The ward covers the new town of Wixams and the neighbouring historic village of Wilstead on the south‑western fringe of Bedford. Wixams is a planned, largely modern residential development centred on lakes, parks and community facilities, while Wilstead retains a traditional village core and rural character with older buildings and a long local history.
Good road and rail links make the area popular with commuters, and the local economy is a mix of small businesses, services and people commuting into nearby towns. Socially the ward is distinctive for the contrast between established village life and the newer community organisations and amenities that have sprung up around the expanding housing areas, creating an active local scene alongside pressures from ongoing development.
Postcode districts covering Wixams & Wilstead
Most populated places nearby
- Milton Keynes 12.4 miles
- Northampton 19.7 miles
- Luton 13.7 miles
- Bedford 3.2 miles
- Stevenage 17.8 miles
- Hemel Hempstead 23.5 miles
- St. Albans 24.3 miles
- Aylesbury 23.8 miles
- Kettering 23.4 miles
- Kettering Town 23.3 miles
- Welwyn Garden City 23.1 miles
- Dunstable 14.4 miles
Neighbouring places
- Wixams Built-up area 0.2 miles
- Kempston Hardwick Built-up area 0.8 miles
- Elstow Parish 1.1 miles
- Kempston South Ward 1.4 miles
- Kempston Built-up area 1.7 miles
- Wilstead Built-up area 1.7 miles
- Wilshamstead Parish 1.8 miles
- Houghton Conquest Built-up area 1.9 miles
- Kempston Central & East Ward 2 miles
- Kempston West Ward 2 miles
- Stewartby Built-up area 2.2 miles
- Kempston North Ward 2.2 miles
Example postcodes in Wixams & Wilstead
MK45 3QN, MK42 6AY, MK42 6FN, MK43 9LP, MK42 6DG, MK42 9YR, MK42 6EQ, MK45 3EU, MK42 6BW … See all
Transport links
- Luton Airport 15.7 miles
- Stansted Airport 33.4 miles
- Kempston Hardwick Railway Station 1.2 miles
- Stewartby Railway Station 2.5 miles
Hotels near Wixams & Wilstead Ad
- Holiday Inn Express Bedford 3 1 mile
- The White Hart 4 4.3 miles
- The Kingfisher Pub and Hotel 4 3 miles
- Verve Hotel 4 3.4 miles
- D'parys 3.5 miles
- Woodland Manor Hotel 3 4.7 miles
- Bedford Swan Hotel and Thermal Spa 4 3 miles
- Cranfield Management Development Centre 6.4 miles
- Mitchell Hall 6.5 miles
- Mercure Bedford Centre Hotel 4 2.9 miles
Schools in Wixams & Wilstead
- Broadmead Lower School Primary
- Elstow School Primary
- Kimberley 16 - 19 Stem College Further education
- Lakeview School Primary
- Wilstead Primary School Primary
Local points of interest
- Moot Hall Museum 1.7 miles
- Redbourne College College 5.1 miles
- Flitwick Moor Nature reserve 6.2 miles
- Silsoe College - Cranfield University College 6.3 miles
- Wrest House Estate 6.4 miles
- Woburn Abbey Estate 9.1 miles
- Toddington library Library 10.2 miles
- Santa Pod Raceway Recreation 11.2 miles
- Theatre MK Theatre 12.1 miles
- Milton Keynes Xscape Shopping centre 12.2 miles
- Stadium MK Stadium 12.4 miles
- Midsummer Place Shopping centre 12.5 miles