Introduction
Much-needed new homes and community hub for Stewartby
The former Stewartby Brickworks, a site of unique historical significance, is set to become a vibrant and sustainable new neighbourhood south of Bedford.
Following the granting of outline planning permission in 2021, Harworth Group have acquired the site and are preparing a site-wide Masterplan, Development Brief and Design Code, all of which will be submitted to Bedford Borough Council in the coming months. The FAQ section below explains more about the role and purpose of the Development Brief and Design Code.
We are going to bring forward the outline planning permission. Our masterplan will incorporate the components of the outline planning permission. As we build the detail from what was shown at outline stage, we anticipate that our masterplan will need to show some revisions to the outline proposals. However, our masterplan will retain the overall spirit, purpose and content of the outline permission and will provide much needed homes, including affordable homes, as well as a rich community hub, places to meet and play spaces.
We will establish a network of public open spaces, improvements to pedestrian and cycleways and also deliver upgrades to the local road network that were secured as part of the outline planning permission. We will also deliver new employment space and community facilities. We will do all of this while looking to reflect the rich heritage of the site across the development, so that the importance of the Brickworks can be recognised into the future.
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Community
A positive opportunity to create and deliver community growth
The Stewartby Brickworks development, with its expansive 52-hectare area, is a significant opportunity to deliver substantial environmental, economic, and social benefits, fostering long-term community growth.
The site
Site location
The former Stewartby Brickworks is a brownfield site which sits to the west of the village of Stewartby, a model village originally built just under 100 years ago, for workers of the London Brick Company.
Marston Vale New Village
Millennium Country Park
Rookery South Energy from Waste & Millbrook Power Plant
Wetland Nature Reserve
Stewartby Village
Veolia Waste Management Site
Kimberly Sixth Form College
Stewartby Landfill Site
Stewartby Waste Transfer Station
Stewartby Leachate Treatment Plant
Planning consent
Revising the masterplan
In October 2021 outline planning permission was granted for a residential led, mixed-use re-development of the former Brickworks. Two separate listed building consents were granted, in 2018 and 2021, that permitted the demolition of existing buildings on the site, with the exception of the outer walls of the two remaining kilns, and the core of the former London Brickworks Company Headquarters (LBC HQ) building.
In September 2024 Harworth bought the site. To support our plans to deliver the outline planning permission, we have been undertaking a significant amount of detailed due diligence, which has included ground investigation and structural surveys, as well as beginning to work up proposals for ecological mitigation.
That due diligence and analysis is helping us to develop more detail for the proposals and to prepare an updated masterplan for the site, which will then inform a Development Brief and Design Code that we are going to submit to Bedford Borough Council. These documents will establish the design principles and parameters for the development of the site. Please see the FAQ section below for more detail.
You can read the previously approved outline planning application here.
Timeline
How will the project move forward?
2008
Stewartby Brickworks closed down.
2018
Listed building consent granted for demolition of chimneys and firing chambers of the kilns.
2021
Outline planning permission granted, to bring forward 1000 new homes, new employment spaces, flexible retail and community spaces and improved landscaping. Listed building consent also granted for the demolition of existing buildings other than the kiln walls and the LBC HQ building.
September 2024
Harworth Group acquires the site.
Autumn 2024
Ongoing: Harworth commences site investigation works to prepare for homes to come forward.
April 2025
Harworth bring forward masterplan proposals for the site, this is supported by a design code, development brief and phasing plan.
Late Spring 2025
Formal submission of Development Brief, Design Code and Phasing Plan followed by a later reserved matters application for some enabling and infrastructure works.
Mid 2027
Housebuilder on site in Phase 1, to start building works.
Early 2028
First house occupied on Stewartby Brickworks.
FAQs
Your key questions answered
What is an Outline Planning Permission?
An outline planning permission establishes the general principles of how a site will be developed, and will typically establish parameters for the development. In this case, the permission establishes the maximum number of homes that are to be built, the maximum amount of land to be used for employment purposes, and the principle of other uses being incorporated into the development. It also approves the points of access into the site from the existing roads and pavements. The remaining details of the development are ‘reserved’ for later determination, including its appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.
What is a Reserved Matters Application?
A reserved matters application is submitted once outline planning permission has been granted. It seeks approval for the details that were reserved for later determination at the outline planning application stage. These details are normally the layout of the site, i.e. how the development is arranged, the scale of buildings and their architectural appearance (and the appearance of external built form), and the provision of hard and soft landscaping across the site, including public and private amenity spaces.
What is a Section 106 Agreement?
A Section 106 Agreement is a legal agreement, usually entered into between an applicant and a Local Planning Authority that secures the delivery of infrastructure, or financial contributions towards infrastructure, that is required as part of, or to mitigate the impact of, a development. In this case, a Section 106 Agreement was entered into by the applicant who secured the outline planning permission, and this secured various planning contributions. The obligations in that agreement have passed onto Harworth following their purchase of the site.
What is a Development Brief?
A Development Brief is an overarching document that provides guidance on the detailed design of a scheme to ensure all parcels are delivered consistently, and to ensure that there is a coherent site wide strategy to matters such as connectivity, land contamination, site access and permeability, green infrastructure, heritage, and drainage. The Development Brief should recognise and reflect the context and constraints of the site.
Harworth will prepare the Development Brief and will submit it to Bedford Borough Council for approval. All reserved matters applications will need to accord with the Development Brief.
What is a Design Code?
A Design Code is a document that establishes overarching rules and principles to guide the development of a site. Its contents must be clear, specific and unambiguous, to ensure its effectiveness. In the case of Stewartby Brickworks, Harworth will prepare the Design Code, and this will be submitted to Bedford Borough Council for its approval. Once the Design Code is approved, all applications for reserved matters will need to comply with it. Harworth will own the Design Code for the lifetime of the development.
Our Design Code will establish ‘character areas’ for different parts of the site, and impose codes and rules around how the development should look and feel in each of these areas. It will do this by reference to things like street hierarchies, density, scale, materials and environmental management controls.
What are Parameter Plans?
These are plans that graphically show the parameters of an outline application. In this case, the outline application for the site was accompanied by a series of parameter plans that established principles of things like land uses, building heights, green infrastructure and access and movement. Our masterplan, and our Development Brief and Design Code, will need to be in general conformity with the parameter plans, and build on the information that was shown on them.
There are loud noises happening on site, what is this for?
The noise relates to bird deterrent devices which are currently being employed on site, and this is to deter birds from nesting prior to any demolition that takes place on site. They are expected to go off every hour from 9am to 6pm. We apologise for any inconvenience caused – the bird deterrents are in place for 12 weeks and the noise is currently at its lowest setting. If you have any questions regarding the noise then please do email us directly: info@harworth-stewartbybrickworks.co.uk