Linmere Farmstead community hub completes Friday, 4th March 2022

Work on The Farmstead, the community hub which we helped to design at the new Linmere village being created in Bedfordshire, has completed.

Parts of the Farmstead is now open for visitors, with the new café, dog groomer and nature-inspired play park poised to open their doors soon. The internal fit-out is now under way in preparation for the imminent opening.

Ingleton Wood was appointed to provide design services for the project. The three buildings making up the Farmstead are arranged around a central leafy courtyard with nature-themed play area, outdoor seating and bike storage.

The large community hall, which can be divided into two, will be available for hire by local groups and those in the wider area for activities such as yoga, local interest societies and children’s clubs.

Director Peter Webb, who manages our Oxford office, said: “We used our expertise within the commercial and public sector to support the development of the sustainable community hub and create a lasting legacy for the Linmere Estate.

“Residents and local businesses will benefit from a range of high-quality community spaces for generations to come.”

The 650-acre Farmstead is expected to be a ‘destination’ for local people and visitors from the surrounding area, thanks to its easy access from Junction 11A of the M1 and the A5-M1 link and its proximity to the new 24,500sq ft Lidl shop which opened late last year.

Linmere development director Ben Phillips praised Ingleton Wood’s services, saying: “The Farmstead is the result of a huge effort from everyone working on the project from initial concept to delivery, and I'm looking forward to seeing it become a thriving component of the community.

“Ingleton Wood played a key role in creating this landmark destination which is already attracting a good deal of interest from people using the first services to open their doors to the public.”

Linmere development director Nigel Reid added: “Linmere’s focus is on the great outdoors. The Farmstead reflects this ethos, with everything from the rustic style of the architecture to the fact that the café serves locally grown food, to the services offered to our four-legged friends.”

The village, which will eventually accommodate more than 5,000 households as it grows over the coming 15 years, is being created by the Linmere consortium which comprises master planners Lands Improvement, Aviva Investors, and the Diocese of St Albans.

It will also see the creation of two new state of the art primary schools and an extension to Houghton Regis’ existing Thornhill Primary school. A ten-form secondary school will open in 2022/3.