Living in Leicester - Why Buy a New Home in Leicester

Discover Leicester

Leicester is a city of 300,000 people in the heart of the Midlands. The city has been put firmly on the map, boasting plenty of heritage – from the discovery of DNA profiling, to famous car park where Richard III’s remains were found. And as the home of Walker’s crisps, Leicester is bursting with British culture.

More recently, the city has become known as the home of 2016 Premier League football champions Leicester City, who started the season as 5,000-1 outsiders. A study by Ernst & Young revealed this win contributed £140 million in gross added value Leicester’s economy, while supporting more than 2,500 jobs. And experts predict this investment will continue for a while longer yet.

Leicester is also planning for its future, with extensive redevelopment happening across the city. The Waterside area has been earmarked for £25 million of improvements, with new homes, offices, shops and green spaces to be rolled out over the coming years.

Leicester’s Economic Action Plan is also in place to bring new and exciting opportunities to the city centre by 2020, which includes improving transport links, supporting the development of skills, and encouraging more business investment.

New homes in Leicester

Leicester is a famously friendly and diverse city, with plenty of culture and excitement to tempt people to new build homes in Leicester. With pretty countryside views and easy transport links to Nottingham, Birmingham and beyond, anyone moving to Leicester can enjoy the best of both worlds. Explore a sweet suburb such as Shepshed, which boasts plenty of new build homes like our Radiance development, or enjoy the hustle and bustle closer to the city centre in areas like Stoneygate or Oadby.

Leicester hightlights

Leicester has become internationally known as the home of 2016 Premier League football champions Leicester City, who started the season as 5,000-1 outsiders. A study by Ernst & Young revealed this win contributed £140 million in gross added value to Leicester’s economy, while supporting more than 2,500 jobs. And experts predict this investment will continue for a while longer yet. It’s a city that’s flourishing for young homeowners, looking for new build homes in Leicester - at the time of the 2011 Census, 27% of Leicester’s residents were aged 19 and under, representing the largest proportion in the region.

Leicester prides itself on a rich cultural heritage. From the fascinating history of Richard III’s remains to the National Space Centre or the history of Leicester Cathedral, there’s no shortage of things to see and do. With both Highcross and Haymarket shopping centre, there’s plenty for keen shoppers to enjoy. For something a little bit different, visit the lively food stalls and local traders at the iconic covered Leicester Market – it’s the largest outdoor covered market in Europe.

Arts & Culture

A jam-packed calendar of events embraces Leicester's diversity including an annual Caribbean Carnival and the Leicester International Short Film Festival. Leicester Pride is at the beginning of September and the largest Diwali celebrations outside of India are held every October. Also worth a visit are The Curve theatre on Rutland Street, the Soundhouse on Southampton Street and the Jewry Wall Museum.

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Transport

Leicester Town Hall is home to a bike park, which includes cycle storage facilities, showers and a repair shop. Regular train services from Leicester connect you to towns and cities throughout the UK. East Midlands Airport is 18.8 miles from Leicester city centre, or you can travel from Birmingham Airport, 38 miles away. The M1 runs past the city too.

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Shopping

Leicester’s outdoor market has been at the heart of the city for more than 700 years and is complemented by a recently built food hall. Take a wander through Leicester’s Victorian arcades filled with independents such as vintage book shops and retro clothing stores. One place you really must visit when living in Leicester is Walkers, famous for its award-winning pies and sausages.

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Food

Burgers at Crafty should feature on any foodie’s to-do list.For fine dining, The White Peacock on King Street is known for its luxurious seasonal tasting menu. There are two great local drinks brands - Burleighs London Dry Gin and Everards Brewery ales and beers. A trip down Belgrave Road - otherwise known as the Golden Mile – brings you to some award-winning Indian eateries, including vegetarian restaurant Bobby's.

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Nearby

The annual Leicester Comedy Festival has hosted hundreds of stand-up comics since it started in 1994. For an out of this world family experience, The National Space Centre is on Exploration Drive, 2 miles or a 10-minute drive from the city centre. The University of Leicester Botanic Garden is on Glebe Road, 3.7 miles south-east of the city centre and opposite Leicester Racecourse.

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Leicester is looking ahead

As the 10th-largest city in the UK, Leicester is also planning for its future, with extensive redevelopment happening across the city. The Waterside area has been earmarked for £25 million of improvements, with new offices, shops and green spaces to be rolled out over the coming years, adding plenty of new homes in Leicester. Leicester’s Economic Action Plan is also in place to bring new and exciting opportunities to the city centre by 2020, which includes improving transport links, supporting the development of skills, and encouraging more business investment.

Transport links in Leicester

Leicester’s location in the Midlands make it a perfect spot for anyone who needs to get around the country, whether you’re commuting or travelling. Being perfectly located in the centre of England means that you can get just about anywhere in a few hours, with London, Leeds and Manchester only a little over 2 hours drive away.

If you need to commute to other cities for work, look to developments of new build homes in Leicester – ideal for anyone looking for a home outside the hustle and bustle of the city, but within easy reach of major roads. Leicester itself sits at the intersection of the M1 and M69, and also has plenty of options for rail travel, as both the north-south main line and east-west CrossCountry line run through Leicester.