Saffron Close Bedford
2 addresses across 2 postcodes (MK40), about 50 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 27301768.
- Flood: 60 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 A; Band D in Bedford costs £2,472 a year in 2026-27.
- Broadband: Gigabit broadband is available to 2% to 19% of premises.
- Transport: The nearest railway station is Bedford, about 540 m (0.3 miles) away in a straight line.
- Green space: The nearest park or garden, St Peter's Green, is about 420 m (0.3 miles) away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 10.5 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 7.3 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: It is about 27 m above sea level.
- Noise: 1 of its 2 addresses is modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is Ashburnham Road Surgery, about 460 m (0.3 miles) away, with 6 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile).
- People: About 490 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 21% of households owned their home and 26% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 1,194 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often violence and sexual offences.
Sales on this street
No sales recorded on this street since January 1995 under this street name.
Energy performance certificates
No certificates found for addresses on this street.
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 neighbourhoods around this street: most are in band A (54% of about 2,220 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)
- 1-13 Greyfriars and 57-65 Midland Road, Bedford: up to 18 homes, permissioned (40 m)
- Greyfriars, Bedford: up to 200 homes, not permissioned (80 m)
- Greyfriars Police Station, 32 Greyfriars, Bedford: up to 105 homes, permissioned (90 m)
- Greyfriars, Bedford: up to 200 homes, not permissioned (100 m)
- Greyfriars, Bedford, not permissioned (100 m)
- 5 - 7 Priory Street, Bedford: up to 11 homes, permissioned (100 m)
- Greyfriars Police Station, 32 Greyfriars, Bedford: up to 23 homes, permissioned (110 m)
- 1 Brereton Road, Bedford: up to 7 homes, permissioned (130 m)
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, 52 addresses are in areas at high risk, 8 at medium risk and 5 at low risk. Each address counts once, at the higher of its rivers-and-sea and surface-water risk.
Rivers and the sea alone: of the 37 homes the Environment Agency counts, 0 are in areas at high risk, 0 medium, 33 low and 0 very low.
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: at least one postcode centre is in flood zone 2. Zone 2 is between 0.1% and 1% a year from rivers (0.1% and 0.5% from the sea), ignoring defences.
| Postcode | Planning zone | Addresses at high / medium / low risk | Groundwater |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK40 1HJ | zone 2 | 36 / 6 / 2 | unlikely |
| MK40 1HP | not in 2 or 3 | 16 / 2 / 3 | unlikely |
Height above sea level
The street's addresses are about 27 m above sea level.
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK40 1HJ | 2% | 2% | 2% | 0% |
| MK40 1HP | 100% | 19% | 19% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Bedford 3.8 million journeys in 2024–25 | 540 m (0.3 miles) |
| Bedford St Johns 176,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 870 m (0.5 miles) | |
| Kempston Hardwick 9,780 journeys in 2024–25 | 5.4 km (3.4 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 13 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 49 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest River Street Bedford | 150 m |
| Bus or coach station | Bus Station Bedford | 50 m |
| Car parks | 6 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest River Street Car Park | 170 m |
| EV charging points | 28 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest bp pulse Charging Station | 150 m |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London Luton Airport LTN | 30 km (19 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 6 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Ashburnham Road Surgery | 460 m (0.3 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 10 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Bedford Pharmacy | 130 m |
| NHS dentists | 23 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Priory Dental Practice | 250 m |
| Hospital | Bedford Hospital | 910 m (0.6 miles) |
| Police station | Bedford Police Station | 70 m |
| Cash machines | 7 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Bedford Allhallows NatWest | 140 m |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 9 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest St Peter's Green 2,370 m² | 420 m (0.3 miles) |
| Largest park within 800 m (0.5 miles) | Everard Meadow 10 ha | 740 m (0.5 miles) |
| Play area | 14 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 60 m² | 80 m |
| Playing field | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Priory Recreation Ground 6,000 m² | 260 m |
| Allotments | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 730 m² | 690 m (0.4 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 9 parks and gardens, 22 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Harpur Centre, a listed building (Grade II*), 210 m east. 106 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 5 of them Grade I and 8 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Harpur Centre | Listed building, Grade II* | 210 m east |
| Harpur Suite | Listed building, Grade II* | 260 m east |
| Church of St Paul | Listed building, Grade I | 320 m south-east |
| Bedford Shire Hall | Listed building, Grade II* | 360 m south-east |
| Medieval lime kiln off Castle Lane, Bedford | Scheduled monument | 480 m (0.3 miles) east |
| Bedford Castle motte and bailey | Scheduled monument | 570 m (0.4 miles) east |
| Bedford Park | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) north |
| Bedford Cemetery | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) north |
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Castle Hill | Hill | 580 m (0.4 miles) east |
| Rink Islands | Island | 630 m (0.4 miles) south-east |
| Hill Rise | Wood | 1.2 km (0.8 miles) north |
| Longholme Island | Island | 1.7 km (1.1 miles) east |
| Parkwood | Wood | 2.2 km (1.4 miles) north |
| Priory Marina | Lake or reservoir | 2.3 km (1.4 miles) east |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 10.5 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 7.3 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 11.9 | 40 | 15 |
All three are within the UK legal limits; nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 are above the WHO guideline, as in most towns and cities.
Road and rail noise
| Level | Road traffic | Railways |
|---|---|---|
| 75 dB or more | 1 | 0 |
| Under 55 | 1 | 2 |
1 of the street's 2 addresses is 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priory Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | 250 m | No overall grade (Nov 2024, graded inspection without an overall judgement): Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Good; Personal development: Good; Leadership and management: Good |
| Bedford College | 16 plus | 16–99 | 470 m (0.3 miles) | No published inspection |
| Bedford Free School | Secondary | 11–16 | 590 m (0.4 miles) | Outstanding (Jan 2020, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Livingstone Primary School | Primary | 2–11 | 800 m (0.5 miles) | Good (Mar 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Peter Pan Nursery School | Nursery | 2–5 | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) | No published inspection |
| Cauldwell School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.2 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: Strong standard; Inclusion: Strong standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Needs attention; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Castle Newnham School | All-through | 4–16 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | 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 |
| Edith Cavell Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | No published inspection |
| Queen's Park Academy | Primary | 2–11 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | Good (May 2022, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Westfield Primary School | Primary | 3–11 | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) | Report card (Jun 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School | Nursery | 2–5 | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) | No published inspection |
| St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School Roman Catholic | Primary | 3–11 | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) | Good (Oct 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) |
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papa John's MK40 1HJ | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 20 m | 5 Very good | 7 Oct 2025 |
| BF SUSHI MK40 1LR | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 20 m | 5 Very good | 27 Jan 2026 |
| Zenkai Grand Buffet MK40 1LR | Other catering premises | 20 m | Awaiting inspection | |
| Essential Supermarket MK40 1LR | Retailers - other | 20 m | 5 Very good | 7 Oct 2025 |
| International Mini Market MK40 1LR | Retailers - other | 30 m | 5 Very good | 6 Jan 2023 |
| Green Leaf Supermarket MK40 1HJ | Retailers - other | 40 m | 4 Good | 26 Feb 2026 |
| Bedford fresh fish & seafoods MK40 1LR | Retailers - other | 50 m | 2 Improvement necessary | 10 Sep 2024 |
| Pepe's Piri Piri MK40 1HJ | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 60 m | 5 Very good | 17 Jun 2025 |
| Bedford International Express MK40 1HP | Retailers - other | 70 m | 5 Very good | 13 Feb 2023 |
| Liana International Market MK40 1PW | Retailers - other | 70 m | 5 Very good | 20 Jul 2022 |
| Savers MK40 1LJ | Retailers - other | 70 m | Exempt | |
| Poundstretcher MK40 1LJ | Retailers - other | 80 m | 5 Very good | 8 Jul 2022 |
| Bedford Cafe MK40 1PW | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 80 m | 5 Very good | 29 Aug 2026 |
| Subway MK40 1PW | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 80 m | 5 Very good | 2 Dec 2025 |
| Wisla Bedford MK40 1BY | Retailers - other | 80 m | 1 Major improvement necessary | 8 Sep 2026 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 355 |
| Shoplifting | 230 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 139 |
| Public order | 114 |
| Other theft | 91 |
| Burglary | 48 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 47 |
| Drugs | 42 |
| Robbery | 34 |
| Theft from the person | 26 |
| Bicycle theft | 22 |
| Possession of weapons | 17 |
| Vehicle crime | 15 |
| Other crime | 14 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near Gwyn Street (175); On or near Dane Street (144); On or near Shopping Area (123); On or near Paradine Court (111); On or near River Street (110).
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 20% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 6% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 21% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 6% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | 1% | 1% |
| Social rented | 31% | 17% |
| Private rented | 47% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 61% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 13% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 6% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | 7% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 18% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 36% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | 2% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 13% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 21% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 65% | 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) | 26% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 24% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 5% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 61% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 8% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhoods around this street are all in decile 1 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
Thurlow Street · Greyfriars · Church Square · Greenhill Street · River Street · Priory Street · James Street · Gwyn Street · Brereton Road · Allhallows · Brace Street · Harpur Centre
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.