View from George Street

Corby – Get in while you can!

Corby, Northamptonshire, England East Midlands

Recommendation added: 11/01/2007 11:21
By: milly123 (YSUK rating +107)

milly123 has been thanked 4 times for this contribution

"£177,000* in North London buys you a 1-bed, ground-floor, flat, in Corby you'll get a brand new, 4-bed, detached home with gardens.
* Price as at September 2006
Quote from moreincorby.com

I have always loved Corby, my Grandparents lived here and my parents moved away before I was born, so this is where I came for my Summer holidays. Back then, there were boats on the boating lake, it was always sunny and Corby smelled of my Grans Welsh Cakes!
I moved here in 1998 and it's the best thing I've ever done. Obviously there are problems, parts are very run down, there's no cinema and the much publicised Asbo's are higher than anyone would like. However, the place is changing dramatically every day. In fact, it's difficult to keep up with the rate of change here.
For many years regeneration promises were made and broken, but now Corby folk can see the changes and the mood is becoming much more optimistic. That said, the best thing about Corby will always be its warm, friendly spirit and generous nature.

So what's changing? In all, there are 23 key projects underway that are making Corby a great place to live, work and visit. The first big difference is Willow Place http://www.willowplace.co.uk/ a £35 million development in the heart of the town centre which will initially provide two major anchor stores, another 20 shops and two new restaurants, in a striking open mall. The new centre will be open in Autumn 2007. This is just the first phase in a plan to redevelop the entire town centre.

Corby already has one of the best performing schools in the country, Brooke Weston, which is consistently ranked in the top five comprehensives in the UK. However, plans are under way for a new foundation primary school, set to open in 2008 at Oakley Vale; and a £30 million new secondary school for Corby at Priors Hall, designed by world-renowned architects, Norman Foster & Partners, the school will specialise in business and enterprise and is due to open in 2008. The Tresham institute is also getting a brand new Corby Campus.

Next we have the new civic hub and Olympic size swimming pool. The hub will contain a brand new 500 seat theatre, library and roof top café as well as the civic suite and council chamber. The Catalyst Corby website gives details of other projects.

One of the best things about Corby is the countryside. It sits in the heart of the Rockingham Forest and is one of the greenest places I have ever lived. This came home to me at the Corby Pole Fair when I had chance to bungee jump above the town. Up there it just looks like a forest with a few houses and a lake!

Although Corby probably wouldn't feature high on most people's ideal tourist destination list, there is an awful lot to do here. The Borough contains Rockingham Motor Speedway, Rockingham Castle, East Carlton park, The Boating Lake and Kirby Hall, but its location means it's perfectly placed to explore North Northamptonshire and Rutland, as well as being 40 minutes drive from Leicester and Peterborough. I have never been short of things to do here and there are some beautiful, cheap, B&B's and guest houses in the villages within the Corby Borough – Weldon, Cottingham, Gretton, Middleton, Stanion, East Carlton and Rockingham.

So that's Corby. House prices are increasing at 3 times the national average, so if you're looking for an investment - get in while you still can!"