Dunstable
Dunstable is at the very tip of the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It heads up the group of towns that head out of Greater London - Watford, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Luton - and it’s a top spot in central Bedfordshire for commuters and their families. With excellent road links, a Main Line train station in neighbouring Luton and the innovative Luton Dunstable Busway, this is a well-connected, well-placed, welcoming town for a new home.
New Homes in Dunstable
Living in Dunstable
Travel plans
The key route here is the M1, which passes through Bedfordshire on its way from London to Leeds. Junction 11A is the nearest access to the motorway, northeast of the town. Once on the motorway, you’re half an hour from the connection with the M25, about 18 miles south. Easier still for the journey into London, especially if you need to do it on a daily basis, is the half-hour train journey from Luton. It’s on the Midland mainline and is operated by Thameslink. The Luton Dunstable Busway makes easy work of the journey between the two, as well as to Luton Airport just 9 miles to the east. Cross-country routes that link with Dunstable are the A5 to Milton Keynes and the A505 to Leighton Buzzard. So, if you work in London or out of town, you’ll have good routes to choose from.
Living here
Dunstable’s history and market town heritage add up to a lovely atmosphere and excellent facilities. The town centre has Dunstable Priory and its gardens at its heart. There are lovely independent shops, cafés and restaurants, the Quadrant Shopping Centre which combines retail and recreation, and regular local produce, craft and farmers’ markets. Out of town retail centres add to the town centre facilities, and there are supermarkets and superstores for easy shopping in one place. For entertainment, leisure and exercise, you’ve got the Grove Theatre which is the town’s much-loved arts centre, there are lovely parks and green spaces both in and on the edge of town, and the Dunstable Leisure Centre makes sure that there are activities for all the family. There are two golf clubs on the edge of town – Dunstable Downs and Caddington.
School days
Dunstable has some very well-established primary, middle and secondary schools. All Saints Academy, Queensbury Academy and Manshead CE Academy are the three local secondary schools with sixth forms. Priory Academy is a combined middle and upper school for 9 – 13-year-old pupils. For further education, Central Bedfordshire College is another option.
Free time
The Chiltern Hills provide a taste of the great outdoors, on your doorstep along with the Dunstable Downs, the Whipsnade Estate and the Blow’s Downs Nature Reserve. Whipsnade Zoo and the Chiltern Gateway Centre are popular local attractions. Cineworld Luton is on hand for rainy days and a trip to the Warner Bros Studios is a real treat of a day trip.