New Homes in the East Midlands

Live close to vibrant cities, rolling countryside and top universities

Whether you’re enjoying some retail therapy in Nottingham, admiring historic sites in Lincoln or cycling through the Derbyshire countryside, the East Midlands is certainly an exciting and action-packed place to live. With good job opportunities, excellent transport links and some of the UK’s best universities on your doorstep, it’s little wonder that new homes in the East Midlands are so popular.

The East Midlands through the ages

Today the East Midlands is a thriving and well-populated area of the UK, but back in Celtic and Roman times the region was home to just a few clusters of villages, which later grew to become cities such as Nottingham, Leicester and Derby.

Over the centuries, many iconic historical figures have called the East Midlands home, including the mythical Robin Hood, the world-famous scientist Sir Isaac Newton, and the 18th century poet Lord Byron. Other well-known people who have lived in the East Midlands through the ages include D.H Lawrence, William Booth and Sir David Attenborough.

There are now a number of historic sites open for visitors in the East Midlands, including the 11th century Peveril Castle and 17th century Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, and Elizabethan architecture at Kirby Hall in Northamptonshire. The King Richard III Visitor Centre is also popular, where you can discover the site that the monarch’s remains were found in 2012.

Must-know info for families

For families moving to the East Midlands, it’s good to know that the region is home to a number of top-rated schools, including the independent Stamford High School, along with the state-run Kesteven & Grantham Girls' School, Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Alford, Caistor Grammar School,
Kesteven and Sleaford High School, The Becket School in Nottingham and Bourne Grammar School.

Higher education is provided by some of the country’s best institutions, including the University of Nottingham, the University of Leicester, Loughborough University, the University of Derby, De Montfort University and Nottingham Trent University.

Places to see and things to do

When it comes to entertaining the little ones, there are plenty of activities to choose from just a short distance from your new home in the East Midlands. Popular family-friendly places to visit include Lincoln Aviation Heritage Centre, the Galleries of Justice in Nottingham, Calke Abbey in Derby and the National Space Centre near Leicester. If you love the great outdoors, you can go walking through Dovedale, spend an afternoon exploring Buxton Country Park, or go cycling along the Monsal Trail.

What about business?

Although the East Midlands has traditionally centred on industries including glass-making, textiles and food processing, the region today is home to a wide range of international and domestic businesses.

Boots and Pendragon have their headquarters in Nottingham, while Booker Group is based in Wellingborough, Travis Perkins in Northampton and Caterpillar in Leicestershire. Clothing retailers Next have their headquarters in Leicester, while other companies based in the region include Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Totalcare Services and Rolls-Royce.

For travel

For commuters, the main route through the East Midlands is the M1, while other nearby motorways include the M6, M69 and M42. If you want to avoid the motorways, most towns and cities in the region are connected by A roads, including the A5, A43 and A1. There are also very good rail links in the East Midlands, so you can cut driving time by taking public transport to and from work.

If you need to travel further afield, a journey on the train from Nottingham to London takes just 2 hours, while East Midlands Airport has regular flights with major airlines to destinations all around the world. To get to the airport, the Skylink bus service from Nottingham takes 30-40 minutes.