Hayfield acquires a residential site on the outskirts of Bedford to deliver a £31m development

Hayfield has acquired a prime 4.2 ha (10.4-acre) site in the village of Bromham, which is only two miles from Bedford Railway Station – a key hub for London commuters. A Reserved Matters application will be submitted to Bedford Borough Council for 80 luxury homes, Public Open Space and a fully equipped children’s play area.

The site has been marketed by Savills’ Cambridge office, on behalf of land promoter The Fairfield Partnership. It was purchased with Outline Planning consent in place, which has determined the main site access off Stagsden Road, with a secondary access to be created off New Road for pedestrians and cyclists. 30 per cent of the homes have been designated for affordable housing. The scheme is within easy reach of the range of amenities and schooling within Bromham, which is one of the larger villages within the Borough of Bedford.

Hayfield has proactively chosen to install Air Source Heat Pumps into all 80 homes in order to significantly reduce carbon emissions and deliver energy cost-savings to the future residents. Energy-efficient underfloor heating will also be installed into all 56 open market homes.

Mark Booth, Managing Director of Hayfield said: “We are delighted to have been selected for this prime development opportunity, as we have made a significant investment over the past 12 months to establish our premium brand product in Bedfordshire. Our newly opened Hayfield Gate scheme in the village of Clifton has shattered all our previous sales records. With Bromham being 19 miles north of Clifton, it will enable us to tap into a different audience and capitalise on the close proximity to Bedford Railway Station, which provides a 47-minute commuter service into London St Pancras.

“This is our second major land acquisition in four weeks, which is a reflection of how the Hayfield team has defied the unprecedented challenges brought on by the global pandemic and driven the growth of this young business. I am delighted to report that we are on track to deliver over 300 luxury homes during 2021.”

The scheme – which will be called Hayfield Park – will incorporate a mix of two, three and four-bedroom executive family homes, with a generous provision of private garaging and off-road and visitor parking spaces. The brick, architectural detailing and materials used will be reflective of the surrounding area and Bromham’s historic village core. The density of the development will be much lower than typical new build schemes, with open landscaped spaces, SUDS balancing ponds and a fully equipped children’s play area incorporated into the masterplan. The design of the extensive public realm across the scheme will adhere to Secured By Design Standards.

It is anticipated that Hayfield’s Reserved Matters application could be determined by Bedford Borough Council in February 2021, with the start on site being able to commence within a matter of weeks of planning approval being granted. Hayfield has appointed Pegasus Group as the architect for the detailed design.

Hayfield’s live sites include the flagship Hayfields site in Southmoor, Oxfordshire, which comprises 74 luxury homes. Also under construction in Oxfordshire is Hayfield Green, where 66 luxury houses and bungalows are being developed on a 21-acre disused RAF WWII Airfield in this historic village of Stanton Harcourt. In the small market town of Southam in Warwickshire, the final phase of Hayfield Grange has sold ahead of the build programme. The popular development comprises 51 family houses and bungalows.

Elsewhere in Bedfordshire, Hayfield is delivering 105 luxury homes close to English Heritage’s Grade I listed Wrest Park Estate, which is in the sought-after village of Silsoe. Seven miles away, in the traditional village of Clifton, the Hayfield Gate development is selling off-plan, comprising 95 luxury homes. New sites are currently in the early stages of construction in Great Gransden – Cambridgeshire, in Woburn Sands – Buckinghamshire, and in Blunsdon – Wiltshire.