Where could we live? Yorkshire or NE?

[FoleyHuck]

Posting in Chat for Traffic as we need all the help we can get.

We are seriously considering moving back to England (or maybe Scotland??) after many years living offshore. A general idea that we'd like North Yorkshire or the North East as we have family in those areas, but not really any idea where to start, so looking for help from the wise hive mind.

Initial thoughts on requirements as follows;

• Access to a city for jobs. One of us with an IT background and one with a Travel / Tourism / Customer Service background.
• Prefer to actually live in a small town or large village. Ideally with train link to aforementioned city and some amenities like cinema / restaurants nearish.
• Decent primary school for DS (still a baby so not an urgent requirement)
• Decent nurseries for DS (more urgent)
• Nice community feel if possible.
• We'd want to rent to start with but buy when we've found the right area. £250/£300k budget for 2 or 3 bedroom with a garden and parking.
• After 20 years on a small island it would be a wrench to be too far from the sea I think, so maximum of an hours drive from the coast.

Open to any suggestions that we can start researching.

Thanks in advance.

Yorkshire would work as Leeds is a good place to seek work, alternatively the greater Newcastle area

North east coast. Morpeth and later this year bedlington will have direct train services into Newcastle.

Hexham in Northumberland. Fantastic small town, great school and facilities and safe.

What cities would suit your employment best? Leeds, Bradford, is York too small, Hull, Teeside
House prices very greatly. The villages round York are very expensive and schools seem tricky.
Villages near keighley and skipton are pricey but there are excellent schools and transport links
Your house budget should be ok in those areas

House prices cheaper on Teesside but not where the schools are best.

It’s about an hour and half from skipton to the east coast.

Leeds is pretty good for IT jobs and there are plenty of places in a 5-10 mile radius that would tick your boxes

Lots to consider already, thank you.

We need to really drill into the job opportunities in the cities, I appreciate that. This was a vague plan for circa 3 years time that's potentially being rapidly brought forward due to current work situations. DH recently made a career side-step that isn't working out and my employer are being 'tricky' about my proposed return to work after maternity so it might be a good time to just bite the bullet and make the move now.

With your skill sets I would look at Newcastle. It has a great public transport with the metro so you could look around Monkseaton/ Whitley Bay.

Don't discount Darlington. It has quite a lot of amenities, several good primary schools, easy access to Yorkshire Dales/Moors and Newcastle and York a short trip away.

There are lots of civil service departments there including DfE, Treasury etc.

If you want easy access to the coast from Leeds you need to be near the A1 or A64, not the other side of the city, even then it’s an hour at quiet times. Newcastle is a fabulous city with the local towns pp have mentioned all being good. I’m not sure how far your budget goes there though.

Was also going to suggest Hexham and Morpeth. Ponteland. Budget wouldn't quite get you what you want in Tynemouth but perhaps would in Monkseaton, or Whitley Bay which puts you on fabulous coastline and metro connection into Newcastle.