Downside Bedford
24 addresses across 2 postcodes (MK41), about 160 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 27300897.
- Sales: 15 recorded sales since 1995; in 2026 the median was £280,000 across 1 sale.
- Energy: 15 homes have an energy certificate (C: 10, D: 4, E: 1).
- Flood: 2 addresses on its postcodes are in areas at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water.
- 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 3.1 km (1.9 miles) away in a straight line.
- Green space: The nearest park or garden, Goldington Green, is about 470 m (0.3 miles) away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 8.5 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 7.2 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: Its addresses are 30 to 33 m above sea level.
- Noise: 2 of its 24 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is Putnoe Medical Centre Partnership, about 320 m away, with 2 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile).
- People: About 300 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 39% of households owned their home and 24% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 104 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often violence and sexual offences.
Sales on this street
| Year | Sales | Median price | Lowest | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | £280,000 | £280,000 | £280,000 |
| 2025 | 1 | £306,000 | £306,000 | £306,000 |
| 2024 | 1 | £275,000 | £275,000 | £275,000 |
| 2023 | 1 | £285,000 | £285,000 | £285,000 |
| 2021 | 1 | £262,000 | £262,000 | £262,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | £241,000 | £241,000 | £241,000 |
| 2015 | 2 | £175,500 | £173,000 | £178,000 |
| 2004 | 2 | £134,500 | £132,000 | £137,000 |
| 2002 | 2 | £103,500 | £98,000 | £109,000 |
| 1998 | 1 | £49,500 | £49,500 | £49,500 |
| 1997 | 1 | £48,000 | £48,000 | £48,000 |
| Date | Address | Type | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2026 | 5 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £280,000 | |
| 3 Oct 2025 | 24 MK41 9JA | Semi-detached | £306,000 | |
| 29 Sep 2025 | 24 MK41 9JA | Semi-detached | £275,000 | Not a standard sale (repossession, buy-to-let or transfer). |
| 24 Oct 2024 | 2 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £275,000 | |
| 15 Sep 2023 | 1 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £285,000 | |
| 18 Jun 2021 | 12 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £262,000 | |
| 19 Jul 2019 | 12 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £241,000 | |
| 20 Nov 2015 | 5 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £173,000 | |
| 22 Sep 2015 | 12 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £178,000 | |
| 12 Nov 2004 | 3 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £137,000 | |
| 4 Aug 2004 | 12 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £132,000 | |
| 9 Oct 2002 | 18 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £109,000 | |
| 23 Aug 2002 | 11 MK41 9JA | Semi-detached | £98,000 | |
| 5 Nov 1998 | 5 MK41 9JA | Semi-detached | £49,500 | |
| 21 May 1997 | 18 MK41 9JA | Terraced | £48,000 |
Energy performance certificates
15 homes with a current certificate; median floor area 86 m². Most common: House, end-terrace (8); House, semi-detached (4); House, mid-terrace (3). Built: 1950-1966 (9); 1967-1975 (6). Tenure at assessment: owner-occupied (9); rented (social) (5); rented (private) (1).
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 (65% of about 620 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.
Brownfield land registered for housing within 1 km (0.6 miles)
- Bury Court, Church Lane, Bedford: up to 9 homes, permissioned (440 m (0.3 miles))
Roadworks
No street works under way, planned or finished in the last three months on this street, in permits up to 30 September 2026.
Flood risk
Rivers, the sea or surface water: in this street's postcodes, 2 addresses are in areas at high risk, 0 at medium risk and 2 at low risk. Each address counts once, at the higher of its rivers-and-sea and surface-water risk.
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.
| Postcode | Planning zone | Addresses at high / medium / low risk | Groundwater |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK41 9JA | not in 2 or 3 | 2 / 0 / 2 | unlikely |
| MK41 9HY | not in 2 or 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 | unlikely |
Height above sea level
The street's 24 addresses are between 30 m and 33 m above sea level (31 m on average).
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK41 9HY | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| MK41 9JA | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Bedford St Johns 176,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 3.1 km (1.9 miles) |
| Bedford 3.8 million journeys in 2024–25 | 3.4 km (2.1 miles) | |
| Kempston Hardwick 9,780 journeys in 2024–25 | 7.8 km (4.9 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 14 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 51 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Roundmead Putnoe | 80 m |
| Bus or coach station | Bus Station Bedford | 2.8 km (1.7 miles) |
| Car parks | Brickhill Dr Parking | 2.3 km (1.4 miles) |
| EV charging points | 3 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest bp pulse Charging Station | 690 m (0.4 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London Luton Airport LTN | 30.7 km (19 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 2 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Putnoe Medical Centre Partnership | 320 m |
| Pharmacies | 4 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Well | 420 m (0.3 miles) |
| NHS dentists | 3 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Goldington Road (Dental Surgery) | 810 m (0.5 miles) |
| Hospital | Bedford Hospital | 3.4 km (2.1 miles) |
| Police station | Bedford Police Station | 2.9 km (1.8 miles) |
| Cash machines | 2 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Samra Enterprise Ltd, Goldington Cashzone | 530 m (0.3 miles) |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 2 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Goldington Green 4.8 ha | 470 m (0.3 miles) |
| Largest park within 800 m (0.5 miles) | Unnamed 6.8 ha | 490 m (0.3 miles) |
| Play area | 4 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 840 m² | 60 m |
| Playing field | 2 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 2.3 ha | 400 m (0.2 miles) |
| Allotments | Barkers Lane Allotments 2.6 ha | 880 m (0.5 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 2 parks and gardens, 12 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Church of St Mary the Virgin, a listed building (Grade II*), 360 m east. 3 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 1 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Church of St Mary the Virgin | Listed building, Grade II* | 360 m east |
| Mortuary enclosure 1200m north-west of Octagon Farm: part of a Neolithic and Bronze Age mortuary complex | Scheduled monument | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) south-east |
| Barrow and mortuary enclosure 1100m WNW of Octagon Farm: part of a Neolithic and Bronze Age mortuary complex | Scheduled monument | 1.6 km (1 mile) south-east |
| A barrow 1000m NW of Octagon Farm: part of a Neolithic and Bronze Age mortuary complex | Scheduled monument | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) south-east |
| Bedford Park | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) west |
| Bedford Cemetery | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 2.3 km (1.4 miles) west |
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Riverside Pond | Lake or reservoir | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) south-east |
| New Cut | Lake or reservoir | 1.6 km (1 mile) south |
| Putnoe Wood | Wood | 1.6 km (1 mile) north |
| Summerhouse Hill | Hill | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) south-east |
| Navigation Channel | Lake or reservoir | 1.9 km (1.2 miles) south |
| Longholme Island | Island | 2 km (1.2 miles) south-west |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 8.5 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 7.2 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 11.3 | 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 | 22 | 24 |
2 of the street's 24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goldington Green Academy | Primary | 2–11 | 660 m (0.4 miles) | No overall grade (Jan 2025, graded inspection without an overall judgement): Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Good; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Good |
| Putnoe Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 710 m (0.4 miles) | Good (Jul 2024, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Goldington Academy | Secondary | 11–16 | 790 m (0.5 miles) | Report card (May 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Strong standard; Achievement: Strong standard; Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard; Inclusion: Strong standard; Leadership and governance: Strong standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| The Hills Academy | Primary | 3–11 | 830 m (0.5 miles) | Good (Feb 2020, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Hazeldene School | Primary | 3–11 | 870 m (0.5 miles) | No published inspection |
| St John Rigby Catholic Primary School Roman Catholic | Primary | 3–11 | 1 km (0.6 miles) | Good (Sep 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Mark Rutherford School | Secondary | 11–18 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | Report card (Nov 2025): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Strong standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Post-16 provision: Needs attention; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Castle Newnham School | All-through | 4–16 | 1.6 km (1 mile) | Report card (Mar 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 |
| Brickhill Primary School | Primary | 5–11 | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) | No published inspection |
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Orkids Day Nursery Goldington MK41 9JA | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 60 m | 5 Very good | 12 Aug 2025 |
| Goldington Community Nursery MK41 9HU | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 110 m | 5 Very good | 12 Feb 2024 |
| The New Sportsman MK41 9HA | Pub/bar/nightclub | 200 m | 4 Good | 3 Mar 2017 |
| Sunda Stores MK41 9HD | Retailers - other | 200 m | 4 Good | 9 Feb 2016 |
| Johnstone Family Butchers Ltd MK41 9HD | Retailers - other | 210 m | 5 Very good | 2 Dec 2025 |
| Caterplus @ McCarthy & Stone-Oakhill Place MK41 8FB | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 240 m | 5 Very good | 18 Dec 2025 |
| Putnoe Service Station MK41 9JF | Retailers - other | 330 m | 5 Very good | 6 Dec 2017 |
| Co-operative MK41 9JF | Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 360 m | 5 Very good | 20 Aug 2026 |
| Queens Drive MK41 9BS | Retailers - other | 400 m (0.2 miles) | 5 Very good | 28 Feb 2026 |
| Sammy’s Hat MK41 9BS | Retailers - other | 410 m (0.3 miles) | 4 Good | 8 Apr 2025 |
| Giuseppe Deli MK41 9BS | Retailers - other | 420 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 28 Feb 2025 |
| St Marys Church Hall MK41 0AP | Other catering premises | 430 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 30 Nov 2015 |
| The Meat Shop MK41 9BS | Retailers - other | 430 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 19 Feb 2025 |
| Andys Chippy MK41 9BS | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 440 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 13 Mar 2025 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 52 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 15 |
| Other theft | 10 |
| Drugs | 9 |
| Vehicle crime | 5 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 5 |
| Public order | 4 |
| Other crime | 2 |
| Burglary | 2 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near Roundmead (16); On or near Barnhill (13); On or near Downside (10); On or near The Fairway (9); On or near The Boundary (8).
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 22% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 18% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 39% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 25% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 2% | 1% |
| Social rented | 48% | 17% |
| Private rented | 11% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 53% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 6% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 22% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 7% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 22% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 52% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | under 1% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 6% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 16% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 70% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 11% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 24% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 8% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 88% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 4% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this street is in decile 3 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
Roundmead · Overdale · Dale Close · Monkshill · Meadway · Barnhill · Mount Drive · The Fairway · The Boundary · Barley Way · The Risings · Goldington Green
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.
- 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.