L&Q is launching the next phase of 20 two and three bedroom Shared Ownership houses at Willow Grove, part of a major new development for Bedfordshire – Wixams. The first collection of houses will launch on 7th March and will continually be released in stages throughout the year - giving couples and growing families the opportunity to put down roots in one of the country’s most ambitious new schemes. 
 
Shaping a central part of the new community, this next phase of houses at Willow Grove will be set near a new primary school and academy on site. Willow Grove forms part of a wider development programme for the area. The scheme is just one of four new garden villages making up Wixams, one of Europe’s largest new brownfield developments. Once complete, the development will deliver an enormous 4,600 new homes, including a total of 124 two and three bedroom Shared Ownership houses from L&Q; marking a major expansion outside of London for the Housing Association. 
 
Covering an enormous 750 acres, the scheme will also deliver new commercial and retail facilities, and an impressive 300 acres of parkland. Each village will be complete with a local supermarket, garden centre, vet and village hall, promoting community interaction across the four neighbourhoods. Ideal for families, the site will also be home to six new schools, with three schools already open; Wixams Tree Primary, Lakeview School and Wixams Academy. 
 
Providing an essential pocket of affordability in rural Bedfordshire, L&Q will be the only provider of Shared Ownership within Willow Grove. A typically affluent area, L&Q’s homes at Willow Grove will offer starting prices at a third of the average value in Bedford – which currently stands at £340,747*.
 
Christine Osborne, Sales and Customer Service Director for L&Q’s Counties Region, comments: “There is a significant demand for Shared Ownership outside of London, particularly in more rural areas where Shared Ownership has previously been insufficient. Wixams is one of largest new brownfield developments in the UK and we are excited to be a part of the project, delivering high quality homes in this thriving new district for Bedfordshire. As the only provider of Shared Ownership in Willow Grove, we are proud to be supporting first time buyers onto the property ladder with this exceptional collection of two and three bedroom houses.”
 
This phase of new homes at Willow Grove are complete with sleek integrated appliances in the kitchen. Bathrooms feature contemporary white sanitaryware and chrome finishes, while the master bedroom is fitted with built-in mirror wardrobes. Each home will have a private garden, two allocated parking bays and cycle storage. Willow Grove is one of the first developments forming part of L&Q’s New-Build Homes: Quality Standard promise, a commitment to delivering premium fixtures, fittings and appliances as standard, at no additional cost to the buyer.
 
Willow Grove is just a 17 minute drive from the historic town of Bedford, offering a plethora of popular restaurants, bars and shops – including The Harpur Shopping Centre and Riverside Bedford Leisure Complex. There is plenty to do in the wider area; from indoor skiing and snowboarding at Xscape Milton Keynes, to music, comedy and theatre at The Bedford Corn Exchange.
 
Perfect for nature lovers, there are over 1000 hectares of sprawling countryside spread across Bedfordshire. A Green Flag Park for eight years running, nearby Priory Country Park offers something for all ages, from grassy meadows and woodland, to children’s play areas and fishing and boating lakes. 
 
Central London is easily accessible from nearby Bedford Train Station, reaching London St Pancras in just under fifty minutes.** Alternatively, the scheme offers easy road access to Milton Keynes and London, and sits along the Cambridge – Milton Keynes – Oxford corridor. Luton airport is also a 35 minute drive away. 
 
Prices start from £100,000 for a 40% share of a two bedroom apartment (full market value £250,000) and £122,000 for a 40% share of a three bedroom apartment (full market value £305,000). 
 
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