for the railway would make sense. I love the seafront there.

@ondevontime where are you coming from? South hams is expensive but pretty.

Scabby Carrot-Newton Abbot. Sorry to all people who live there.

Depends what you and your family want really....

• Exeter is great but and to drive to Torquay with new bypass is better but traffic getting in and out of Exeter can be awful.
• Torquay is quite rough in places but also some nice areas.
• Totnes is inland, well placed to get to lots of things and very popular. It's also quite a hippy place.
• Teignmouth, Shaldon, is lovely. It's not dead! Nice town feeling, also very popular. Good transport links and easy to get everywhere from.
• places like Dartmouth, Brixham are lovely seafront towns (nicer than Teignmouth) but much further away travel times to everywhere else.
• ashburton / bovey tracy might be worth a look as well as smaller towns nearer the moor but seem to be well liked.

The thing with Devon is lots of places don't have much money but where it can, rely on tourism so have a certain feel. You just sort of learn to live with it.

I really like Brixham, but I don't know what the drive round the bay to Torquay would be like in the summer.

I would avoid newton abbot....just because it's a normal, average market town. It's not near the moor, or the sea, not particularly Devon like or different. I always think it would be a waist of a move to Devon to move there as it could be anywhere - which is completely ridiculous!!

@reefedsail bloody awful! 45 mins to get from Torquay to brixham on a good summer day! One road in and out 🤦🏼‍♀️

I thought as much. My DS sails at events at the various clubs round the bay and the road along the coast is quite tedious even first thing on a weekend morning.

Depends what your house budget is OP and where your kids will be going to school ? Traffic worries are all relative, Devon bad traffic is probably very different to London bad traffic for example! Can you give more details?
I have friends who live near there. Places like Churston and Upper Preston part of Paignton have beautiful coastal views and quite close to Torquay- depends what your budget is really.
Totnes and Dartington really nice too. Do you prefer coast or countryside ?

There are train links from Exeter to Torquay. Lots of people do it.

Schools are key here. If you have teens I’m presuming you’ll want Exeter College for Alevels to be accessible.

Churston Ferrers is a mixed grammar.

In your position I’d go for Totnes 100%.

Oh live in Totnes... For me!
I went to uni there and absolutely loved it.

I wouldn't commute Exeter to Torquay. Unless he can get a train? Even then Exeter is busy.

How far away are you from Devon now?