Like to be beside the seaside? Like to live in one of England's most attractive locations, but pay less than the national average for a detached house? This pretty and peaceful stretch of eastern England, with 40 miles of Heritage Coast set in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, could be heaven.
Live in Suffolk Coastal? Discuss with others and rate the area >>
No it's not a local radio station; it's our 17th best local authority and includes the busy port of Felixstowe. It's the scene of the last attempted invasion of England back in 1667 and that's probably the closest this place has come to any sort of unruly behaviour since then.
It's now awash with culture, there are four times the average number of concert halls and theatres and a fair few museums and art galleries. But it's the beautiful landscapes outside that will grab your eye. It inspired the artist Constable to create some of his most famous paintings. The Great Outdoors doesn't get better than this...
The price you'll pay is a degree of isolation from the attractions of big city life, with a journey to London by train pushing the two hour mark. Proximity to Norwich and Ipswich offers some consolation, but let's face it, you're probably not considering moving here for the hectic pace of life.
A move to Suffolk Coastal is more likely to be rooted in a love of the finer things in life, a healthy lifestyle, and getting away from it all. The even landscape is ideal for long walks and cycles, taking in historic churches and castles, traditional village pubs and enchanting forests.
There's also access to some of Britain's most pleasant beaches and coastline, with the Blue Flag beach at Aldeburgh a particular treasure, and the multicoloured beach-hut seafront of Southwold just a quick hop over the borough's northern border.
The area has a rich maritime heritage: Sir Frances Drake's ships, the Greyhound and Golden Hind, were built in Aldeburgh. Felixstowe puts a modern spin on this seafaring tradition, ranking among the 20 busiest ports in the world today. Aldeburgh is, of course, better known these days for its world-renowned classical music festival, established in 1948 by composer Benjamin Britten.
Crime is, predictably, significantly lower than the national average. The education system has historically been far from conformist: Leiston is the home of the famous Summerhill School, the first major 'free school' which encouraged student self-government and allowed pupils to choose not to attend classes. For those who prefer a more traditional education, the area's schools tend to be high-performing, particularly at A-Level, where the average student gained an impressive 715 UCAS points in 2006.
Average earnings are comfortably higher than the average for eastern England, but it's those property prices that are sure to catch the eye. A typical detached house goes for little over £300,000, which is reasonable enough. But if it's a flat you're looking for, they sell for a jaw-dropping £80,000 less than the national average, despite the excellence of the area. Prices are rising steadily though, so if this sounds like seaside property paradise, then it's probably time to buy.
<< Go back to the index to learn about more places in the top and bottom 20
Have your say and see what other people are saying about Suffolk Coastal and the other 433 UK boroughs >>
Find out which borough made it in at 16 >>
Local area info on Suffolk Coastal from upmystreet.com >>
Suffolk Coastal District Council >>
Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp give us their top ten tips on beating the house price slump
Restoring a property can be tricky so Kevin McCloud gives you his tips and advice
4Homes picks the top ten weirdest and most bizarre Grand Designs houses
Your Comments
Post your comment
Please note: In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in to Channel 4:
Sign In Here or Register Here
Comments closed
Comments are closed at the present time
Comments
Thank you for your comment!
Your message will be reviewed and the best ones will be published below.
If you intended to make an official comment to Channel 4 please contact us.