Aunt Agatha Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hello again, I've been absent for a few weeks as we have been packing - we leave Australia in two weeks and four days! DH has landed a job where he will be working from home when not on client sites. The clients are currently in the SW of England, Cumbria and London as well as Europe and the UAE. The advice of his boss was to live within half an hour of an airport and somewhere with good road links. He advised that rail links weren't important as rail travel is too expensive. Add to this criteria our need to be near a good primary school, with ease of travel to our parents in Tyneside and Cheshire (we were initially set on driving and train travel but realised Bristol to Newcastle is only an hour on the plane for example so it opens up air travel too). We had decided on York/Harrogate/Knaresborough for it's good geographical placement between our families and because they are such lovely locations. We also want to "future proof" DH so that if this job doesn't work out we'll be living within commuting distance of a city for work and know that Leeds is good for what he does. BUT York is looking very expensive in terms if housing and the same goes for Harrogate. Plus York is a longer commute to Leeds-Bradford Airport than is ideal. I love Northumberland and of course it's great for my family, okay for DH's family if we live west of Newcastle and it's good for Newcastle airport too but it's so far from everywhere else! I wonder if we'll feel a bit hemmed in and I also wonder if it might be better to go somewhere completely new so there is no sense of "returning" to anything. I'm looking for some ideas of places that might fit the above criteria please? I know nothing about Lincolnshire, Warwickshire or Derbyshire for example. We want to avoid the SE due to house prices though I have always quite fancied Kent. Although we will do some daytrips when we get back, we need to move quite quickly to get our daughter on the waiting list for a school (we will miss the application deadline) so narrowing it down before we go would be REALLY helpful. Apologies for the essay, I have been holding this stuff in while I focussed on the practical but really need to address it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 We lived for a while in the southern half of the Peak District (northern half too expensive due to proximity to Sheffield, although Sheffield is nice, one of my favourite cities in the UK). There are some lovely spots near Buxton and its relatively quick to get to Manchester airport. And also very easy to get to Cheshire, and just a hop over the hills to the M1. I used to be able to get down to Devon in about 4 hours where my boyfriend was living at the time. Basically it's a beautiful part of the world but with good road links, but it feels like you're out in the countryside. Matlock is another nice spot but a bit further away from any airports. Or a bit further northwards but still in the hills, how about Holmfirth area? Again easy to get to Manchester and the M1. My Mum's currently selling a lovely house in Holmfirth - http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-46499804.html/svr/1120?premiumA=true - this used to be a 60's bungalow! Not that I'm trying to get it sold for her but gives you an idea of prices, she is right on the edge of the hills and a great primary school is about 50m walk away. Or completely different, how about mid-Devon? Much cheaper than near the coast, relatively unpopulated and a sense of free space (can't beat Dartmoor). There's Exeter airport (Exeter is my No.1 favourite UK city) and Bristol is about 1hr drive depending where you are. 3-3.5 hours drive to London ish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks @fourcorners! DH loves the idea of Devon or Cornwall but we always thought it was too far from anywhere to be good for work. While that will change with this job, I'm nervous to commit to an area so far from the rest iof the UK in case this job doesn't work out and he needs to commute to a city daily for work. Northumberland is equally far flung but Newcastle has a fair bit of work in his field and is less than 40 mins away from the area we are considering. I visited Buxton as a child and remember it being lovely - will do some more research and have a browse on Rightmove/Zoopla too. Your Mum's home is really lovely - hard to believe it was ever a bungalow! I love the kitchen/living area especially. And the garden - wow! We'd be renting for a year or two at first but good to know what standard of property is available at what price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I grew up around West Yorkshire on the edge of the Pennines so it's an area I like. I don't like some of the bigger towns like Huddersfield but there are lots within commutable distance. Can't wait, once we arrive back we'll stay with my Mum in that house. Lots of space, and Mum likes to keep a nice warm house which will help us reacclimatise without too much of a shock! She's currently doing up a pair of cottages near York as well. Such a shame she doesn't get to stay long in these houses, we lived in some fantastic barn conversions growing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 First, I would ask the company where he is likely to visit most. It is a hard journey from the North East to the south west. Somewhere close to Birmingham might be best - in the middle of the areas with good connections to an airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunt Agatha Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 He has asked @VERYSTORMY and they said they can't really give him a "patch" to work as he will be going to different client sites depending on their needs. They mentioned Cumbria and the SW in the same breath so I think it's safe to say that "all over" is where he is going to be! He would fly from the NE to the NW so hopefully that would take the sting out of it a bit. As much as I love Northumberland and the NE, I'm concerned that if we live up there he will always get the UAE clients as there is a direct flight from Newcastle to Dubai. Basing ourselves further south might mean he is more likely to visit clients based in the Channel Islands and the SW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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