Bradford on Avon, one of the historic market towns of Wiltshire, is well known for its period buildings, narrow shopping streets and pretty views but slowly over the years, there have been many changes to its skyline with new homes being built in and around the historic centre which I will tell you more about.
Many of you may think of new houses being either in large estates or indeed rows of similar property lending nothing architecturally to this picturesque town. Looking a little deeper into the more recent house sales in Bradford on Avon that have happened, this perhaps couldn’t be further from the truth.
If we take ‘new houses’ as being within the last 20 years, there have been numerous developments of all sizes that have increased the number of houses for sale and that also almost ties in with our Market Street office being open and selling all types of houses since 2002.
New homes in Bradford on Avon: 2000-2010
In fact, the new homes in Bradford on Avon of 2001, was the first major development of the old rubber and wool factories and is now known as Greenland Mills, which comprised of sympathetic conversions of the original mill buildings to new apartments plus townhouses resulting in approximately 50 homes coming to the market. In fact, Cobb Farr has the largest property for sale currently: Weirside Mill.
The listed council and local authorities have obviously always had to be involved and also kept the new homes in Bradford on Avon in keeping with their various plans but there have been other sites which may have raised the eyebrows of the locals at the time – namely the old gas works.
Overlooking Victory Fields these new houses were extremely contemporary for the time and with their blue and silver façade, caused quite a stir. Now they sit on the Frome Road with nobody really batting an eye!
For developers it really must be quite difficult in finding a suitable site to build, overcoming the building pitfalls and keeping everybody happy not least the locals and council.
Constructing new houses for sale in Bradford on Avon is also made more difficult due to two other factors. One of which being the amount of quarrying that took place in times of old and also contaminated land from the factories that were clustered in the town centre and along the river.
New house in Bradford on Avon: 2010 – onwards
These lands will have to have much more investigation to the earth beneath before a spade can be put to task in earnest. This seemed very prevalent with the Kennet Gardens homes set into the old Poulton Quarry where access must still be kept.
Colburn Homes were delighted with the finished product and I urge you to have a look at a great example currently on the market – All these quarries will have had extensive underground workings and as such new houses will have to be very carefully constructed. http://www.bradfordonavonmuseum.co.uk/archives/4270
Also, possibly the largest of the projects that Bradford on Avon has seen, the changes of Kingston Mills. This new development had been discussed for what seemed like decades and probably was!
Now, however there are more new apartments and new houses in Bradford on Avon but with the added facility of shops, restaurants and cafes which I think has had the effect of bringing more young families to the area and also not least the slightly lower prices when compared to our big brother neighbour of Bath.
Potentially the demand from younger buyers wanting new technology in their homes has proved that new homes are extremely popular as it can be so tricky to try to install ‘mod cons’ into period buildings and even more so if they are listed too.
With the centre of Bradford on Avon being almost fully redeveloped, builder’s eyes turned to more niche and specific developments of 2/3/4 houses and these have popped up all over the town and we have been dealing with these sales ever since. Timbrells View, Mill Lane, Woolley Street, Wharfside, Courtside Terrace to name but a few.
Over the years, Cobb Farr has built a, enviable reputation of excellence throughout the market and with new homes, dealing with larger, national developers and independent local companies, all of whom have decided on our services time and time again, trusting us with their wonderful products.
No doubt one of the most eye-catching was the old Bradford on Avon hospital with its stunning Berryfield House. Now set in a gated complex with 13 other houses really shows how the landscape has altered. This was created by Ashford Homes who have synonymous with superb houses offering the latest in design and quality in and around the area.
The present day:
The latest and largest of the current build programs is the Kingston Farm site, by CG Fry, which as you know if you’ve visited Bradford on Avon recently to search for any new property, is situated on the Holt Road.
It is still being finished and necessitated a whole new roundabout to service the 135+ new properties, designed by no less than Prince Charles’ architect (also worked on the Poundbury Estate) for the Duchy.
Kingston Farm has been largely well-received by the residents even if the amount of traffic has increased. This brings me to another question of the facilities that new homes have brought. New industry, jobs and shops have meant that Bradford on Avon is going from strength to strength and ever more popular and therefore more new property will no doubt appear.
Cobb Farr have been delighted to deal with the vast majority of all these new homes and have further developments in the pipeline. We have a specialist department dedicated to all aspects of buying and selling brand new properties. Find out more here.
The future of new homes in Bradford on Avon
There are further sites that have been earmarked for development and let’s hope that they are constructed and finished by people that have done such a good job already.
You will be able to see from any satellite imagery that there are more niche areas waiting for houses along with some of the, in architect parlance, ‘Brown Field’ areas.
Does all this development detract from selling your home? Personally, I don’t believe that is the case. Yes, it does make an already bustling town busier and that won’t be for all, but there seems to be ample demand for all types of house sales.
If you have a period house, then there is a market for that. If you have a slightly older, new home then also for those too. Bradford on Avon has always been a mix of housing together with industry and so it still is today. It’s just that the heavy industry has moved out and has been replaced by digital companies along with the shops. Housing has also mirrored that with the new homes hopefully blending alongside the historic side.
So, what other changes will there be over the next 20 years? Let’s see!
Please do not hesitate to contact me, Mark Thompson, on 01225866111 or at mark@cobbfarr.com should you wish to talk further about new home sales or valuing your property in Bradford on Avon.
