Quick connections and lower prices make Luton attractive to commuters

With fast trains taking just 23 minutes from the town’s central rail station to London St Pancras, and properties at a fraction of the price of comparable homes in the capital, it’s no wonder that Luton is becoming a very popular choice for commuters.

A rail-only season ticket from Luton to central London currently costs £4,032 annually and £387.10 per month, with its Thameslink route taking in St Pancras, Farringdon (soon to be served by the east-west Crossrail services), the City and down to Elephant & Castle, one of the capital’s major development areas right now. The M1 passes the town and A1 is not far away, so road links for commuters are also strong. A new junction to the M1 will provide easier access to the north of Luton, increasing its appeal to road users.

The Local Plan identifies a capacity of around 6,700 new homes for the town over the 2011-2031 period, and while new homes for sale at the present time are somewhat limited, Luton is on the cusp of a sizeable release of many more over a range of districts, from the town centre to its outlying suburbs.

For example, Redrow Homes, which won Silver for Best Large Housebuilder at the WhatHouse? Awards 2016, is planning two more developments for release very soon to add to the one it released a short while ago in Chaul End. As well as offering a real variety of property types, providing 520 new apartments and houses at its Volanti and Eaton Green Heights developments in the Napier Park regeneration zone near Luton Airport, its work will also provide new public open spaces as well as considerable woodland and meadows to complement the housing.

Kerry McCoubrey, sales director for Redrow Homes (Eastern), said recently: “This part of Luton is undergoing major investment and we’re proud to be playing our part in revitalising the area to provide much needed new homes.”

Further development in Luton is coming in the form of a new stadium for Luton Town FC, and the designs for the 22,500-seat facility recently won a prize at the global property event MIPIM, brining the spotlight to the town once again. 

Here are some great new build homes for sale in Luton right now:

Caddington Woods (Redrow Homes) – Prices start at £517,950 for the range of three- and five-bedroom homes currently available on the western outskirts of Luton at Chaul End, a rural hamlet, with some generously proportioned Arts & Crafts-inspired homes from Redrow’s Heritage Collection. There are three show homes to see, open daily from 10.00am to 5.30pm, and the company is promoting its Master Move scheme to assist existing homeowners sell their old property to secure their new one. Find out more about Caddington Woods from Redrow Homes
Napier Gateway (J2 Global) – As the developer’s managing director told us last month, this project with bring nearly 700 new homes to Luton as part of a £300m mixed-use scheme next to Luton Airport Parkway station, particularly favourable to a commuter audience. Work has already started on the development and it is due for completion in 2020. The first homes are due to come to market by the end of 2017.
Turnpike Edge (Taylor Wimpey) – This is an exclusive address with only 15 homes being built here, a mix of three- and four-bedroom homes on the northern fringes of the town. Priced from £330,000 and with Help to Buy available, these homes are on the edge of the Chilterns and are currently being marketed from the nearby Regent’s Place development. Find out more about all Taylor Wimpey’s current sites in Bedfordshire.
Park Crescent (Lanes New Homes) – Priced from £172,700 and due for completion this summer, there are still a number of studio and one-bedroom apartments available at this 42-unit development close to the town centre and adjacent to the campus of the university of Bedfordshire – perfect for buy-to-let investors too. The properties come on a 250-year lease, and there is allocated parking available for an additional cost. Find out more at www.lanesnewhomes.co.uk ; 01992 663890
Lantern Place (Matthew Homes) – There are two plots available on this small development in Leagrave right now, a semi-detached four-bedroom home for £355,000 and a four-bedroom link-detached home at £370,000. The homes are set in a cul de sac off Ely Way, with Help to Buy available for those able to provide a 5% deposit. Find out more at www.matthew-homes.com ; 01707 655550	​​