‘We’re going to build baby build’ at sites like old Stewartby brickworks
The old Stewartby Brickworks site has been earmarked for accelerated house building as part of a government drive to build 1.5 million homes across the country.
It's one of seven new sites identified under a Flagship New Homes Accelerator scheme with 1,000 new homes set to be built at Stewartby.
The 130-acre site is close to land where Universal is planning to build its first theme park in Europe.
The site has been described as one of "unique historical significance", set to become a vibrant and sustainable new neighbourhood south of Bedford.
Outline planning permission for a housing development has been in place since 2021. It also includes plans for a school and community facilities.
Stewartby was once the heart of Bedfordshire's brickmaking industry and recognised as the largest brickworks in the world, employing 2,000 people and producing 500 million bricks a year.
The factories featured 167 chimneys on the land with the last remaining four demolished in September 2021. Formerly the London Brick Company and Hanson UK, the site was purchased by property developers Harworth in September 2024.
The site has been empty for years with many of the former brickworks buildings fallen into disrepair.
A government spokesperson said building on the biggest planning shake-up in over a decade, the Accelerator plans to tackle the housing crisis, building 1.5 million homes, and help thousands more families and young people achieve the dream of home ownership.
Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, said: “We want to see the economy growing across the East of England so more families and young people can get the key to their very first home.
“Thanks to our New Homes Accelerator, we’re going to 'build baby build’ in places like Stewartby Brickworks in Bedfordshire – building new homes and helping more people put down roots in this special region.”
“This next phase will see spades in the ground even faster as we build the 1.5 million homes this country needs.”
A new year-round portal making it easier for builders, councils, and landowners to flag sites stuck in planning or simply not moving fast enough, has also been launched to accelerate house-building.