The first homes at Linmere, a brand-new community being created on the northern edge of Houghton Regis, are now on sale and available for buyers to reserve.

Bellway Northern Home Counties has begun construction work on 153 homes on land off Sundon Road.

The development, known as Bellway at Linmere, will comprise a range of one and two-bedroom apartments and a variety of three and four-bedroom homes.

Once complete, the wider Linmere site will consist of 5,150 homes, new schools, shops, community facilities and 90 acres of public open space, including new sports pitches, outdoor play areas and a network of cycle paths.

A two-form extension to Thornhill Primary School, which is located next to the site, will be completed in time for the new school term in September, while a new supermarket close to the first homes is also expected to open later this year.

Linmere will also be home to The Farmstead, a collection of three barn-style buildings containing an artisan café, community hall and meeting rooms.

The overall scheme will deliver funding of around £36 million for local education, transport, open space and leisure facilities through developer contributions, as well as creating hundreds of jobs.

Luke Southgate, Sales Director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “Linmere is an exciting and ambitious project which will create an attractive and desirable new community on the edge of Houghton Regis.

“We are proud to be building the first homes at this highly anticipated development and to have now released a selection of properties onto the market. There has understandably been a huge amount of interest and we are pleased to share that we have already received two reservations, with another expected this coming weekend.”

Later this month, The Chestnut showhome will open for buyers to explore an example of the three-bedroom homes available at Linmere. It will be viewable by appointment only, in line with coronavirus restrictions.

Luke added: “The homes we are building will be just a short walk from The Farmstead community hub, the new supermarket and extended Thornhill Primary School.

“As well as these new purpose-built facilities, there is an array of existing shops, pubs, restaurants and leisure venues in Houghton Regis and Dunstable, which are both within just three miles of the development.

“The site’s location just over a mile from Junction 11A of the M1 makes it ideal for commuters. Luton and Milton Keynes are only 15 and 30 minutes away by car respectively, while trains from Luton railway station can get to London St Pancras in as little as 22 minutes.

“I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a part of this exciting new community to register for updates through our website or to call our sales team to find out more.”