Billingham
Situated just to the north of Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough, less than 8 miles from sandy beaches and beautiful nature reserves, is the town and civil parish of Billingham. With Anglo-Saxon origins and an expanded town centre thanks to its important role commercial role, the town is now a great place to live – with ample amenities, beautiful nature close by and great transport links to nearby places of interest and industry.
Great local shops and amenities
The town centre has everything you could need for day-to-day life. There's a full range of supermarkets, the Boyes department store and a whole host of other shops and food outlets. Also in the town centre is The Forum, a leisure centre with an ice rink, pool, gym and indoor sports courts, plus a performing arts theatre which hosts music, theatre and comedy.
For a wider range of shops, head into nearby Middlesbrough or Stockton-on-Tees, both have a vast range of independent shops and high street stores.
Education for all
Billingham is home to a good range of schools, catering for children of all ages. Primary schools rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted include Roseberry Primary School, Prior’s Mill Church of England Controlled Primary School, Pentland Primary School and Bewley Primary School. Older children can attend Northfield School and Sports College or St Michael’s Catholic Academy (both ‘Good’), and for further education there’s Bede Sixth Form College in Billingham, several colleges in Stockton-on-Tees and Middlesbrough, and Teesside University.
Get out and explore
There are many opportunities to explore nature in the local area. Just outside Billingham, Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park is a great place to take children and dogs, with a lake, pond, playground and plenty of wildlife. Teesmouth National Nature Reserve, 20 minutes away, is a paradise for nature lovers with a beautiful beach and fantastic bird-watching opportunities. To the south of the town, Billingham Beck Valley Country Park is another lovely walking spot, as is Wynyard Woodland Park to the east. Another nearby attraction that children will love is Teessaurus Park, a public park filled with colourful sculptures of dinosaurs, 7.5 miles from Billingham. Then of course there’s the glorious North York Moors National Park, 30 miles away.
Handy transport links
Billingham benefits from excellent road and rail transport links. The train station is close to the town centre and runs regular direct services to Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Newcastle, with connections into the wider region. Should you prefer to travel by road there’s the A19, which is just a few minutes from the centre of Billingham, putting Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Darlington, Sunderland, Gateshead and Newcastle within easy commuting distance. The area is well connected by bus routes and the nearest airport is Teesside International Airport, a convenient half-hour drive away.