Relocating to Plymouth area

[Nereidd]

We've lived in our current house for over 20 years, we've done a lot to it and made lots of happy memories here but now our offspring are uni age we're planning a semi-retirement next year. Our house will be going on the market this time next year with a view to moving summer 2027 so we've already started freshening it up ready to get it valued within the next few months.

We still need at least three bedrooms and it has to be detached, not a new build, and preferably not on or near a main road (especially not the A38!)

Can anyone recommend what areas of Plymouth we should be looking at, or where to avoid? We know Plymouth pretty well already because DH lived there for a while when he was in the military plus we have family there, and DD is currently a student there. We have been visiting regularly for many years. We would like to be within striking distance of the sea and / or Dartmoor and although we don't want to be in the city centre we do want to be close enough to it for work / leisure and ideally with good public transport links into the city (we both drive but am thinking about work or evenings out etc). Budget should be around £400k although can potentially borrow a bit more for the right property. Thanks 😊

Village or within Plymouth? Just north towards Tavistock is beautiful- villages like Milton Combe, Crapstone, Meavy etc give easy access to the city but on the moor still. They aren’t super cheap but you could get a decent 3 bed for 400k. Or head slightly over the border into Cornwall where it’s a bit cheaper and you can get a lot more for your money.
it’s a beautiful part of the world, we are planning the same thing in a few years (I grew up nearby so know the area well)

Happy to be in a village but the main thing is that it's convenient to Plymouth for work and leisure. We love the Tavistock area but perhaps just a bit too far out if we're going into Plymouth several times a week. We also love the Tamar Valley but again it's how accessible Plymouth is from there 🫤

Tavistock always gives me weird creepy vibes! Not sure why. What about Modbury? Or Ermington? If you need to be closer than that then Plymstock or Goosewell/Elburton perhaps? Not very exciting but convenient - not sure on prices. Wembury/Down Thomas/Heybrook bay probably too expensive.

Yes, would quite happily settle in those areas you mention, the South Hams direction is lovely and of course closer to the coast! I do have a saved search on my Rightmove app and these areas do sometimes come up although as you say, at the upper end of our budget 😬

Yelverton area? Easy for Tavi and Plymouth and on bus route if needed.

But tbh anywhere on the outskirts is good. Elburton good for reaching south hams and beaches.

Modbury is lovely but once you are in the south hams it’s ££££

Not sure how old you are or how relevant this is to you but Plymouth LA probably a little better than Devon for setting up care packages etc.

Elburton ( if you want to be under PCC or Brixton, Yealmpton in the south hams are really well placed , and some of Ivybridge ( not the side next to the A38)- which has much better bus and train links into Plymouth than most of the villages.

Thanks for all of your replies, very helpful 😊

Some villages in the Tamar Valley are on the branch line into Plymouth city centre.

Just bear in mind if you come over the bridge that the locals tag prices are increasing regularly