Where should we consider moving to?

[Zalie]

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!

Hythe? Still in the SE I’m afraid, but plenty of fresh air (and a Waitrose) and a fabulous little secondary (Brockhill). Would make it easier to mange your current property too (speaking from experience it is far harder to sort out letting issues the further you are away). Also nearby Folkestone has a very good SEND all through school (The Beacon) if your child has a statement? Your money would go a long way too as it’s still relatively cheap compared to much of South East...

Needs work, but well within your budget 😁 www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55659999.html

Sorry to hear about your DP. Just off the top of my head, if I had no restriction on where I could live in the UK I would choose somewhere around Glasgow in Scotland (Helensborough or East Dunbartonshire), Cheltenham, Holt in Norfolk, Wells (Somerset), Shrewsbury or anywhere in Shropshire or Herefordshire (Market Drayton, Ludlow, Bridgnorth). I would imagine that your budget would get a decent place in most, perhaps not the centre of Cheltenham. My overall choice would be Scotland and you may also save university fees as well if you go there. For me the asthma would be a deal breaker and I’d definitely move. Good luck!

Never thought I'd hear Brockhill called a "fabulous secondary"! But Hythe, Lympne and Sellinge are nice.

Oh is it not then? I’m not close enough to know a great deal about it, but have heard nice things about their performing arts anecdotally and when we’ve been to a Brockhill Park the grounds for the farm school or whatever they call it look pretty impressive...

Market Harborough, Leicestershire would suit your criteria. It has everything you enjoy at the moment, but is surrounded by beautiful countryside. London under an hour by rail.

Thank you so much for the replies and various location ideas, and I will investigate them all further. Some I have heard of and others are totally unfamiliar to me, so probably would never have considered them without the suggestions from here. I really miss having my DH to discuss ideas with, so I especially appreciate you all taking the time to help me.

Sorry for your loss.

Have you family in your area that you rely on? How far are you considering moving?

Given DDs needs, would it be best to look for excellent PMLD schools and go from there? If she has lots of medical appointments you probably want to be nearish a city with a children’s hospital.

We have just moved from South East London to Worthing, best decision ever.

If you are open to anywhere what about a complete change like Shropshire? Telford in particular. Whilst it is a new town, so some parts are being built up more, the more established parts on the northern border of telford are nice (Admaston, Apley, Bratton, Shawbirch, Wrockwardine village area) and should (due to being on the boundary line for Telford new town) remain semi-rural / village like whilst still having good facilities close by (there are lots of protected green spaces and wildlife reserves too).

Good links to Motorways and important A roads.

The Bridge school in Hadley is a fantastic special needs school. Not so sure on secondary schools - my DC are only young primary age.

The best part: for £350k here you can easily buy a very 'naice' house/bungalow in those very 'naice' areas. (Telford house prices are rising faster than elsewhere but it is still a cheap place to buy houses).

Forget Waitrose, since you'd have to, but there's some great special schools in Co Durham, if you move to Bishop Auckland or thereabouts (Evergreen for primary, feeds to Oaks for Secondary) and plenty of M&S foodhalls.
I would absolutely make the school the core of your search and build your precise location around it.

I second co Durham... And also, for your budget you would have a huuuge house! Seriously my house is a 3 bed semi and was 30,000 lol xx

Thank you all so much for more suggestions.

I am willing to relocate absolutely anywhere in mainland UK, as long as I can make a good life for my children. Schools are obviously the first thing I will look into in all the suggested areas, because my DDs are already bereaved and so I need them to be in nurturing supportive environments where they can flourish and be happy.

I do have my immediate family very nearby right now, but they haven’t contacted us since my husband’s funeral and certainly haven’t helped us in any way in that time, so I don’t feel we'll be any worse off by moving away.