Uppingham in Rutland has emerged as the overall Midlands winner in the Sunday Times Best Places to Live 2020 survey. Other East Midlands locations featuring in this year's prestigious list include Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, Edale in Derbyshire's Peak District, and the vibrant city of Nottingham.
Judges for the survey took into consideration a wide range of factors including the availability of good schools, transport links and broadband speed as well as cultural life, access to green spaces, and the health of the local high street.
And while site sales centres and show homes are temporarily closed due to the coronavirus lockdown, many prospective buyers will be spending some of their time in isolation planning their future move. We’ve put together a selection of schemes that might be worth shortlisting for a viewing after lockdown, and, in the meantime, you can contact sales advisors by phone or email to ask further questions – and look out for show home video tours and opportunities for ‘virtual viewings’.
Middlebeck in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire (Ashberry Homes)
Just a mile-and-a-half from Newark's lively town centre, Middlebeck is a new community made up of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes designed for modern families and built to exacting standards.
The location is ideal for commuters, with excellent transport connections to neighbouring towns and several major cities. The seven-minute drive to the A46 will soon be reduced with the introduction of a new road link, which will also speed up travel to Nottingham (about 40 minutes) and Leicester (50 minutes). The A46 also offers a route to Lincoln (in about 35 minutes), while the A1 is a three-minute drive from the development, providing easy commuter links to Grantham.
Historic Newark is a market town featuring lovely Georgian architecture, a good set of independent stores, and popular cafes and bistros – all focused around a cobbled square. There are family-friendly attractions in the town and the surrounding area to keep everyone busy, including Newark Castle and the Victorian gardens; the Palace Theatre; an art gallery; a state-of-the-art cinema; and a popular local museum. There are large supermarkets close by, too, while the town’s market sells a wide range of fresh produce and artisan products.
Prices: £174,995 to £310,995
Find out more at www.ashberryhomes.co.uk or call 01636 880969
Lamberts Place in Stamford, Lincolnshire (Taylor Wimpey)
Brand new three-, four- and five-bedroom properties are available at this scheme in an attractive setting in the historic town of Stamford, promising a laid-back pace of life combined with with superb choice of amenities and easy travel links close by.
This semi-rural development incorporates lovely open spaces including a central green and an informal open space. Charming Stamford is packed with historic architecture, including 17th and 18th century buildings in the heart of town, which is just over a mile from Lamberts Place. It hosts cultural events throughout the year and the high street is home to a good range of independent shops plus bars, restaurants, cafes and a weekly market. There are also supermarkets in town, and two retail parks full of high street stores.
Peterborough is about 15 miles away, Kettering 24 miles, Leicester just over 30 miles, and Loughborough 36 miles. A little further afield are the cities of Nottingham (44 miles) and Lincoln (52 miles).
Prices: From £175,000 to £380,000
Find out more at www.taylorwimpey.co.uk or call 01780 408649
High Peak Meadow in Buxton, Derbyshire (Barratt Homes)
Three-bedroom homes are for sale just a short drive from the spa town of Buxton in Derbyshire, which is often referred to as the gateway to the Peak District National Park.
All of the homes at High Peak Meadow are energy efficient, reducing household running costs while at the same time helping the environment. In fact, they're up to 65% more energy efficient than an older home of equal size and this could save householders as much as £1,410 per year on their energy bills.
The location will offer good commuter links, great local amenities and plenty of quaint villages and beautiful open spaces nearby to enjoy. There is a great selection of walks, trails and historic sites to visit in the local area, and a farm shop virtually on the development's doorstep. Commuters will find the A6 close by, leading to Stockport, and Buxton train station is less than 10 minutes away. Other amenities such as doctors and dentists are less than a 10-minute drive away, too.
Prices: From £269,995
Find out more about High Peak Meadow from Barratt Homes
Silverstone Leys in Silverstone, Northamptonshire (Bovis Homes)
With a wide choice of brand new homes, this development is set in the pretty Northamptonshire village of Silverstone, in a great location for accessing the M1 and the M40 motorways – and for a choice of ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted-rated local schools.
Most famous for the British Grand Prix Circuit, which is just under two miles from the village, Silverstone also boasts a family-run village shop and a range of social and leisure clubs. Four miles away in nearby Towcester there is a further selection of amenities including independent shops, weekly antique markets, monthly farmers' markets, and a choice of supermarkets and leisure facilities.
Silverstone Leys is just off the A43, which links Silverstone to the market town of Towcester. Junction 15A of the M1 is nine miles away, and Northampton is 13 miles away, with more than 50 stores at Grosvenor Shopping Centre and about 60 outlets at Weston Favell Shopping Centre. Milton Keynes has an even wider choice of about 240 stores, restaurants and cafes, and is only 15 miles away. There are also trains from Milton Keynes station to London Euston with a journey time of around an hour.
Prices: From £314,995 to £579,995
Find out more at www.bovishomes.co.uk or call 01327 587015
Melton Manor in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (Taylor Wimpey)
Coming soon to the charming market town of Melton Mowbray, Melton Manor will deliver a collection of three-, four- and five-bedroom homes in a very convenient location, with local shops and amenities just a mile away. There are well-respected schools nearby, and the development is great for commuters thanks to easy road access to Loughborough, Nottingham and Leicester. For rail commuters the station is less than two miles away, with direct services to Leicester and Peterborough.
The centre of Melton Mowbray is full of independent shops, renowned restaurants, cafes and pubs, while the surrounding area is home to some of Leicestershire's most idyllic countryside and a rich heritage and history.
Sometimes known as the “Rural Capital of Food”, the town is a haven for foodies with its own breweries, famous pork pies and Stilton cheese, as well as food and drink festivals hosted throughout the year.
Prices: To be confirmed
Find out more at 01664 896241
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