Lifestyle and leisure

Plymouth is the largest city in the south west region after Bristol and is the second largest on the south coast of England. It has a resident population of 241,000 and a further 100,000 in its travel-to-work area.

The city is located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with Dartmoor National Park to the north, the natural harbour of Plymouth Sound to the south and the Plym and Tamar Estuaries on either side. Plymouth's rich history and maritime heritage combine the advantages of city living with the benefits of having the countryside and coastline of Devon and Cornwall on its doorstep.

It is anticipated that there will be over £1 billion of investment in Plymouth over the next 20 years. Plymouth City Council has employed the world-renowned city architect David Mackay, and the 'Mackay Vision' for the city will significantly enhance the scale and intensity of development that Plymouth can achieve. Major areas of the city are due to be redeveloped, including Bretonside, Sutton Harbour and the Millbay Docks area.

Country Life magazine's 'Best County Guide' placed Devon and Cornwall in first and second place positions respectively in its recent survey, based on 13 criteria, including landscape value, tranquillity, wildlife diversity, sunshine hours and National Trust sites.

The National Trust owns 14,111 ha (34,868 acres) in Devon and 9,929 ha (24,535 acres) in Cornwall providing the public with access to buildings of historic interest and magnificent gardens and countryside.

It is difficult to find a comparable environment elsewhere in the UK, which is why Plymouth frequently features in awards as one of the cities offering the best quality of life in Britain.

For further information on what living in the city has to offer please see our pages on:

• Places of interest and entertainment
• Sporting and leisure pursuits
• Shopping
• Eating