House builder selected to deliver over 300 homes on Linmere site north of Houghton Regis

Barratt Homes is set to construct more than 300 properties in the first phase of Linmere - the new development brought forward by the Houghton Regis Management Company (HRMC).

Linmere is described as a "leafy and walkable" group of neighbourhoods, and will vastly expand Houghton Regis as a town - with up to 5,150 homes in total.

It will also include retail, office and leisure developments, alongside schools and community facilities.

Barratt Homes’ development sits within the largest plot at Linmere, and will include a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes, with a number available for affordable rent and shared ownership schemes.

Sizes will vary from 450 sq ft to 1,500 sq ft, catering to many first-home buyers and families.

Work is scheduled to begin on site this year and it will include green space the equivalent of 62 cricket patches, according to developers. A new supermarket and an extension to Thornhill Primary School are also due in 2021.

A HRMC spokesman said: "The vast amount of green space will be accessible to all residents in Houghton Regis, not just those living at Linmere.

"Once completed, the overall development will contribute more than £36m towards local education, transport, open space and leisure facilities."

The project has already provided a substantial financial contribution to deliver the A5-M1 Link Road, which has been open since 2017, and will bring benefits to the wider area including helping to relieve traffic congestion in the nearby town centres.

Nigel Reid, development director of HRMC said: “To have another major house builder on board is further endorsement of our vision for Linmere and we look forward to construction beginning on these new homes shortly.

"The Barratt team has bought into the Linmere philosophy of quality and easy access to our parkland schools and amenities. We look forward to working with them to complete more new homes.”

Simon Francis, managing director at Barratt Homes North Thames, said: “As a five-star house builder, we are thrilled to be delivering much needed homes in Houghton Regis and look forward to contributing to the new and existing communities in and around the Linmere development.

"We are pleased to play a part in the regeneration of the local area and see Houghton Regis as being a great place for first time buyers and families to move to.”

Ben Littman, development director at Aviva Investors, added: “We are pleased to see the first homes now being constructed on-site. Linmere is a significant regeneration scheme with a focus on maximising the well-being of residents.

"With a range of properties to be developed, including affordable housing and shared ownership schemes, we believe the scheme offers opportunities to create a community from a broad base of backgrounds. The addition of retail and leisure facilities should add to the appeal of the area and make Linmere an attractive community in the coming years.”

For further information regarding Barratt Homes at Linmere, or to register interest, visit www.barratthomes.co.uk.