How far is Houghton Regis from the Universal Bedford site?

Houghton Regis is 12.7 miles from the Universal construction site at Kempston Hardwick in a straight line, which is about 35 min by car allowing for the road route. That puts it in our "easy drive" band.

How much is a room to rent in Houghton Regis?

Indicatively, a single room in Houghton Regis runs around £380–£480 a month and a double around £450–£580. These are guide ranges for the area rather than live listing prices, and bills-included arrangements typically sit at the upper end.

Are there many rooms available in Houghton Regis?

Supply is good. Houghton Regis has a population of roughly 17,000, and it is a town in Central Bedfordshire. There is a reasonable flow of rooms, though expect that to tighten as construction ramps up.

town · Central Bedfordshire · LU5

Rooms to rent in Houghton Regis

12.7 miles from the Universal site at Kempston Hardwick — the 48th closest of the 58 areas we cover.

To the site: 12.7 miles
By car, about: 35 min
Single room: £380–£480
Double room: £450–£580

Rents are indicative guide ranges for the area, not live listing prices. Distances are measured from the settlement centre to the construction site.

What Houghton Regis is like

A town immediately north of Dunstable that has grown rapidly with large new estates, arranged around an older village green and church.

Why base yourself here

Among the cheapest rooms in the county with a lot of newer housing. Firmly in the south of Bedfordshire, so only sensible if the rent saving outweighs a long daily drive.

Getting to the Universal site

By car

35 min

Roughly, via A5, M1 J11a, A5120. Allow more in peak construction traffic — the A421 is the main artery for the whole site.

By train

No station here

Busway and bus links via Dunstable and Luton. The site is far by public transport.

Local landmarks

Houghton Regis village green
All Saints Church
Bidwell West

What you should expect to pay

Indicative monthly room rents in Houghton Regis
Room type	Indicative monthly rent	Notes
Single room	£380–£480	Usually a box room; bills sometimes separate.
Double room	£450–£580	The standard shared-house room. Most common option.
Availability	Good	Population roughly 17,000.

These are indicative area ranges to help you budget and compare locations. They are not live listings and individual rooms will fall outside them in both directions.

Also worth checking near Houghton Regis

Neighbouring areas, ordered by distance to the Universal site.

Toddington

Easy drive

village · Central Bedfordshire

To site: 9.4 miles
Drive: 25 min
Double: £520–£650

M1 junction 12 on the doorstep makes it a strong base if you are working across several sites, not just Bedford. Decent stock and prices below the Bedford belt.

Moderate supply

Leighton Buzzard

Easy drive

town · Central Bedfordshire

To site: 13.6 miles
Drive: 35 min
Double: £580–£730

Big enough for a proper rental market and well connected by rail to London and Milton Keynes. It is in the far south-west of the county, so the site is a genuine cross-country drive.

Good supply

Dunstable

Easy drive

town · Central Bedfordshire

To site: 13.8 miles
Drive: 35 min
Double: £520–£650

Affordable, plenty of shared housing, and the busway gives fast links into Luton. The Universal site is a long drive north, so this suits someone prioritising rent over commute.

Good supply

Luton

Easy drive

town · Luton

To site: 14.6 miles
Drive: 40 min
Double: £450–£580

The deepest and cheapest room market in the county by a distance, with an established HMO sector and fast trains up the Midland Main Line. The trade-off is roughly 45 minutes to the site.

Strong supply

Renting a room in Houghton Regis

How far is Houghton Regis from the Universal Bedford site?: Houghton Regis is 12.7 miles from the Universal construction site at Kempston Hardwick in a straight line, which is about 35 min by car allowing for the road route. That puts it in our "easy drive" band.
How much is a room to rent in Houghton Regis?: Indicatively, a single room in Houghton Regis runs around £380–£480 a month and a double around £450–£580. These are guide ranges for the area rather than live listing prices, and bills-included arrangements typically sit at the upper end.
Can I get from Houghton Regis to the Universal site without a car?: Busway and bus links via Dunstable and Luton. The site is far by public transport.
Are there many rooms available in Houghton Regis?: Supply is good. Houghton Regis has a population of roughly 17,000, and it is a town in Central Bedfordshire. There is a reasonable flow of rooms, though expect that to tighten as construction ramps up.

Got a spare room in Houghton Regis?

With 20,000 construction roles running to 2031, a furnished spare room can earn up to £7,500 a year tax free under the Rent a Room Scheme.

List your room

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