Knowle and Dorridge have been named among the best places to live in the Midlands in the The Sunday Times Best Places to Live rundown published today (March 15).

The Solihull villages were edged out only by Stirchley, Birmingham, as the best place to live in the region, with Warwickshire town Leamington Spa - featured in the 2023 list - not included this time around.

The Sunday Times judges said of Knowle and Dorridge: "These super suburbs are the place to bag a big house along with school and postcode bragging rights.

"This semi-rural suburban sanctuary is close enough to Solihull's retail action but far enough from urban sprawl – and 20 minutes by train from Birmingham city centre – to kid yourself you're in the middle of the countryside."

Six other locations in the Midlands are featured in the comprehensive guide.

Published by The Sunday Times, the guide includes 72 locations across the UK. An abridged version will be published as a magazine supplement on Sunday.

The full list of Midlands locations is as follows: 

·      Winner: Stirchley, Birmingham 

·      Buxton, Derbyshire 

·      Knowle and Dorridge, Solihull 

·      Market Harborough, Leicestershire 

·      Shropshire Hills 

·      Stamford, Lincolnshire 

·      Sutton on Sea, Lincolnshire 

The Sunday Times's expert judges have visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street. 

The chosen locations come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Scottish island of Kerrera and the remote Welsh village of Presteigne to big, lively cities such as Belfast, Leeds and Liverpool. 

There are more new entries than ever before in this year's guide and no place for previous winners such as York and Bristol - the judges looked for improving locations with a strong sense of community rather than famous names with high house prices. 

"What makes our guide unique is that we actually visit all the places we choose and talk to locals to find out what life is really like there," Helen Davies, the guide's editor, says.

"That means we can see what people really love about the places they live.

"That might be fast commutes and high-achieving schools but also clean water to swim in, lively town centres with useful shops, the possibility of earning a living and being part of a friendly community.  

"We do consider affordability, though high house prices are no barrier to inclusion - as long as they provide value for money. Different people may be looking for different things, but what all our best places have in common is that people love living in them and are proud to call them home." 

The guide has again been sponsored by the mortgage lender Halifax, which has provided an average house price for each location.

"Where you want to live is a very personal decision. We know it can be daunting whether it's deciding where to buy your first home or making a move as your circumstances change," says Kim Kinnaird, Halifax's homes and protection director.  

"There can be lots to think about around what is right for you and your family. With a great range of locations suited for different budgets and family situations, alongside a great mix of both rural and urban locations, this is a great place to start."

Previous winners of the Best Places to Live in Britain title are: Stamford, Lincolnshire (2013); Skipton, North Yorkshire (2014); Newnham, Cambridge (2015); Winchester, Hampshire (2016); Bristol (2017), York (2018), Salisbury, Wiltshire (2019), Altrincham, Cheshire (2020) Stroud, Gloucestershire (2021), Ilkley, West Yorkshire (2022) and Wadhurst, East Sussex (2023). 

(Header image by David Howard via geograph.org.uk)