Upper Caldecote, Bedfordshire
housing partner
Working with Amplius HG, delivering 45 affordable homes, transforming a disused nursery site into a new neighbourhood of houses and bungalows.
delivery
Delivered across two phases, the scheme combined demolition, controlled asbestos removal and site remediation bringing a brownfield site back into use
Procurement Partnership
A JCT Design & Build contract with EA Baily Garner and Snowdon’s team to coordinate design, commercial management and construction.
Infrastructure & Technical Delivery
Snowdon coordinated Section 104 drainage, Section 278 access works, alongside watercourse reinstatement, sustainable drainage and utilities including mains diversions.
Development Overview
Partnership & Governance
Client: Amplius Housing Group
Employer’s Agent: Baily Garner LLP
Architect: BHD Architects
Civil & Structural Engineer: Welland Design and Build
Warranty Provider: NHBC Buildmark Choice
Local Authority: Central Bedfordshire Council
Form of Contract: JCT Design & Build 2016
Procurement Route: Open Market Tender
Snowdon Homes maintained structured governance through fortnightly design meetings during pre‑construction and monthly Employer’s Agent progress meetings throughout delivery. Transparent reporting, risk registers, and live cost forecasting ensured full visibility for the client and their professional team.
Brownfield Regeneration & Enabling Works
The former nursery site presented significant brownfield challenges, requiring careful planning and proactive management:
• Demolition of redundant commercial nursery buildings
• Licensed and non‑licensed asbestos removal with certified re‑occupation clearance
• Removal and decommissioning of fuel storage tanks
• Contaminated ground investigation and remediation
• Strip / trench fill foundation solution following geotechnical assessment
Early coordination of demolition and remediation works eliminated downstream programme risk and ensured safe, controlled mobilisation.
Technical Delivery & Regulatory Compliance
The development secured Full Plans Building Regulations approval following detailed drainage coordination and technical design refinement. Surface water strategy, soakaway calculations and construction details were resolved in consultation with Building Control prior to final approval.
NHBC registration confirmed brownfield classification, contamination investigation completion, strip/trench fill foundation strategy, traditional cavity masonry construction and solar PV integration.
Land Drainage consent and statutory approvals were secured and formally tracked throughout delivery, ensuring no critical path delays.
Statutory & Infrastructure Coordination
• Section 278 – Highway works and approved access formation
• Section 104 – Foul and surface water drainage adoption
• Land Drainage Act consent and culvert reinstatement
• Private estate road strategy
• Utility diversions including Openreach and electrical disconnection
Formal trackers were maintained for all statutory obligations, providing structured reporting to the Employer’s Agent and ensuring governance compliance.
Section 106 & Accessibility Compliance
Affordable tenure mix, rural exception requirements and accessibility obligations were monitored via live Section 106 compliance trackers.
• Full affordable tenure mix delivered
• M4(2) Accessible & Adaptable dwellings across multiple house types
• M4(3) Wheelchair adaptable bungalow provision (Types A & E)
Accessibility standards were embedded at technical design stage to ensure compliant thresholds, circulation space and adaptable bathroom configurations.
Concurrent Phase Delivery
Phase 1 – 19 Units
Phase 2 – 26 Units
Shared infrastructure sequencing and disciplined procurement ensured no cross‑phase delay or commercial exposure. Integrated programming protected delivery certainty across both contracts.
Why This Matters to Registered Providers & Employer’s Agents
• Proven brownfield regeneration capability
• Demonstrated programme certainty under JCT administration
• Strong statutory and compliance management
• Accessibility and S106 governance alignment
• Transparent cost control and reporting
• Early completion and zero dispute
Upper Caldecote demonstrates Snowdon Homes’ ability to manage complexity, protect programme, protect budget and work collaboratively within the governance structures of Registered Providers and Employer’s Agents.
July 2024
August 2024
December 2025
December 2025
From Grand Union...
“We were also delighted to gift local residents with two benches for the area. One is a wheelchair accessible picnic table; the other is in memory of Steve Benson, former chair of the Grand Union board, who passed away earlier this year.
“We were pleased that Steve’s wife Marian, daughter Charlotte and granddaughter Amelia, could join us and other invited guests from Central Bedfordshire Council, architects and building consultants at our recent event to show stakeholders our completed homes.”