Penrose Property Spotlight - Bramingham - Shining A Light On Luton
Anyone who knows Luton understands that the diversity in our town is one of its greatest strengths. Difference in all its forms is celebrated and embraced here, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the property market. This blog is the first in our new Spotlight series, giving you the inside track on key property pockets in and around Luton.
Location, Location
To kick off the series, we’re headed to Bramingham.
This is the most northerly of Luton’s nineteen electoral wards, and is the area bordered roughly by the A6 to the east with an additional stretch into Turnpike Drive, Icknield Way to the south, Great Bramingham Wood to the west, and fields to the north. It lies in the LU3 postcode district, and is around four to five miles from the town centre.
Back in the day, Bramingham used to be small hamlet called Great Bramingham, which consisted of a few farms and some scattered houses. Like many rural areas situated close to urban centres it watched from a quiet distance as the local town expanded towards it. It was finally subsumed by, and became a suburb of, Luton in 1980s and 1990s, cosying up to Warden Hill to the east, and Marsh Farm to the west.
Up to now, Bramingham has retained its rural grip to the north, but this looks set to change in the coming years. If plans for the North Luton Bypass eventually come to fruition, then some 3,600 new properties will be built to fill in the green gap between what is currently the north of the ward, and where the new road will lie. The timeline on construction of the bypass remains sketchy, but is anticipated to be within the next ten years.
While not the best news for the environment, this development offers great potential for Braminghamand the surrounding areas, promising improved travel links, and continuing investment in services in the area. This can only serve to further boost the property market here.
Property Styles
From the outset, the housing market in Bramingham hit the ground running. It offers a range of properties to suit different budgets, from compact and neat terraced starter-homes, all the way up to spacious multi-bedroomed executive houses.
These properties weren’t just thrown up. Many of them incorporate thoughtful design features, such as mock timber frames, arched windows and bays. There are a range of styles to suit different preferences, and provide that all-important stamp of individuality. Outside, homes in Bramingham are characterized by attractive, trim gardens and usually have off-road parking or a dedicated parking space.
A few original properties from the area remain on Great Bramingham Lane, lending an old-world charm to the area. If you have your eye on one of these you’ll need to be patient, but they do come on the market from time to time.
Building trends come and go, and as with most newer properties dating from the last forty years or so, the homes in Bramingham offer accommodation that is perhaps a tad less spacious than some of the older properties in the town, but somehow this doesn’t matter. It is balanced by simultaneous shifts in how we live and use our homes - we no longer need fireplaces in every room, for example, and a trip to Ikea and the like can transform an apparently unusable box room into a Tardis. Let’s hear it for Doctor Who, the first time-travelling interior designer.
Pricing Profile
Around 60 properties have changed hands in Bramingham over the last year. The average sale price across the town is currently £316k, and with an average selling price of £294k, properties in Bramingham are a steal. Quality, low maintenance suburban homes in a desirable area at a competitive price.
The housing market has been a bit bonkers since Covid reared its head. Between Stamp Duty vacations and a new stay-at-home work ethic, we’ve seen demand for certain types of properties fluctuate wildly. It’s all been a bit destabilising.
Homeowners and property hunters in Bramingham can rest easy, however. Property prices here have remained relatively steady in the face of pandemic madness, as has the volume of sales. Perhaps because those in the know already saw the benefits that this area has to offer and saw no need to become caught up in the flurry of housing market activity. Residents bedded in, content in their homes. What a nice place to be in the midst of chaos.
Bramingham homes are always in demand. They literally fly off our books, putting sellers in a strong position, and giving buyers huge confidence. Given the uncertainty of life over the last year and half, it’s reassuring to know that there is some degree of security to be had where your home is concerned.
We don’t anticipate any great changes in prices in Bramingham in the near future. Steady increases, in line with market averages is our prediction. Which is perfect. We could all use a bit of steady right now.
What Makes This Area Great?
There is a feeling of space about the housing in Bramingham that is further enhanced by a liberal scattering of green spaces, both among the housing and in the form of more dedicated spaces, such as Bramingham Park. Here, you find a small playground too - for the kids, obviously, or the chance to unleash your inner child and let off some steam after work. Or you might prefer to hop across to neighbouring Lea Manor for a swim or gym session at the recreation centre there. That would probably be less weird.
A cluster of decent primary schools are within easy reach for residents of Bramingham, including Bramingham Primary itself, which currently holds a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating. Equally ‘Good’ and within striking distance are Cardinal Newman and Icknield High Schools.
Bramingham has its own medical centre, some decent local shops and pubs, and there are a Sainsbury’s and Homebase on your doorstep. And if you still can’t find what you’re after, the A6 leading directly into the town flanks the area. Walking into town might be a stretch, especially if you’re in a hurry, but cycling in is a breeze, and driving takes no time at all.
And wherever you live within Bramingham, you’re never far from the countryside. A short stretch of the legs gives you access to many local footpaths, and the lovely landscape around Warden Hills. This really is a lovely calm and peaceful residential area.
Kerb Appeal
The 8,000+ residents of Bramingham enjoy low density suburban living, which is fancy way of saying the properties are generally well spaced and in neat residential layouts. Couple that with the local benefits mentioned above, and it’s easy to see why the area holds such appeal.
Bramingham is known for being family friendly, with plenty of 3+ bed properties up for grabs. Some of the smaller properties also attract younger buyers who are taking that first step up onto the property ladder. The area is also appealing to investors - rentals are in high demand here, as everywhere in the town, and represent a solid capital investment.
One potential downside to life in Bramingham is that it’s about the furthest place in Luton away from access to the M1 junctions. Crossing town at rush hour can be a headache, so this area might not be for you if you’re looking for an easy commute to places further afield. Having said that, the North Luton Bypass may level the playing field on this. Only time will tell. This distance from the motorway does, however, mean the Bramingham is a lot less busy than some areas of the town - it all depends on what your priorities are.
With many of the properties in Bramingham built in the 80s and 90s, the area definitely feels established; properties are a known quantity, trusted to be solid and enduring. And yet, they are still new enough not to need anything much doing to them. Some modernisation, a bit of sprucing up of existing features here and there, and you’re good to go. It’s like renovation-lite, mostly without the renovation part. There’s a lot to be said for that when you’re busy with family and work.
The average age of homeowners here is 43, and this number has crept up over last twenty years, increasing from 37 since 2002. The is perhaps indicative of longer term purchases by families. Which makes sense - why would you move when you’ve found the ideal family home? It says a great deal about the popularity of the area. People like living here.
Buy in Bramingham and you buy with confidence.
In Summary …
Bramingham is a super area of Luton to live. Our director Ben grew up there, so he really knows his stuff and would be happy to offer further detailed insights if you have any questions about life there. Whatever your area of interest in Luton, we can offer you a personal spotlight overview. And watch this space for further blogs in the series. If you’re looking to buy, sell, or rent anywhere in Luton, get in touch today and let us shine a light on your property dreams too.