Austral Barn

History and Heritage

The barns date from the 1850s and were originally traditional farm buildings on the Duke of Bedford’s estate. The tall chimney indicates that the farm had adopted mechanised ways of threshing the crop and marks the position of a former fixed steam engine to power the machinery. The brick built single and multi storey buildings have now been converted into six unique contemporary dwellings which have retained the barns’ original architectural features and blended them with modern, high specification fixtures and fittings. The development is on the edge of Millbrook village in a peaceful rural location and yet is only 5 minutes’ drive from Ampthill which has a range of pubs and restaurants, a Waitrose supermarket, and a selection of independent specialist shops. The development is also only about 20 minutes’ drive from both Bedford and Milton Keynes which both have railway stations with commuter trains to London.

About the Development cont'd

There are double glazed windows and doors and all the windowsills are stone.A large investment has been made into creating an environmentally friendly development including general bird, barn owl and bat boxes.KitchensAll the kitchens have been individually designed and are fitted in a comprehensive range of bespoke full height, wall, and base units with quartz worksurfaces and Hafele and Blum items. The kitchens have integrated appliances by Neff and and AEG wine coolers, and some have Bertazzonni range cookers.BathroomsAgain, the bathroom suites are all individually designed so no two are the same. A combination of brands has been used, including Lusso, Crosswater, Merlyn, Flova, and Water Ebbs, finished with floor and wall tiles by Porcelanosa, Ca’Pietra, and Mandarin Stone.

Grounds

Each property has private gardens which will have views over the open countryside surrounding the development. The individual gardens will be fenced and will be landscaped with paved or decked terrace areas, gravel paths and lawn areas. Each property has at least two designated parking places and there is also parking provided for visitors. Each property will also have bin storage for three wheelie bins as well as bike stores.

Situation and Schooling

Under the brow of the Greensand Ridge and in its surrounding area are forests, farmland, scenic parks, schools, golf courses and buildings of historical interest. Millbrook village has a village hall, a golf club and a Grade II * listed parish church. The market town of Ampthill is about 2 miles away with local amenities, restaurants, and other shopping available. Centre Parcs, Woburn Forest, a popular destination for short breaks, is 1.5 miles away. Woburn Abbey and Safari Park and the world-famous Woburn Golf Course are also only a few miles away. Central London is approx. 46 miles away and Luton Airport approx.19 miles away. The Harpur Trust Schools in Bedford are approximately 9 miles away.

Austral Barn Accommodation

The property has approximately 1,987 sq. ft. of accommodation over two floors.The front door opens to a dual aspect entrance hall with windows to the side and front. The cloakroom has a concealed cistern WC and a vanity washbasin with a backlit mirror over. The plant room has plumbing for a washing machine, a megaflo water tank, and valves for underfloor heating.The ground floor has Smoked Oak engineered wood flooring with underfloor heating throughout.

Reception Areas and Kitchen

The kitchen/dining room has a feature wall with exposed brick recesses, and a beamed ceiling with exposed original beams. The kitchen has Shaker style handle free units from the Richmond range with Light Grey perimeter units and matt Indigo Blue wall units with Stockholmer style doors. The Arctic Storm Quartz work surface incorporates an inset Grohe stainless steel sink with mixer tap, Integrated appliances by Neff include a fridge/freezer and dishwasher and there is an AEG wine cooler, and a freestanding Bertazzoni range cooker with an induction hob, glass splashback and matching cooker hood. There is space for a dining table and chairs. An archway leads to the sitting room which has windows and a glazed door to the garden. There is an exposed brick wall and a vaulted ceiling with original beams and chrome nautical style lighting. There is a built-in surround for a wall mounted TV and a fitted entertainment unit below.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

There are three bedrooms on the first floor which all have windows to the front overlooking open countryside, vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. All the bedrooms have radiators and Auckland Oatmeal carpets. The principal bedroom has an en suite which has a concealed cistern WC, a vanity wash basin with a backlit mirror over, and a walk-in shower cubicle with a glass screen and rainwater showerhead. The bathroom has a concealed cistern WC, a vanity wash basin with a backlit mirror over, and a bath with a screen and rainwater shower head over with Flova taps and shower mixer unit. There is a chrome heated towel rail. The shower room and bathroom both have Claybrook and Mandarin Stone tiled walls and floors.