3rd Jun 2026
Linmere Community Forum Brings Residents Together at The Farmstead
Residents, community partners and the Linmere team gathered at The Farmstead, on Tuesday 26 May, for the 6th Linmere Community Forum, providing an opportunity to share updates on the growing community, discuss local priorities and hear directly from residents about the issues that matter most to them.
The forum was chaired by Emma Farrier, Linmere Community Marketing Manager, and introduced Aaron Landeryou, The Land Trust’s new Community Estates Manager, and included updates on key development projects across Linmere, future community facilities and plans for the wider neighbourhood. We were also joined by representatives of bpha Housing.
The forum provides an opportunity for residents to meet each other and help form community in Linmere.
Progress Across the Development
Residents heard that work is progressing well on Silver Birch Park, with the new bandstand currently under construction and the park scheduled to open later this summer. The park will feature informal open playing fields alongside a multi-use games area (MUGA) designed to support activities for older children and teenagers.
An update was also provided on the new Neighbourhood Centre, which is entering its final stages of construction. The centre is expected to open later this summer and will include a Co-op and a Childbase nursery, with a waiting list already available for families interested in securing places.
Residents were also updated on wider infrastructure improvements, including final surfacing works across Phases One and Two, new retail spaces on Huckett Street, and ongoing planning activity across future phases of the development.
Transport, Parking and Community Safety
A number of transport and parking topics were discussed during the meeting. Residents shared concerns around school drop-off and pick-up parking around Thornhill School, while the Linmere team outlined ongoing work with Central Beds Council to encourage sustainable travel options and reduce congestion.
Updates were also provided on forthcoming bus route changes, including the introduction of a dedicated bus-only route between Thornhill School and the new neighbourhood centre, monitored by ANPR cameras, and discussions around traffic management in other parts of the development.
Community safety was another key topic, with residents raising concerns about antisocial driving linked to recent car meets. The forum heard that Bedfordshire Police have already taken enforcement action, including the issuing of Section 59 notices, and discussions are continuing with local stakeholders to address the issue.
Open Discussion with The Land Trust
A dedicated session with The Land Trust gave residents the opportunity to raise questions about estate management, maintenance schedules and responsibilities across the development. Topics included grass-cutting frequencies, the adoption of green spaces, refuse and dog waste collection, communication channels and estate management fees.
The Land Trust committed to providing further information and clarity on several of these matters, including detail on where responsibility lies for managing green spaces, across the Land Trust and house builders. The Land Trust outlined its intention to share maintenance schedules and mapping of adopted areas, helping residents better understand responsibilities across the community.
To connect with Aasron, and The Land Trust, residents are requested to use the Zendesk facility, on The Land Trust website–linked here.
Looking Ahead
The forum concluded with a preview of Linmere’s upcoming community events programme, including additional Soft Play sessions and the Summer Picnic on 22 August. Residents also shared suggestions for future forum formats and meeting arrangements to help maximise participation.
The Linmere Community Forum continues to play an important role in bringing residents, community partners and the development team together, ensuring that local voices help shape the future of the neighbourhood as it grows.
The forum hosted plenty of detailed discussion, as well as many lighter moments.
Thank you for joining us
The forum was very-well attended, despite the hot weather, offering a chance for residents to meet each other and take a part in shaping community in Linmere. We appreciate there are many other residents who expressed an interest in attending, however, who were unable to attend. For the next forum, we will explore alternative times of the week to enable more residents to attend.
The Forum Minutes are available on the link below, with a dedicated page to our community forums, including access to previous minutes, on the link here.
