Canberra Road Shortstown, Bedford
30 addresses across 2 postcodes (MK42), about 140 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 27300444.
- Sales: 32 recorded sales since 1995; in 2024 the median was £330,000 across 1 sale.
- Prices and rents: A typical home in Bedford cost £330,462 in August 2026 (+1.1% on a year); private rents averaged £1,177 a month.
- Energy: 18 homes have an energy certificate (B: 9, C: 8, D: 1).
- Flood: No address on its postcodes is in an area at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water.
- Recorded floods: No recorded flood covers the centre of any of its postcodes.
- Council tax: Most homes around it are in council tax band B; Band D in Bedford costs £2,472 a year in 2026-27.
- Broadband: Gigabit broadband is available to 100% of premises.
- Transport: The nearest railway station is Bedford St Johns, about 2.9 km (1.8 miles) away in a straight line.
- Green space: The nearest park or garden is about 770 m (0.5 miles) away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 7.4 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 7.1 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: Its addresses are 32 to 41 m above sea level.
- Noise: 2 of its 30 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is London Road Health Centre, about 2.3 km (1.5 miles) away.
- People: About 360 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 80% of households owned their home and 31% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 34 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often violence and sexual offences.
- Road safety: No collisions in which someone was hurt were reported on and around it in 2021 to 2025.
£9.99 The Street Dossier Full Report for a home on Canberra Road: its own records, questions to ask the seller and everything on this page, in one PDF. Choose the home
House sales on this street
| Year | Sales | Median price | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | £330,000 | £330,000 | £330,000 |
| 2021 | 5 | £290,000 | £203,000 | £315,000 |
| 2020 | 3 | £257,500 | £246,500 | £287,500 |
| 2018 | 1 | £240,000 | £240,000 | £240,000 |
| 2016 | 2 | £251,995 | £247,995 | £255,995 |
| 2015 | 5 | £204,995 | £199,995 | £234,995 |
| 2006 | 1 | £141,000 | £141,000 | £141,000 |
| 2005 | 2 | £159,475 | £149,950 | £169,000 |
| 2004 | 1 | £117,500 | £117,500 | £117,500 |
| 2003 | 1 | £141,000 | £141,000 | £141,000 |
| 2002 | 2 | £104,000 | £100,000 | £108,000 |
| 2000 | 1 | £83,995 | £83,995 | £83,995 |
| Date | Address | Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2006 | 1A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £141,000 | New build. |
| 22 Nov 2018 | 1B MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £240,000 | |
| 21 Oct 2005 | 1B MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £149,950 | New build. |
| 26 Feb 2016 | 2 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £247,995 | New build. |
| 12 Aug 2024 | 2A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £330,000 | |
| 12 Aug 2021 | 2A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £290,000 | |
| 26 Feb 2016 | 2A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £255,995 | New build. |
| 5 May 2000 | 3 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £83,995 | |
| 28 Jun 2021 | 4 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £270,000 | |
| 30 Jun 2015 | 4 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £199,995 | New build. |
| 6 Jan 2020 | 4A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £257,500 | |
| 30 Jun 2015 | 4A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £204,995 | New build. |
| 19 Nov 2003 | 5 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £141,000 | |
| 4 Dec 2020 | 6 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £287,500 | |
| 25 Jun 2015 | 6 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £204,995 | New build. |
| 24 Nov 2020 | 6A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £246,500 | |
| 6 Oct 2020 | 6A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £240,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 30 Jun 2015 | 6A MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £199,995 | New build. |
| 8 Mar 2024 | 7 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £350,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 7 Nov 2002 | 7 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £108,000 | |
| 23 Feb 2021 | 8 MK42 0UZ | Detached | £315,000 | |
| 26 Jun 2015 | 8 MK42 0UZ | Detached | £234,995 | New build. |
| 1 Aug 2005 | 9 MK42 0UZ | Detached | £169,000 | |
| 3 Oct 1997 | 9 MK42 0UZ | Detached | £72,500 | |
| 12 Aug 1998 | 10 MK42 0UZ | Detached | £69,000 | |
| 28 Jul 1997 | 10 MK42 0UZ | Detached | £65,000 | |
| 6 Dec 2021 | 11 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £300,000 | |
| 28 Jan 2021 | 11 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £203,000 | |
| 23 Oct 2002 | 13 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £100,000 | |
| 24 Feb 2022 | 18 MK42 0UZ | Terraced | £190,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 23 Apr 2004 | 20 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £117,500 | |
| 15 Jun 1998 | 20 MK42 0UZ | Semi-detached | £48,750 |
House prices and rents in Bedford
A typical home in Bedford cost £330,462 in August 2026, 1.1% more than a year before. That is 16% more than five years earlier and 36% more than ten years earlier.
| Home | Typical price, Aug 2026 |
|---|---|
| Detached | £557,923 |
| Semi-detached | £348,256 |
| Terraced | £278,279 |
| Flat or maisonette | £159,840 |
| Bought by a first-time buyer | £273,305 |
Private renters in Bedford paid £1,177 a month on average in September 2026, 2.5% more than a year before. That is 33% more than five years earlier.
| Home | Average rent a month, Sep 2026 |
|---|---|
| One bedroom | £802 |
| Two bedrooms | £1,032 |
| Three bedrooms | £1,265 |
| Four or more bedrooms | £1,812 |
Energy performance certificates
18 homes with a current certificate; median floor area 82 m². Most common: House, semi-detached (16); House, detached (1); House, mid-terrace (1). Built: 2013 (7); 1983-1990 (3); 2003-2006 (2). Tenure at assessment: owner-occupied (12); rented (private) (2); rented (social) (2).
Each home's certificates and sales (18 addresses)
- 1a, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 1b Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 2, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 2a, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 4, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 4a, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 6, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 6a, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 7 Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 7a Canberra Road
- 7b Canberra Road
- 8, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 11, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 12 Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 14, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 16 Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 18, Canberra Road, Shortstown
- 20 Canberra Road, Shortstown
Gas and electricity use
Homes with gas used 6,806 kWh of it on average in 2024, 34% less than the district's 10,376 kWh, and 2,782 kWh of electricity, 11% less than the district's 3,138 kWh. There are gas meters for about 92% of the homes.
| Postcode | Electricity meters | Typical electricity | Gas meters | Typical gas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK42 0UZ | 24 | 2,765 kWh | 23 | 7,992 kWh |
| MK42 0AP | 27 | 2,033 kWh | 24 | 4,578 kWh |
These are all the homes on each postcode, whatever their size and however many live in them, so they show the kind of homes and heating here rather than what any one home uses. The typical figure is the median: half the homes used less. The district is MK42.
Council tax
What each band costs in Bedford in 2026-27: Band D £2,472 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,648 | £1,922 | £2,197 | £2,472 | £3,021 | £3,570 | £4,120 | £4,943 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this street: most are in band B (42% of about 790 homes).
Planning and heritage
- Conservation area: no postcode centre in this street's postcodes is in one.
- Listed buildings on or by this street: none.
- Article 4 direction (removing permitted development rights): none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Tree preservation orders: none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Green belt: no.
Energy projects nearby
1 energy project near the street's postcodes.
| Project | Kind | Size | Stage | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elstow Landfill Site | Landfill Gas | 1.8 MW | Operational Jul 1996 | 2.2 km (1.4 miles) |
Planned projects can change or not go ahead; search the planning authority's applications by the reference shown for the plans, conditions and any objections. Construction brings traffic for some months; once built, solar farms and batteries are usually quiet, while turbines and waste plants can be seen or heard further away.
Roadworks
No street works under way, planned or finished in the last three months on this street, in permits up to 31 October 2026.
Flood risk
No address in this street's postcodes is in an area at high, medium or low risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water. The rest are in areas at very low risk: less than a 0.1% (1 in 1,000) chance a year.
Rivers and the sea alone: no home is in an area at risk.
High: 3.3% (1 in 30) or more chance of flooding a year. Medium: 1% to 3.3%. Low: 0.1% to 1%. Very low: under 0.1%. The rivers and sea figures allow for flood defences. Counts cover whole postcodes, which can include other streets.
Flood zone for planning: no postcode centre on this street is in flood zone 2 or 3.
Recorded floods
No recorded flood covers the centre of any of this street's postcodes.
Recorded floods are where floodwater was seen or surveyed after a flood. Many floods were never mapped, an outline over a postcode's centre does not mean every home in it flooded, and homes outside one may have. Ask the seller whether the home itself has flooded.
Coastal erosion
No projected coastal erosion zone is within 1 km (0.6 miles) of the street's postcodes.
Storm overflows
No storm overflow outlet is within 1 km (0.6 miles) of the street's postcodes.
Coal mining
No postcode centre on the street is in a coalfield: the Mining Remediation Authority records no coal mining risk here.
Radon
Every 1 km square the street's postcodes are in is in the lowest band of radon potential: fewer than 1 home in 100 is estimated to be at or above the Action Level. It is not a radon Affected Area.
Historic landfill
No historic landfill site is within 500 m (0.3 miles) of the street's postcodes.
Height above sea level
The street's 30 addresses are between 32 m and 41 m above sea level (40 m on average); the ground rises about 9 m from the lowest to the highest.
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK42 0AP | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| MK42 0UZ | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Bedford St Johns 176,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 2.9 km (1.8 miles) |
| Bedford 3.8 million journeys in 2024–25 | 4 km (2.5 miles) | |
| Kempston Hardwick 9,780 journeys in 2024–25 | 4.8 km (3 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 3 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 11 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Blenheim Road Shortstown | 160 m |
| Bus or coach station | Bus Station Bedford | 3.8 km (2.3 miles) |
| Car parks | Parking Elstow Park and Ride | 2.6 km (1.6 miles) |
| EV charging points | 1 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest bp Pulse | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London Luton Airport LTN | 26.6 km (17 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | London Road Health Centre Good Aug 2016 | 2.3 km (1.5 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 2 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Pyramid Pharmacy | 710 m (0.4 miles) |
| NHS dentists | London Road Health Centre | 2.3 km (1.5 miles) |
| Hospital | Bedford Hospital Good Mar 2019 | 3.1 km (1.9 miles) |
| Care homes | 1 home within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Southway Requires improvement Sep 2022 | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) |
| Police station | Bedfordshire Police Federation | 3.8 km (2.4 miles) |
| Cash machines | Nisa Cashzone | 2.3 km (1.5 miles) |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 16 ha | 770 m (0.5 miles) |
| Play area | 4 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 3,370 m² | 310 m |
| Playing field | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 4.7 ha | 480 m (0.3 miles) |
| Allotments | Bunyan Allotments 8.9 ha | 1.4 km (0.9 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 1 park or garden, 16 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Garden to Howard's House, a registered park or garden (Grade II), 2.1 km (1.3 miles) north-east. 5 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles).
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Garden to Howard's House | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) north-east |
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteers' Wood | Wood | 1.6 km (1 mile) south-east |
| Shocott Spring | Wood | 1.7 km (1 mile) south-east |
| Cardington Spillway | Lake or reservoir | 1.9 km (1.2 miles) north |
| Hollow Lake | Lake or reservoir | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) south-west |
| Longholme Island | Island | 2.6 km (1.6 miles) north |
| Summerhouse Hill | Hill | 3.1 km (1.9 miles) north-east |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 7.4 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 7.1 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 12.7 | 40 | 15 |
All three are within the UK legal limits; PM2.5 is above the WHO guideline, as in most towns and cities.
Road and rail noise
| Level | Road traffic | Railways |
|---|---|---|
| 55 to 59 | 2 | 0 |
| Under 55 | 28 | 30 |
2 of the street's 30 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic, above the WHO guidelines.
Climate, daylight and earthquakes
Monthly temperatures and rainfall, sunrise and sunset through the year, and earthquakes recorded nearby since 1970 are much the same across the area, so they are worked out once for Bedford: see them on the Bedford page.
Nearest schools
| School | Phase | Ages | Distance | Inspection | Exam results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shortstown Primary School | Primary | 2–11 | 680 m (0.4 miles) | Report card (Feb 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met | 60% at the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 0% at the higher standard (2025; 45% in 2024 and 45% in 2023) |
| Bedford Academy | Secondary | 11–18 | 1.4 km (0.8 miles) | Good (Mar 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) | GCSE 2026 (provisional): Attainment 8 44.4 (42.8 in 2025 and 43.4 in 2024); 35.7% grade 5+ in English and maths A level 2025: average grade C+; 10% AAB or better; progress above average |
| King's Oak Primary School | Primary | 1–11 | 1.6 km (1 mile) | Report card (May 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard; Inclusion: Strong standard; Leadership and governance: Strong standard; Early years: Strong standard; Safeguarding standards: Met | 61% at the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 2% at the higher standard (2025; 59% in 2024 and 54% in 2023) |
| Elstow School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.7 km (1 mile) | No published inspection | 74% at the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 5% at the higher standard (2025; 70% in 2024 and 64% in 2023) |
Exam results are from the Department for Education's school performance tables (Explore Education Statistics, Open Government Licence), for all pupils at each school. The middle school in England had 63% at the expected standard at the end of primary school (2025), Attainment 8 of 46.0 at GCSE (2026) and an A level average of C+ (2025). Attainment 8 adds up a pupil's grades in eight GCSEs, with English and maths counted twice (90 is the most), averaged over the school's pupils. Progress 8 compares pupils with others who had the same results at the end of primary school; it is not published for GCSEs in 2025 and 2026, as those pupils sat no primary tests during the pandemic. Small year groups swing from year to year, and figures for very small ones are withheld.
Nurseries and childcare
1 nursery, pre-school or club within 1.5 km (0.9 miles), the nearest 840 m (0.5 miles) from the middle of the street.
| Provider | Kind | Places | Latest inspection | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Care Club - Elstow MK42 9GP | Out-of-school day care | 20 | Not inspected yet | 840 m (0.5 miles) |
Ofsted also registers 95 childminders and 17 home childcarers (nannies) in Bedford. It does not publish their addresses, so they cannot be shown here; the council's family information service lists those taking children.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superfood Explorer MK42 0FN | Importers/Exporters | 140 m | 5 Very good | 22 Apr 2025 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 13 |
| Other theft | 5 |
| Public order | 5 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 3 |
| Other crime | 2 |
| Vehicle crime | 2 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 1 |
| Drugs | 1 |
| Possession of weapons | 1 |
| Burglary | 1 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near Flintham (13); On or near Lincoln Road (8); On or near Wellington Road (3); On or near Shackleton Close (3); On or near Blenheim Road (2).
Road safety
No collisions in which someone was hurt were reported on and around the street in 2021 to 2025.
Only collisions in which someone was hurt and which the police were told about are here: damage-only collisions and near misses are not, and some injuries are never reported. Positions are recorded by the police, usually to within a few metres. Each year's figures are published the following September.
Traffic on nearby roads
No traffic count point is within 500 m (0.3 miles) of the street's postcodes. The Department for Transport counts every motorway and A road and only a sample of minor roads, so a quiet residential street usually has none.
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 16% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 14% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 80% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 30% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 0% | 1% |
| Social rented | 12% | 17% |
| Private rented | 8% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 68% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 7% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 16% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 3% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 26% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 67% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 2% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 4% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 0% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 56% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 14% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 31% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 14% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 8% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 86% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 3% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this street is in decile 4 of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 1 is the most deprived tenth of England's 33,755 neighbourhoods and 10 the least.
What has changed
Nothing new since the change feed started on 30 October 2026. New sales and energy certificates, and hygiene ratings, school inspections and flood figures nearby, will be listed here as the sources update.
Postcodes on this street
Nearby streets
Evans Croft · Wellington Road · Hunter Close · Flintham · Lancaster Road · Blenheim Road · Shackleton Close · Lincoln Road · Victor Close · Stirling Road · Halifax Road · Brabazon Close
What this page cannot tell you
- Whether a particular house is at risk of flooding, subsiding or anything else: the flood map is a model of areas and there is no property-level data here.
- What a home is worth now: sales are historic prices for the homes that happened to sell.
- How safe the street is: crime points are moved to anonymised locations and many crimes are never reported; road collisions count only those in which someone was hurt and the police were told.
- Whether you would get a place at a school: distances are straight lines, not catchments.
- Who lives on the street now: census figures describe the small areas around it in March 2021, during a lockdown.
- How long a journey takes or how often anything runs: transport distances are straight lines to the nearest stops.
- Whether a GP practice is taking new patients, or a dentist new NHS patients.
- How loud a home is inside, or noise from industry, neighbours or smaller airfields: noise figures are models of road, rail and air traffic outside.
How each figure on this page is matched to the street and worked out: methodology.