Where is nice to live in Derbyshire?

[whereinderbyshire]

Hi

We are looking for some advice on where to move within Derbyshire please.

We would like to be close to Belper as we like it there and have some friends and family around the area.

Ideally we are looking for a new build that offers part exchange so it is limiting our options. New builds in Belper that are available are all too small. So far we've seen that barratt offers new build part exchange but this would be in chesterfield or brinsley and think it might be abit too far out, but feel drawn to the fact that there will be a lot more going on in those areas for kids. Schools are important to us too.

There's some new builds in allestree and Matlock so at the moment those areas would be top of our list. Has anyone got any advice about these areas? Schools, things to do? We horse ride, like bike riding on weekends and nice walks with the dog, love farms but farms with children's entertainment and we've seen bluebell dairy farm looks right up our street so would like to be close enough to that. Ideally we didn't want to be in Derby itself but I've heard allestree is a nice area?

Areas we love are Crich but they don't offer part exchange. We've seen some cheap new builds in shirland but worried it could be quite boring for the kids.

Any suggestions on areas around Belper (20 mins max roughly) where we can get the right balance of rural, but enough going on without too far a drive. And good schools.

Thanks

Matlock, Crich and Belper are lovely but they can be hell to drive through on weekends and during the summer because of tourists, although I suppose it depends whereabouts the new housing estates are situated. Allestree is also lovely but city not rural.

@SunsetCocktails we would consider city if the area is really good with a low crime rate and good schools. In some way it does appeal because I reckon we will have more on our doorstep and I suspect we won't be massively far from the more rural areas we like anyway. The move really is all about the kids and where they will grow up and call home. It's such a hard decision! And don't want to regret our move. Our next move is where we would like to stay.

Ashbourne is an obvious option or a village between Belper and Ashbourne. Brilliant grammar school. My parents lived in Hulland Ward which is quite reasonably priced. Lovely area. Matlock is lovely but as your children get older they may find it too provincial and so consider living a bit closer to Derby itself.

@AmusedGoose love the idea of Ashbourne and the school sounds good. But at least half an hour drive from Belper. Would Ashbourne be good for teenagers too?
I think allestree would be our option if we are close to Derby considering we can get a new build there but wondering if there's any other areas around Derby that are nice if we were staying closer to a city?

Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Ashbourne is actually a comprehensive school, it just has grammar school in the name for historical reasons

Thank you. I think I read somewhere it's one of detbyshires most highly regarded secondary schools. Is this not so? I thought it sounded a good school?

If you head Duffield way ( although Duffield is more expensive than Belper) has Ecclesbourne . If you went Kilburn it is cheaper than Belper but not as rural ., same with Holbrook. Fritchly and Ambergate are nice also more rural .

kirk Langley is also nice

i don’t know much about new builds in the area though

Allestree is a nice, predominantly middle class suburb of Derby which has grown up around a central village. Darley Abbey is a smaller suburb nearby, which is next to the river Derwent and a lovely big park. Highly recommended. Duffield is a village a few miles north of Allestree on the A6. Property prices are higher than other areas because it is the catchment area for Ecclesbourne school which has had an outstanding reputation for years.

Mickelover & Littleover are other good suburbs to the north & west of the city. Generally, the areas to the north of the city are nicer than those to the south.

Little Eaton would tick your boxes and is lovely.

Allestree very nice. It is close to the city centre but then that's handy as they grow, for buses and independence. And it's close to some lovely parks like Darley park.

Melbourne is probably too far from belper for you but is beautiful.

@Starlightstarbright4 we love ambergate but there are no new builds in our budget, and the new builds in Kirk Langley are over 500k! If we sell ours we could be more flexible on location I guess. All those areas you mentioned we love haha! Kilburn is reasonably priced from what is on Rightmove but we've not been there yet. Might be worth a look.

@SpottedDonkey @BestThingAtThisParty thank you I'll check your recommendations out!

Nowhere if you can't drive.

There are areas of north/east Derbyshire that are territories for neo nazi groups and they hold rallies etc so do research carefully.

Ashbourne is awful for teenagers. And for anyone who can't drive.