New Homes in the South East

Welcome to the South East

With its vibrant towns, rolling countryside and dramatic coastline, the South East of England is one of the most sought-after places to live in the UK. The region is large, with a population of around 8.5 million, and includes the counties of East Sussex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Hampshire as well as Surrey, West Sussex, Kent, Oxfordshire and the Isle of Wight. So whether you’re exploring the seafront in Brighton, the docks in Portsmouth, the shopping centres in Milton Keynes or the historic streets of Oxford, there’s plenty of variety and choice when choosing your home in the South East.

A quick history

The oldest human remains ever discovered in Britain were found in the South East at Boxgrove in 1993, dated at 500,000 years old. The region is also home to the oldest road in the UK, known as The Ridgeway, which runs through Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

Over the centuries, the South East of England has hosted many historic events, including the Battle of Britain during the Second World War. Bletchley Park near Milton Keynes was also important during the war, where a team of codebreakers including Alan Turing used one of the first computers in the world to crack German codes.

Businesses and industry

Historically the South East has been home to all kinds of industries, including marmalade-making and publishing in Oxford, fishing in Hastings and Brighton, and leather making in Dover. Today the region is home to lots of big businesses, including tech, pharmaceutical and financial companies.

Businesses based in the South East of England include Vodafone in Newbury, Microsoft and Oracle in Reading, the Royal Navy in Portsmouth and Virgin Atlantic in Crawley. Sygenta, Pfizer, Baxter Healthcare, Bayer UK, ExxonMobil UK, BP, Britten Norman and BAE Systems are also located in the region, with other big names include Virgin Media, Proctor and Gamble, Mars, PepsiCo, Unilever, Santander and American Express.

Things to do in the area

The South East is a large region, so there’s always lots to see and do no matter where your new home is located. In the cities and towns, you might choose to visit the Bodleian Library in Oxford, go to Basildon Park near Reading, or enjoy some seaside fun on the pier in Brighton. If you have children, they’ll love the Snozone in Milton Keynes, Legoland theme park in Windsor, and the Museum of the History of Science in Oxford.

Other days out include a visit to the Battle of Hastings battlefield and visitor centre, watching the Henley Royal Regatta, or going to Royal Ascot. If you love exploring the great outdoors, the South East is home to the New Forest and South Downs, along with some scenic coastal walks.

Travel and commuting

Located so close to London, the South East has very good transport links by road, rail and air. Travelling by car, the M1, M4 and M25 all provide fast routes to towns and cities across the city. Other fast roads include the M40 which goes through Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, the M2 and M20 which go through Kent, the M3 which goes through Hampshire and the M23 which serves West Sussex.

As for public transport, there are regular train services to London and beyond from stations throughout the South East, so commuting is straightforward from most places in the South East. For example, a train from Brighton to London takes around 55 minutes, while the journey from Oxford to the capital takes 1 hour by rail. For international travel, Gatwick is the biggest airport in the region, while Heathrow Airport is also within driving distance.