We want to make life better for adults who need care and support. One of our goals is to build more homes that are easy to live in. These homes will be safe and designed for people who need extra help. They will help people live safely and on their own in their own communities.
We want everyone to have a home they like. It should help them stay healthy, feel happy, and do things on their own for as long as they can.
In 2024, we made a plan called the market position statement (PDF). This plan says what kind of homes and support people need in different parts of Central Bedfordshire. It is for people who build homes or give care. We will update this plan every year.
We also have another plan called the accommodation strategy. These two plans work together to show what we want to do.
2025 market position statement update
Our first review of our accommodation strategy and market position statement has helped us understand how we are doing and plan for the future.
We have looked at new population data and our own service records. We are still committed to working with providers, developers, and partners to build a strong, varied, and sustainable accommodation market for adults with care and support needs.
What’s gone well
- more places available: we have increased service capacity by 22% – that’s 94 extra places overall, even though we lost 58 places (mostly for people with physical disabilities). We have not opened any new services just for physical disabilities yet
- better buildings: Quarry Walk replaced an older residential service. It is now a modern, accessible supported living service. A new respite service is being built and should be ready by the end of 2025
- improved quality: We launched the Supported Living Framework in April 2025, creating a group of providers following clear standards to help improve services
What still needs work
- specialist services: many new services are small and not officially classed as specialist supported housing. This makes it harder to support people with complex needs or behaviours that challenge
- physical disability support: a well-used service for people with physical disabilities closed in Central Bedfordshire in 2023. There is now a gap in supported living for this group, and we need to fix it
What’s coming next
- population growth: more people will need support. For example, the number of people with a learning disability is expected to grow by nearly 20% by 2045.
- uneven service spread: most services are in Dunstable and Houghton Regis. Other areas like Leighton Buzzard, Biggleswade, and Flitwick don’t have enough. We need to build more services in these towns and nearby villages
| Area | Places | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| South, e.g. Dunstable, Houghton Regis | 142 | 40% |
| East, e.g. Biggleswade, Shefford, Sandy | 124 | 35% |
| West, e.g. Leighton Buzzard, Linslade | 35 | 10% |
| Central, e.g. Flitwick, Ampthill, Cranfield | 51 | 15% |
| Total | 352 | 100% |
- complex needs: We still need more services for people with complex needs and behaviours that challenge
- service size and cost: Smaller services cost more to run. Larger services (around 6–12 residents) are usually more efficient and sustainable. We will stay flexible to meet local needs and remain committed to supporting services to avoid avoidable vacancies
Planning rules
Some parts of south-west Central Bedfordshire fall within a protected nature zone called the Chiltern Beechwoods SAC. If you are planning new services here, you may need to follow extra rules and contribute to:
- a strategy to manage access and monitor the area (SAMMS)
- alternative green spaces (SANG)
For the latest guidance, visit the Central Bedfordshire Planning Portal.