South West England

South West England is the largest of the country’s nine official regions. It stretches from the Isles of Scilly at the south-westerly tip of the UK up through Cornwall and Devon to Gloucestershire and Wilshire at its easterly border. The largest cities in the region include Bristol, Bournemouth and Exeter. The National Parks of Exmoor and Dartmoor sit within South West England, with other key visitor attractions being Cornwall, with its beautiful beaches and fishing villages, Stonehenge, and the historic city of Bath.

4.52
Average Location Score

Excellent

65%

Very Good

26%

Average

7%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in South West England

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

A harbour with colourful boats in Cornwall, South West England

Where is South West England?

South West England constitutes the region from the south-westerly tip of England (the Scilly Isles and Cornwall) up to Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset and Bournemouth in the east. It has the longest coastline of any English region (700+ miles), which overlooks the Bristol Channel, English Channel and Celtic Sea.

Population of South West England

The population of South West England was estimated at 5.6 million in 2019. Despite being the largest of England’s nine regions at 9,200 square miles, its population is one of the smallest.

South West England regions

South West England is made up of seven counties: Bristol, Cornwall (and the Isles of Scilly), Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. We take a look at these below.

Clifton Suspension bridge in Bristol, South West England

Bristol

Bristol is the largest city in South West England and is also one of the seven counties that make up the region. Bristol University and the University of the South West of England bring many students to the city, while media, electronics and aerospace industries are the main economic drivers in the city and surrounding areas.

Cornwall (incl. Isles of Scilly)

With its rich history of mining and fishing, Cornwall attracts thousands of visitors each year. It’s a favourite destination for many Brits holidaying in the UK, thanks to its mild climate and outstanding beaches and countryside. The only city in Cornwall is Truro and the region boasts its own language, which has seen a major revival since interest grew during the early 20th century.

Devon

Neighbour to Cornwall and great rival when it comes to cream teas (scones with jam and clotted cream), Devon is also a tourism hotspot. It boasts a similar landscape of moorlands, rugged coastlines and pretty fishing villages, with Exeter as its principal city. The collection of resort towns along its south coast have become known as the ‘English Riviera’.

Dorset

The ceremonial county of Dorset includes Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and Dorset. Dorchester is the county town but much of the region has a low population density, with more than half of its area designated an Area of outstanding Natural Beauty.

Bath in South West England

Gloucestershire

Named after its historic principal town Gloucester, Gloucestershire also includes the popular towns of Cheltenham, Cirencester and Stroud. It boasts large areas of outstanding natural beauty, including a large area of The Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean and the Severn Vale.

Somerset

A largely rural county, Somerset includes a wealth of beautiful landscapes, including those of the Mendip Hills, Quantocks and the Exmoor National Park. Somerset’s two cities are Wells and Bath – both of which boast historic cathedrals and the latter of which was granted UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a landlocked county bordered by Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset and Dorset. Trowbridge is the county town but the region is probably best-known for the ancient stone circles at Stonehenge and Avebury, which form a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

South West England Cities

Bristol is the largest city in South West England, with a population of around 430,000 people. Other principal cities include Exeter, Bath, Gloucester, Bournemouth, Wells and Plymouth.

Reviews in South West England

Write a Review

Flat in Bristol, definitely BMY :D

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Oct 2024

Hello all,
The quality shops around the area is very good, you can find everything within 15 min walking distance. Regarding transport is perfect because BMY is within 5 min to the main train station in Bristol -Temple Meads and airport bus! In addition, you can get within 15 min to the main bus station for long distance buses and explore UK.
Our street is quite popular during the day as there are many offices around and food street market twice a week. The bin collection is good. The only inconvenient is the road maintenance work, and once every few months…
The noise is hard to feel as BMY building has thick windows that isolate that problem.

Please review your development:

The building is fantastic!! It has common areas to work, play board games or socialise watching tv events or playing pool.
During summer time the rooftop terrace is great for outdoor activities reading, painting or playing cards.
They also have communal apartments to rent for special occasions or celebrations as there are spacious for big gatherings.
The flats overall have a practical modern design which makes you feel like home very quickly.
The gym of course, exercise lovers will enjoy the 24h gym!! With a lot of different equipments to work out each part of the body.
Highly recommend living in BMY!

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I was able to visit the flat in person, I saw it online through a video. Then, later on once I saw it in person was even more spectacular. All good.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Yes, during our finalisation of the contract we weren’t sure about the status of the flat and the team came and assess us and help us with deep cleaning of the oven.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Classy living in the coolest place, run by the most awesome team ever

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Oct 2024

It’s an awesome area with easy access to shops, amazing bars, venues and nightclubs. Super close to the train station. The bus stops are about 10 mins walk away, but that’s rarely a problem. The only challenging aspects are late night noise from drunk people and lack of easy parking, but that’s to be expected from such a central location. At the moment there is regular noise pollution from local roadworks and development works but this is temporary and not an issue since the building and windows are so well sound proofed. It feels a bit odd living amongst office buildings in terms of the general vibe but you get used to it pretty quickly and all these things are standard for city centers in general.

Please review your development:

It’s really well designed and the facilities are amazing, especially the gym I just feel guilty that I don’t spend much in the resident lounge since I’m a bit of an introvert. However, it’s lovely that the shared areas encourage a community feel. It feels like a very peaceful place to live.

The staff here are absolutely amazing. I love them a lot, having been here for 3 years or so. Michal, Vilius Mary, Tomas, Mike (too many to mention, I love them all) and the crew have been so kind, attentive, responsive and supportive in every way. I sometimes suffer from loneliness, living alone, so I really appreciate having a friendly face to talk to. The security are also legends and make me feel really safe living here. My experience of living here has actually genuinely changed my life very positively in so many ways. I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to live here and I’ll be so sad when my contract runs out.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Make use of all the facilities, especially the roof terraces. The views are epic.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

They always respond super quick to resolve any issues

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  Box Makers Yard, BS2
User submitted image of  Box Makers Yard, BS2
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Great Apartment, Even Better Management Team

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

I’ve really enjoyed living in Spring Wharf; the surrounding area is great! The area has a good mix of shops with M&S and Lidl nearby, restaurants, and bars within walking distance, offering plenty of variety. Open spaces are also nearby, which are great for walks and outdoor activities. Transport is convenient, with regular buses like U5 to city centre and the train station, though rush hour can get busy. Bin collections are reliable, and I haven’t experienced any issues with traffic noise, making it a peaceful place to live. The apartment features a fantastic shared patio area, which serves as a great spot for socializing or enjoying some fresh air. It’s perfect for relaxing with neighbours or friends, and it adds a real sense of community to the building. The only downside is only if you are a serious gym user. The on-site gym is pretty small and doesn’t have much equipment but is perfect for most! If you would prefer to opt for a bigger gym, there’s a PUREGYM right downstairs so it’s really close as well.

Please review your development:

The apartment’s design is both modern and practical, with a spacious layout that makes it feel larger than expected. It comes with a great kitchen/sofa open layout, and an entryway that includes a utility closet (washing machine). The fixtures and finishes are of high quality, and the facilities within the building are impressive, including a gym, secure bike storage, and a terrace that’s perfect for relaxing. The communal areas are always well-maintained. However, there are some minor issues within the apartment that are from mainly wear and tear, which might be a deterrent to some. The walls are not fully soundproof and I am sometimes able to hear my next-door neighbours running around etc.

Maintenance issues, though rare, are addressed pretty quickly. Property management is also really professional and responsive, ensuring that any concerns or inquiries are handled swiftly. A special shoutout to Tomas, Luke and Scott who were super friendly, helpful and supportive when I first moved here.

Overall, the combination of stylish design, excellent facilities, and responsive management makes this apartment a standout place to live. One of the unique aspects of living here is the regular events hosted by the building management team. These gatherings, whether casual meetups or themed events, help bring residents together and foster a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. It’s a nice touch that makes living here more enjoyable and adds to the overall community feel.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I would have liked to know more about the schedule of community events and amenities beforehand, as these turned out to be great features that I didn’t fully appreciate until after moving in. It’s something that could’ve made the decision even easier!

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Building management has been highly responsive to any issues I’ve raised. During the move-in process, they quickly addressed a few minor problems, such as fixing a broken cabinet in the fridge and answering my concerns about bulges in the floor panels. They replaced the cabinet issue in the fridge within two weeks. Their communication has been pretty prompt and professional, ensuring that all maintenance requests are handled efficiently. I appreciate how they stay on top of issues.

4
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
4
Value
5
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

A good place to start living in Bristol

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

good locations, temple meads train station is at walk distance, there is a Sainsbury’s local just downstairs

Please review your development:

The property is very nice, modern and comfy. The amenities are good and well kept. The building management got way better in the last 3 months, in terms of people engagement, events and building tidying up. The property management may be better, especially the website used for the renters is pretty clunky, so at the end of the day everything goes via email.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

Better induction and support for utilities contract, especially given the fact that many people are international

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Could be better, but acceptable. Everything is managed via email and it looks pretty old fashioned way of working

5
Facilities
5
Design
4
Location
5
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  Box Makers Yard, BS2
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Discover surrounding areas