Quality of life is about the details of everyday living. From the little things, like knowing the nearest place to pick up a pint of milk, to more important matters like finding the right school or having a health centre nearby, you need to know that the community you’re moving to will support you and your family, as well as being a pleasant place to live. So here’s some useful information about the area around Highfields.

Highfields is within reach of a number of relaxing and attractive green spaces, from the meadows, woodlands and ponds of the local nature reserve at Sinfin Moor to the superb facilities of Markeaton Park near the town centre or the vast expanse of the Peak District National Park. There are nearby golf courses at Mickleover and Sinfin, and the Littleover Lodge Hotel, with its welcoming restaurant and Lodge Bar, is just a short walk from the development.

Around half a mile from the A38, Highfields offers fast travel to both Derby and Burton upon Trent, and is well within commuting range of Birmingham. The A38 and A50 intersection is two and a half miles away, and the M1 is just 15 minutes’ drive from the development. Local bus services include the V3, travelling along Rykneld Road between Derby and Burton, and the Harlequin which links Heatherton Village and Derby centre. East Midlands International Airport, with flights to more than 80 national and international destinations, is only 20 minutes’ drive away.

Central Derby, around four miles away, presents a rich mixture of museums, galleries, cinemas, and live entertainment, ranging from pubs and small, intimate spaces to celebrated venues such as the Derby Theatre, the Guildhall and the popular QUAD with its exhibitions, café bar and cinema.

There is a local shopping area 10 minutes’ walk away at Heatherton District Centre, with a Co-op, a pharmacy, a hairdresser and an Indian restaurant, and another convenience store and newsagent on Rykneld Road. Findern village, just over a mile away, includes a post office and  newsagent. Derby’s  premiere shopping area, the Cathedral Quarter, offers a superb choice of high street chains, fashion and specialist shops, including the wonderful miscellany of the charming Victorian Market Hall.

Highfields is in the catchment area for Findern Primary, set in peaceful countryside to the south of Findern village. Assessed as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, it makes great use of its superb tree-lined location in its approach to learning. Pupils normally move on to John Port secondary school in Etwall, where the sixth form teaching was rated as ‘Outstanding’.

There is a convenient day nursery, as well as a large full time medical practice, at Hollybrook Way near Heatherton District Centre. Recycling facilities for clothing and shoes can be found at Heatherton District Centre. Derby’s main recycling site is in Raynesway Park Drive, easily accessed via the A5111.