It’s a city on the up: but what’s it really like to live in Peterborough? Here are seven reasons it’s a fantastic time to grab your things and relocate here – before the secret gets out.
Peterborough’s success has been a long time in the making. The city’s population has been growing just as strongly as its collection of accolades: from best place to raise a family to the country’s most affordable commuter town. It’s attracting people from all corners of the UK. Here are seven reasons why.
1. Peterborough is a city of opportunity
Employment prospects in Peterborough are great. As it stands the employment rate is 79.4%, that’s 4% higher than the national average. The city boasts six high performing business sectors: advanced engineering and manufacturing; agri-tech; food and drink; digital and creative; energy and environment; and financial services.
There’s plenty of rewarding work to get involved with – and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. Spurred by the city’s rapid growth, low operating costs and great transport links, more and more companies are laying foundations here – from start-ups to multinationals. The next few years will be exciting if you live in Peterborough.
2. The city is being reborn
Peterborough’s success so far has been driven by its impressive, sustained population growth. Since 1975 its population has ballooned from 116,000 to 181,000 and it’s expected to be one of England’s fastest growing cities by 2025.
This population growth brings with it increased prosperity. Millions of pounds are being invested into revamping areas of the city. You can see the regeneration happening all over, with the extensively refurbished Cathedral Square and St John’s Square becoming the city’s new ‘food quarter’ and the exciting Fletton Quays development promising a Hilton hotel with rooftop bar, a high-end whisky and gin distillery and dozens of retail, leisure and dining spaces. So, you will certainly have enough to keep you occupied if you live in Peterborough.
3. It’s on London’s doorstep
Peterborough’s well-placed for people seeking a London pay packet without the ridiculous living expense. Trains to London are regular and fast, with journey times set to fall to 37 minutes and the average return ticket costing just £45.
4. Official: Peterborough is a great place to raise a family
With the combination of cheap homes and high birth rates, Peterborough is a great place to raise a family. In fact consumer group Which? named Peterborough the best place to live in Britain for young families, pointing to the city’s good provision of child care, nurseries and primary schools in addition to the many support groups available for young parents.
5. It’s a forward-thinking city (with astoundingly fast internet)
Peterborough is increasingly recognised as a modern city with a sustainable future. It was named as one of the UK’s top ‘Smart Cities’ in 2017, a title awarded to cities that succeed in creating unique approaches in their economies that reduce wastage and reliance on raw materials. That’s not all. Peterborough also lays claim to the title of the UK’s first ‘Gigabit City’. 90km of pure fibre network was recently installed after a £30 million investment, providing businesses and public services with some of the fastest internet in the world.
6. There’s a lot of culture to lap up
The first port of call for most visitors is the cathedral, with its dramatic Romanesque interior and an original wooden ceiling that’s one of only four of its kind in Europe. Then there’s the museum, which houses over 200,000 items of national and international significance. Oh and there’s a healthy art scene that’s getting bigger and better every year.
Live in Peterborough and fancy a tipple? Peterborough residents know their alcoholic beverages. The Peterborough Beer Festival has run for 40 years and as the popularity of gin grows, residents of Peterborough can take pride in the fact that their Gin Festival is the biggest and oldest in the country. Taking place in the cathedral grounds, the festival was rated by Timeout as one of the “top 10 things to do in 2016” and offers visitors the chance to taste over 100 gins, attend gin master classes and sample an array of food against a backdrop of live music. Cheers!
7. Get more for your money when you buy
Is the expensive housing market getting you down? Prices in Peterborough might leave you pleasantly surprised. Properties here are some of the most affordable in the country, with an average property price of £169,261 coming well below the national average of £219,000. You’ll want to move fast though. Prices here are rising at double the national average.
Fancy a tip or two?
When you’re thinking of relocating it’s not always easy to get the credible information you need to make confident decisions. This is where Belvoir can help. We are highly experienced in the Peterborough property market and can help make sure you get your new life off to a great start. If you’d like an informal chat about your requirements, feel free to contact me directly.
Lottie Hostead
Sales Manager
Lottie.hostead@belvoir.co.uk
01733 511099
This blog is written by Lottie, Lottie Hostead is Belvoir Peterborough’s Property Sales Manager. Born and raised here she is both a property expert with 10 years experience selling homes in Peterborough and a genuine local.
If you’re thinking of selling your home here then give her a call for a free no-obligation valuation
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>> Affordable home ownership schemes to help you onto the property ladder
>> 9 reasons it’s fabulous to live in Stamford
