Hayfield Acquires a Lakeside Site in Bedfordshire to Deliver a £25m Green Development

Hayfield has acquired a prime 8.5-acre (3.46 Ha) site in the Bedfordshire village of Clophill to deliver 50 eco-efficient homes next to a new country park and lakes. The plans for the £25m Hayfield Lakes development will feature Air Source Heat Pumps, energy-efficient underfloor heating, electric vehicle fast-charging points, and ultra-fast broadband.

Located off Shefford Road, the previously developed land has been purchased from L&Q Estates. The development will be part-funded by the £67m facility with OakNorth Bank. Hayfield’s scheme will facilitate the creation of the 292-acre (118 Ha) Clophill Lakes and nature reserve by Greensand Charitable Trust. 

Full detailed planning has already been obtained for a range of bungalows, and two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom executive houses. 18 of the homes are designated for affordable housing and will be delivered to Hightown Housing Association. To generate enhancements to biodiversity, the expansive scheme will also incorporate Public Open Space, new habitats for wildlife, native tree planting, an attenuation pond to be planted with wetland wildflowers, and the vast majority of existing trees and hedgerows will also be retained and enhanced. A children’s play area will be delivered by Hayfield as part of the final phase of the development.

Andy Morris, Managing Director of Hayfield, the WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year, said: “Our reputation in Central Bedfordshire is well-established thanks to the 200 homes we are in the final phase of delivering at Hayfield Gate in Clifton, and at Hayfield Place in Silsoe – which neighbours the village of Clophill. This latest scheme will set new standards in both eco-efficient living and luxury lifestyle, as we will be introducing our largest house design – the Eaton – to Bedfordshire, reflecting the aspirational purchaser profile we will be targeting.

“The opportunity to live in a traditional village setting, next to nearly 300 acres of new waterside parkland will be very special indeed. With planning already secured, we are thrilled to be making preparations to commence construction in the coming weeks.”

Hayfield’s sympathetic architecture – which takes design cues from the plethora of traditional properties in the small semi-rural village of Clophill – will be combined with an eco-efficient specification that far exceeds Building Regulations. The executive homes have been designed with a high degree of consideration to the local vernacular, with features including timber and brick detailing. Predominantly heritage red brickwork will be complemented by dark grey feature window frames, traditional brown and grey roof tiles, and render in key locations.

A new access road and a network of footpaths to adoptable standards will be created from Shefford Road. The 50 new homes will be tenure blind by design, and all properties will have designated parking, with many benefiting from garages. Visitor parking spaces will also be widely available. The density of the development will be archetypally Hayfield and much lower than typical new build schemes.

Clophill is located 10 miles south of the city of Bedford, 11 miles north of Luton, and 18 miles east of Milton Keynes. A bus stop for a range of routes is situated 200m from the site. A convenience store, two bars/restaurants, Cainhoe Wood Golf Club, a local swimming centre, a lower school and preschool, Clophill Village Hall and two churches are all within a mile from the development. The local towns of Shefford, Ampthill and Flitwick offer additional facilities, including supermarkets. Flitwick train station is four miles away, providing regular services to London, Gatwick Airport, Brighton and Bedford.

Hayfield is currently on site delivering over 400 homes at eight developments across Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Wiltshire. Five-year-old Hayfield is on track to increase turnover to £150m this year.