Bedford is increasingly becoming a popular choice for buyers. Property prices in the area grew by 13.3% over the last year – part of a longer-term trend that has seen house prices steadily increase across the East of England. Delivering sought-after affordable homes, L&Q is launching an exclusive collection of five two-bedroom Shared Ownership houses at L&Q at Willow Grove on 25th March, to a new community situated on the outskirts of Bedford.
L&Q’s homes are nestled within the growing neighbourhood of Wixams, a major new development formed of four separate villages. Set on a former brownfield site, Wixams will ultimately bring 4,600 new homes, retail and commercial facilities, six schools and 300 acres of parkland to the Bedfordshire countryside. Close enough to London to make commuting easy, yet surrounded by farmland and fresh air, L&Q at Willow Grove is perfect for buyers seeking a home which blends traditional village life with modern convenience.
Claire Brenlund, Sales and Marketing Director at L&Q comments, “We are pleased to be delivering much-needed homes and an affordable route onto the property ladder in the thriving town of Bedford, an area which has experienced significant property growth over the last year especially. Our new two-bedroom Shared Ownership houses offer both spacious semi-detached and terrace layouts, which are ideally suited for couples and young families.
The significant transformation of this former brownfield site is already evident – Wixams is a new village that has been designed with community living in mind, complete with local shops, schools, a playground, ponds and a green, with more amenities planned for the near future.”
Offering flexible, multi-functional rooms, the open plan living/kitchen and dining area in L&Q’s new two-bedroom homes provides ample space for the requirements of modern day living. Contemporary kitchens are complete with gloss units and soft close drawers, while fully integrated appliances including a fridge/freezer, hob and oven mean that buyers can move straight in without worrying about additional costs. Upstairs, main bedrooms feature built-in wardrobes with full height mirrored doors, while neutral bathrooms are finished with white sanitaryware and a chrome heated towel rail for an added touch of luxury. Outside, each home has allocated parking, a shed and a turfed garden including paving.
First-time buyers Darren and Christine bought a 60% share of a three-bedroom semi-detached house through Shared Ownership at L&Q at Willow Grove in 2021. They comment: “When we initially started looking for our new home, we weren’t convinced a new build property was for us, but how spacious and high-quality L&Q’s Shared Ownership homes could be, our heads were turned, and we knew instantly that L&Q at Willow Grove was the right choice. For us, it was the size of the garden which really stood out – we actually ended up choosing a slightly smaller house because we were so impressed with the generous outdoor space!”
Situated close to amenities, yet still in an idyllic countryside setting, L&Q at Willow Grove is ideally located just down the road from the charming and historic centre of Bedford. A former Saxon settlement, the town is now a vibrant hub offering a wealth of cultural venues including theatres, galleries, popular live music haunts and an arts centre. Foodies are well-catered for with a wide array of excellent restaurants covering the world’s cuisines, together with pubs, wine and cocktail bars. For all-important fresh air, Bedford forms part of the green belt, with plenty of parkland to explore and towpath walks to enjoy. For those who like keeping active, the town has gyms, football, a famous athletics track, swimming pools, rowing club and local golf as well as the world’s largest indoor sky diving centre.
Ideal for growing families, within Wixams, four primary schools and a secondary school are being delivered – including Wixams Academy, Lakeview School and Lakeview Pre-School which are already open and just a five-minute walk away from L&Q at Willow Grove. In nearby Bedford, there are numerous schools rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted, including Bedford Free School, Castle Newnham School, and Cherry Trees Nursery School.
Offering connectivity in a countryside location, L&Q at Willow Grove benefits from easy transport links via rail and road. A short drive from the development, journeys from Bedford Station to London St Pancras take just 38 minutes, while Luton is accessible in 14 minutes. There are also handy rail connections to the Midlands, South Coast and Gatwick Airport. Plus, construction work on a new train station for Wixams will commence this year, reducing journey times across Bedfordshire and further afield. By car, the M1 and A1 are both nearby, putting day trips visits to the larger towns to places such as Milton Keynes’ indoor skiing centre and Cambridge’s historic city centre within easy reach.
Shared Ownership prices for the new launch start from £120,000 for a 40% share of a two-bedroom houses (full market value: £300,000).
For more information, please visit: https://lqhomes.com/willowgrove/
