Move from London to Derby

[Elvi1]

Hi mumsnetters,

I think my husband and I are ready to make the move away from London - eeek! We have visited Derby a few times to see friends who currently live there, and I got a good vibe from the area. It seems to offer the benefits of city life but on a far smaller scale than London, has lots of parks (I like Darley Park), good schools, and it's easy to get out into the countryside and into the Peaks. Both myself and my husband work in HE and are used to commuting an hour to and from work currently so there seems to be plenty of job opportunities in the midlands?

We have a 2 year old and another on the way. I'm open to the suburbs but, preferably, I'd quite like the option of walking up to 30 mins into the town centre (i still hope to enjoy a social life once our second comes along).

Has anyone relocated to Derby and found it easy to settle in and meet people? Odd for someone from London to ask, but is it a safe area to bring up children, even close to the town centre? Any areas you recommend or would chose to avoid? I would love to hear from anyone with advice, particularly from anyone who has made the move from London.

Thanks in advance 😃

I lived there for many years after moving from the south. I don’t live there now but only about 40 miles away and that’s due to work, not personal choice. I love it way more than where I live now.

Yes, as far as I ever experienced and from friends I still have there, it’s a safe city. I lived in Oakwood (a newish area, a good 30 min walk from town) and when I was young and living there alone, I did walk town.

Eating and drinking in the town is good; there are a number of very lovely places around saddler gate. Shopping is good with the new Westfield.

All depends on the type of house you are looking for but staying within the city Chester Green is pleasant, and walkable. Slightly further is allestree, and Darley Abbey is absolutely lovely. breadsall village? Chellaston is further out but really only minutes from town in a (cheap) cab. Avoids? Chadd. (Chaddesden), Allenton, Peartree. House prices are very representative of area.

Had you got any areas already in mind?

I have friends who left London to move back to duffield but they grow up there. We looked into it, some nice shops and restaurants but I would hate having to drive everywhere (and too near my in laws). It’s very different, I would find it frustrating....

Thank you for your super quick response. We have walked through Darley Abbey and really liked it - seems like a village within a city. I've seen a couple of nice properties in breadsall village but if I remember correctly, the schools needed some improvement - I'll check again. I've seen some nice properties in Challeston - will have a look around here when next visiting Derby. Also seen some nice properties along Burton road but they seem quite cheap for what you get in comparison to some other areas, and perhaps that's an indicator to avoid? Perhaps that's a bit too into town...

It's a cliche, I know, but we (I) would love a period property. I'd be happy moving into a like for like property to what we have now (3 bed terrace, smallish garden, option to extend into roof and possible side return) and I've seen some lovely terraces on Kingston Street, but my husband would like a bigger garden and house. Around the corner in Belper Road looks nice - near Darley park. Our budget is quite flexible. Do you know anything about Etwell? I realise that's a bit of a drive out of town but I've seen a couple of properties there. It maybe too villagey for me though! Interesting to know you can walk into town from Oakwell too. Thanks for your help!

Yeah I wasn't keen on Duffield if I'm honest - I know it's sought after, so just a personal preference. We do drive, but I'm used to London life where can easily walk to places which I like.

My parents live in Melbourne, which is lovely. Have you considered that or is it the wrong side of where you'd like to be? A lovely market town, some nice property.

Hi op

I live in Allestree, your thoughts on Darley Abbey are quite correct it’s a lovely place for relocation and has the added benefit of being in Ecclesbourne catchment but still a village feel

The park is lovely, concert once a year close to the uni and has a lovely restaurant on the river (Darleys)

I hate Duffield with a passion as many of its residents feel the world should revolve around them, that said there are some lovely period properties if you like that sort of property

Burton road is my idea of hell, it would be the last place in Derby I would want to live

Oakwood, chellaston are vast estates under resourced with traffic problems during work hours

Etwall is a lovely village now overshadowed by Hilton, I spent a lot of my teen years there and was very happy

Little Eaton is lovely but you would need to drive anywhere, Belper is also a solid small Town with some gorgeous areas around it

Thank you all for your input so far! Keep them coming....I don't know what i'm really after in terms of responses but they are helpful. Just an insight from people who live there is useful.

Ar - i thought there must be something undesirable about living on Burton Road as there are some lovely properties and wondered why they were so cheap.

I had considered Melbourne but there doesn't appear to be too much on the property market over the last 6 months - at least not of period properties we are after. I had thought it too far away from Derby, but perhaps you can give me some more information about life in Melbourne - the amenities it has to offer, shopping, places to go in the evening etc?

Crikey - that's a really good point about the HS2 - i hadn't even considered that so thanks!

I am in South Derbyshire, from Kent originally.

It takes a good while to get used to it.

We are in a village so not within walking distance at all...nice village, Victorian house, canal etc. Not sure I'd want to live anywhere in walking distance of the city centre if I am honest.

I've said on here before we should have a Derby Get-together.

I don't blame you miaow - the uncertainty about how it's going to effect you sounds blimmin stressful!

*ateardrop' your village sounds idyllic but not sure if I could cope with village life - which village do you live in? Oh, and I'm from Kent although I've been living in London since I was 23.

Elvi - I've never lived in Melbourne as it's somewhere my Aged Parents moved in retirement. But I do visit and it's very nice indeed, with shops, period properties, good social things like WI/Choirs etc. It's got a proper centre/choice of pubs etc. Small market town rather than village. Nice countryside around. Depends on what you want really? There's a regular bus service into Derby. Schools - I'm not so sure as I'm old now, but would suspect they are good. I think it's been lucky enough to keep it's library.

Derby itself is ok I guess (I live in London). I like the cathedral/museum. It tries hard and could make much more of the riverside. I wouldn't choose to live in Derby itself personally and parts (like everywhere!) are undesirable.

Derby is generally a safe city but much more needs to be done to improve its image/desirability.

Like others have said, I don’t think many places within walking distance of the city centre would appeal to many. There are some lovely houses on the road into Derby, coming from Darley abbey. That’s the side you want to be looking at rather than Peartree (as lovely as it sounds).

Melbourne is a nice little town/Village and has some nice little shops and restaurants. I’m not sure it’s what you’re looking for in terms of amenities etc.

Belper is a great town. Lots of history, period properties and a great community. All of the schools are at least Good, it’s close to the countryside but has the benefits of some good bars and restaurants. It has good transport links with its own train station and good bus service to Derby.

Duffield resident here, it's only 3miles to the city centre from the village centre, easily walkable or cycling is even quicker I used to do both regularly before I became a wheelchair user, buses run every 15 minutes. Lots of families move here for the excellent schools and the village is a very family friendly place to live.
We moved here from Darley Abbey which was lovely when the DC's were little but we felt we couldn't let them have the freedom we could in Duffield. It's a very safe place to raise a family.
The catchment are for the secondary school is shrinking due to housing developments but does extend into parts of Allestree and Darley Abbey.
I moved here 20years ago from Oxfordshire and have no regrets.
Good luck, PM me if you want to know more.

Thanks C4rollin - that's a kind offer. And thanks to the previous posters - your advice has been really useful. We are planning on visiting Derby next month so hopefully that we give us a better idea as to where to look.

We're in south Derby, and like it well enough. Your comment about Burton Rd jumped out at me though - it's a long road and you have to pick the right bit! The general rule is stay south of the ring road (but not Sinfin). Littleover is nice with local shops and good bus links into town. If schools are important, Littleover Community School is a good secondary (but do check catchments! Lots of estate agents like to describe properties as being in Littleover, but are in the catchment for Derby Moor school instead).

And if you like new builds you'll have plenty of choice! They seem to be appearing all over the place!

I’m Derby born and bred; lived in the city centre near Burton road for the first 20 years and wouldn’t recommend that area anymore. Would avoid Normanton, Allenton, Osmaston, Sunnyhill, parts of Chaddesden. Chellaston is pleasant enough though a little soulless, ditto Oakwood. Littleover is fairly nice, as is Mickleover. I love Darley Abbey but not so keen on Allesteee and Duffield.

There are some lovely villages on the outskirts - I now live in one of the villages off the A52 towards Nottingham and absolutely love it here. My dads not long moved to the outskirts of Spondon and it’s really nice where he is too.

Pm me if you need any help with specific areas :)

I moved from London via a midlands county town to a village between derby and nottingham 15 years ago. I couldn't get over at first how friendly it is at first - I'd be out walking my dog and strangers would speak to me, I wasn't used to this at all coming from London - now I nod and smile at everyone like everyone does.

Melbourne is very much a lovely village BUT it's been blighted by being on the flight path for East Midlands airport.

To add to what everyone else had said, you could also try some of the villages between derby and long eaton - spondon, borrowash, draycott and Breaston - they're all on fairly direct bus routes and near to the A52 and not too far from the m1. Sawley too, Risley is nice but has no local shops. Stapleford, sandiacre are worth a look. Further afield there's Ashbourne which I like. Belper, Wirksworth, alfreton

@MiaowTheCat I noticed on another thread that there’s quite a few mnetters from very local to me! Seems to be a popular neck of the woods :)

Thank you all for your responses and offers for me to get in touch if need further info. Plenty to think about and will look into areas suggested. Based on the info above, Im thinking a little further out might be better for us. I dont see myself living in a remote village, but a large village close to town might be suitable - a market town sounds like best of both worlds.