Hi and welcome
We have been here 15 years after sticking a pin in a map and deciding to move here, not knowing anything about the area. At the time we were impressed with everything available, a police station, a minor injury unit, a working hospital, a great surgery, a special needs dentist for our disabled son, some great little independant shops, sadly over the years, we have lost each and every one of those facilities along with our main post office and all of the banks( the last one is set to close next month I think), and with a growing population due to too many housing developments going up in such a short time, the cracks are starting to show. We are now contemplating getting the pin out again as we feel the town is being left behind whilst other local towns thrive. I think that the incinerator going up and now the threat of another one nearby has swayed us, we get plagued by flies in the summer from Hills waste disposal, some have it a lot worse than us, but each year we have to use fly paper as we can get hundreds of the beggars.We have been campaigning against this new gassification unit, which will send a plume over the town full of microscopic pollution, and as my husband already has chronic heart disease and breathing problems, if it is built then we wil be forced to move. The primary schols are good , Dilton Marsh is the best IMO, but the secondary school leaves a lot to be desried, it's rating has fallen from OFSTED, and it is now back to 'Requires Improvement', the SEN side is practically non existent, no one seems to care, there is extremely low morale, and you have to fight for everything but we never get anywhere. I would say look out of town when your daughter is of secondary age unless drastic improvements are made.
On a plus side, we have wonderful countryside on our doorstep,stunning walks over the plain,easy rail links to other towns and cities, a Victorian swimming pool! the oldest working pool in the country IIRC, I don't think that crime is any worse or better than any other semi rural town, you get pockets of vandalism, but I think that it is everywhere these days. I think if you are a commuter and do not ask much of the town you live in, it is perfect, for those who cannot get about so well it is not so good as so many facilites have gone.
As towns go, it could be worse I suppose, the new planned housing estates worry me a little though , as our surgery cannot cope as it is , and with hundreds more families moving in, I fear that it will not cope at all.
Lastly, we have the white horse! go up thereon a good day and you can see for miles, it is a lovely view and a great way to recharge your batteries. I hope that the town suits you and you lifestyle and that you settle well
