Barley Meadows is less than half a mile from the A189 and just 25 minutes drive from the centre of Newcastle. Cramlington is served by frequent buses to Newcastle and the surrounding towns, with some routes running alongside the development. Hourly train services from Cramlington run to Newcastle and the Metrocentre, and Newcastle International Airport is just eight and a half miles to the west. With a network of pathways around the local farmland and out to the coast and beaches, Barley Meadows presents excellent opportunities for walking, cycling and swimming. The delightful East Cram Nature Reserve is within ten minutes walk, and Cramlington's many other parks and outdoor attractions include Northumberlandia, a spectacular landscape artwork set in a 46-acre community park. The Concordia Leisure Centre incorporates a swimming pool, Technogym, studio cycling, indoor climbing, a sports hall and outdoor pitches as well as ten pin bowling and children's play facilities. Arcot Hall Golf Club, on the western edge of the town, combines a beautiful 18-hole course with a magnificent 200 year old listed clubhouse.

A small shopping area nearby offers food takeaways, a convenience store, hairdressers and other services, with a second convenience store and post office just over half a mile away. The wide selection of shops and leisure amenities at Manor Walks Mall in the town centre, which can be reached by pleasant, traffic-free paths, includes supermarkets, fashion and technology retailers, restaurants and a Vue multiplex cinema. Amongst the other popular shops in the town, the spacious Azure Garden Centre operates as a highly respected and valuable community charity. There are recycling facilities for glass and household textiles at the Sainsbury's store in Manor Walks. Barley Meadows is within walking distance of several schools, including Cragside C of E Primary which was rated "outstanding" by Ofsted in 2014. For secondary education, the town is served by Cramlington Learning Village, an innovative and inclusive school with three separate buildings for different age ranges. The school provides a ‘technology rich’ environment, and has academy status. There is a choice of GP practices in the town centre, the nearest at the Village Surgery, and the Rivenhall Dental Surgery is around ten minutes walk away. Barley Meadows is also less than half a mile from the new flagship Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, which provides emergency care for Northumberland and North Tyneside.