In January 2004, Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (born 31 May 1938) is a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party, he w ...
announced the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton Keynes However, the change of government in 2010 and the abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy (SE Plan) in 2012/13 saw these plans revoked and a planned expansion of up to 44,000 dwellings reduced to 28,000. The Milton Keynes Core Strategy was published in July 2013 and regards the figure of 28,000 new homes to be the minimum figure.
He proposed that the population of
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
(ceremonially
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (), abbreviated Bucks, is a ceremonial county in South East England that borders Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, Oxfordshire to the west, Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-ea ...
) should double in the subsequent 20 years. He appointed
English Partnerships
English Partnerships (EP) was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by regional development agencies on a regional level. On 1 December 2008 its powers passed to a successor ...
to do so, taking planning controls away from
Milton Keynes Council
Milton Keynes City Council is the local authority of the City of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It has both borough status a ...
and making EP the statutory planning authority. In turn, EP established a subsidiary Milton Keynes Partnership to manage the programme locally. Their proposal for the next phase of expansion moves away from grid squares to large scale, mixed use, higher density developments which are more based on public transport than private car usage.
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
is a
purpose-built, 'new city' in
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England at the ITL 1 statistical regions of England, first level of International Territorial Level, ITL for Statistics, statistical purposes. It consists of the counties of england, ...
. It is located about 45 miles (75 km) north-west of London, south-east of
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
, and approximately midway between
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
and
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
. The "designated area", alongside some of the surrounding towns and villages, forms the
unitary authority
A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...
of the
Borough of Milton Keynes
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle Ag ...
.
:''Although
legally
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
Milton Keynes is not a city, the term "city" is widely used locally to describe the larger urban area and "town" is used for the pre-existing towns, such as
Bletchley
Bletchley is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated in the south-west of Milton Keynes, and is split between the civil parishes of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford and West Bletchley.
Bletchley is best known ...
,
Fenny Stratford
Fenny Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England and in the Civil Parish of Bletchley and Fenny Stratford. Originally an independent town, it was included in the Milton Keynes " designated area" in 1967. From 1895 ...
,
Stony Stratford
Stony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. Historically it was a market town on the important route from London to Chester (Watling Street, now the A5). It is also the name of a civil parish with a town cou ...
,
Wolverton
Wolverton is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, England. It is located at the northern edge of Milton Keynes, beside the West Coast Main Line, the Grand Union Canal and the river Great Ouse. It is the administrative seat of Wolverton and Gre ...
,
Newport Pagnell
Newport Pagnell is a town and civil parish in the City of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The Office for National Statistics records Newport Pagnell as part of the Milton Keynes urban area.
It is separated from the rest of the urban ...
and
Woburn Sands
Woburn Sands () is a town that straddles the border between Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire in England, and also is part of the Milton Keynes urban area. See map. The larger part of the town is in Woburn Sands civil parish, which is in the City ...
. This avoids a great deal of ambiguity and confusion, and is the convention used in this article.''
Planning control in Milton Keynes
Most development requires planning permission and it the responsibility of the local planning authority to decide if the type of development proposed is acceptable.
In Milton Keynes, from 2004 to 2011 there were two local planning authorities: Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP) and Milton Keynes Council (MKC).
MKP covered the Northern, Western and Eastern Expansion Areas and remaining sites within the existing grid squares of Oxley Park, Tattenhoe Park and Kingsmead. MKP was also the Local Planning Authority for Land adjoining the A421 containing Eagle Farm and Glebe Farm, identified as "strategic reserve" sites. MKC retains planning powers for the remainder of the city and for smaller development within the Expansion Areas.
In June 2004
Milton Keynes Partnership
In January 2004, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton Keynes However, the change of government in 2010 and the abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy (SE Plan) in 2012/13 saw ...
Committee (MKPC), was created by the Government and was a committee of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), the national housing and regeneration agency for England. MKPC was created to ensure a co-ordinated approach to planning and delivery of growth and development in the 'new city'.
The partnership brought together Milton Keynes Council, HCA, Local Strategic Partnership representatives from the health, community and business sectors and independent representation. The role of MKPC was to co-ordinate and implement the delivery of growth and ensure that homes, infrastructure, jobs and community facilities were provided as part of a joined up approach.
The day-to-day activities of MKPC were carried out by its staff of management, professional and technical experts, known collectively as Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP).
Milton Keynes Partnership was disbanded in 2011,
[Milton Keynes Partnership](_blank)
Accessed 9 June 2012 holding its last meeting in March of that year. Its functions were folded back into the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), with Milton Keynes Council handling planning permission for established areas of the city.
Immediate impact: East and West flanks
The immediate practical impact of the government's plans was its publication on 24 March 2004 of a
Statutory Instrument
In many countries, a statutory instrument is a form of delegated legislation.
United Kingdom
Statutory instruments are the principal form of delegated or secondary legislation in the United Kingdom.
National government
Statutory instrument ...
, the Milton Keynes (Urban Area and Planning Functions) Order 2004, SI 2004 No.932, that expanded the designated area to include large greenfield blocks to the west and east of the original area. These blocks are to be developed by 2015 at the latest, substantially so by 2011. These developments are discussed further below.
Milton Keynes Partnership's strategy
MKP's strategy until 2031 is set out in their "A Strategy for Growth to 2031" document. Their model for the next phase of expansion moves away from grid squares to large-scale, mixed-use, higher-density development. They hope that this will lead to a greener, more sustainable Milton Keynes, less dependent upon the private car. Their aim is to encourage a shift towards alternative transportation such as buses and
cycling
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
as well as providing a more pedestrian-friendly environment, particularly within
Central Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes is the central business district of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England and a #Civil parish, civil parish in its own right, with a town council#England and Wales, town council.
The district is approximately long by w ...
''("CMK")''. The strategy does not explain how high density development on the east and west flank expansion areas furthers this objective. The draft strategy proposes that "of the outstanding 34,600 new houses to be accommodated up to 2031, between 11,000 and 14,000 will be located within the existing urban area and the remaining 20,600 to 23,600 through peripheral growth of the city."
Central Milton Keynes
The most significant areas for urban intensification are in
Central Milton Keynes
Central Milton Keynes is the central business district of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England and a #Civil parish, civil parish in its own right, with a town council#England and Wales, town council.
The district is approximately long by w ...
("CMK") and at the northern and southern edges of
Campbell Park
Campbell Park is the name of the central park for Milton Keynes (England) and of a ward of Central Milton Keynes civil parish. (The nearby Campbell Park (civil parish) previously included the park but no longer does so. It did not change its na ...
(see below). Within CMK, development will intensify the existing provision, the most significant being a mixed-use office and retail development known as "The Hub:MK" (originally, "CBX III"). Other proposals for CMK will see the removal and building upon the somewhat profligate surface car parks – particularly along Avebury Boulevard. These will be replaced by multi-storey car parking, releasing the land for better use. Their Hub:MK development is intended to rectify this with buildings of between 8 and 14 storeys in height. These stand out from existing development, which in general is around 4-storey. Other taller structures are being built in the central grid squares, including a new 8-storey building in the Theatre District and a 9-storey building partially housing a new
Sainsbury's
J Sainsbury plc, trading as Sainsbury's, is the second largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, with a 14.6% share of UK supermarket sales.
Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury with a shop in Drury Lane, London, the company wa ...
store. In April 2022 a new 20-storey building, containing a new hotel, Hotel La Tour, with a rooftop restaurant, opened overlooking MK:Centre to the west and Campbell Park to the east.
Campbell Park
In Campbell Park, the intent is to create "a vibrant 24-hour community to bring life into the centre". Development will consist, they say, of high quality apartments with live / work spaces. A series of 'green fingers' or '
wildlife corridor
A wildlife corridor, habitat corridor, or green corridor is an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures (such as roads, development, or logging). This allows an exchange of individuals between ...
s' will be created running out from the park in the centre to the neighbouring areas of Conniburrow to the north and Springfield to the south. These corridors are intended not only to allow wildlife movement throughout the park but to encourage people from other areas to come and use it. The strategy proposes a density of 100 dwellings per hectare, primarily for one or two person households. Additionally, a
marina
A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.
A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...
on the
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. It is the principal navigable waterway between London and the Midlands. Starting in London, one arm runs to Leicester and another ends in Birmingham, with the latter st ...
is planned for the east of the grid square, near the junction with the proposed
Bedford Arm of the canal. These areas will be built up as town houses and 3-5-storey apartments.
East and west flanks
![Countess or Chaffron Way H7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/Countess_or_Chaffron_Way_H7.JPG)
In the shorter term, MKP have created development briefs for the East and West flanks that call for high density development well away from the centre, without any
grid roads (although featuring 'city streets' which serve a similar purpose but do not follow the grid pattern and lack the green spaces on either side). The areas will have restricted parking facilities – expecting instead that the population will rely on public transport. The target density here is 35 dwellings per hectare. The larger of these begins south of
Stony Stratford
Stony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. Historically it was a market town on the important route from London to Chester (Watling Street, now the A5). It is also the name of a civil parish with a town cou ...
in the parish of
Calverton and is an area the size of three grid squares (about 3 km²) but without any grid roads. This area has been named 'Fairfield'. In his ruling that this development be near Stony Stratford rather than near Whaddon, the Planning Enquiry Inspector remarked that expansion towards Whaddon is inevitable in future developments (beyond the timescale of the plan) unless further expansion crosses the M1. In his view, the M1 need not be considered a barrier to development – though this is contrary to the view of the present Borough Council administration.
On the eastern flank, the first area to be built on will be 'Broughton Gate' (bounded by Broughton, Kingston and the
A5130). This will include an extension to the
H7 Chaffron Way
The Milton Keynes grid road system is a network of predominantly national speed limit, fully landscaped routes that form the top layer of the street hierarchy
The street hierarchy is an urban planning technique for laying out road networks th ...
grid road as far as the A5130, but will not go further and join the Salford Road (with its M1 crossing), thus impeding any further expansion east of the M1. (The plan actually proposes that Salford Road be downgraded to a
Redway, closing it to other traffic. A second M1 crossing, Broughton Grounds Lane, is ignored completely – though in the planning application for the enabling infrastructure, the existence of the lane has been reinstated.) After this the area to the east of the A5130 as far as the
M1 motorway
The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the country was the Preston By-pass, which lat ...
and bounded on the south by the
A421
The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across south central England. Together with the A428 road, A428, the A43 road, A43 and A34 road (England), A34, it forms the route from Cambridge through Milton Keynes to Oxford. The sectio ...
will be developed in parts as a residential and industrial estate. The H7 will again extend east through this area, as a city street, turning south upon meeting another city street and meeting the A421. Along the A421 a new employment complex named 'Nova' is planned. Whilst acknowledging the benefit of the grid system, the plan explicitly rules out any role for the former A5130 as a V12 grid route and the development map shows that HGVs will not be permitted to use it.
Further expansion is proposed for the south-east and south-west flanks - see (
below
Below may refer to:
*Earth
*Ground (disambiguation)
*Soil
*Floor
*Bottom (disambiguation)
Bottom may refer to:
Anatomy and sex
* Bottom (BDSM), the partner in a BDSM who takes the passive, receiving, or obedient role, to that of the top or ...
)
On 19 November 2009 the
MK Citizen
The Milton Keynes Citizen is the only freely distributed local newspaper in Milton Keynes. The newspaper is part of JPIMedia.
The ''MK Citizen'' was founded by Bill Alder and Jerry West on 1 October 1981 and they sold to EMAP in 1987 and the pu ...
reported that it was now likely that the Western Expansion Area would be built with grid roads. The article stated that the H2, H3 and V2 may be extended into the development, to be confirmed by
Gallagher Estates' planning application. This follows six months of negotiations on the subject between Gallagher and
Milton Keynes Council
Milton Keynes City Council is the local authority of the City of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It has both borough status a ...
.
Oakgrove Millennium Community
At Oakgrove (near
Middleton), they proposed initially to divert and funnel the V10 Brickhill Street through the heart of the new community and build over the space vacated, including the green routes on either side of it.
Oakgrove is planned to be a completely different style of estate featuring new traffic calming measures, a wildlife corridor and high-density housing, constructed as part of the national
Millennium Communities Programme
The Millennium Communities Programme (or Millennium Villages initiative), is an English Partnerships initiative to construct 7 new 'villages' that are intended to 'set the standard for 21st Century living, and to serve as a model for the creation ...
.
On 28 February 2007 the MK News newspaper reported that the V10 diversion plan had been withdrawn. The Citizen confirmed this the following day. English Partnerships have reportedly stated that they respect the importance of the
grid system to the population of Milton Keynes. However,
hen
Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman.
Hen or Hens may also refer to:
Places Norway
*Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
Council Leader Isobel McCall stated at the time that she continued to support the "City Street" concept, saying that there was no formal opposition to the concept when first proposed (without saying when any opportunity to do so ever arose).
South-east and south-west expansion
The Draft Strategy proposes (at 13.10)
;Growth Area 1 (South East):
The South-eastern Growth Area consists of approximately 385 hectares (951 acres) of land, and is a triangular parcel of land extending from the existing built up area of Milton Keynes around
Wavendon
Wavendon is a village and civil parish in the south east of the Milton Keynes urban area, in Buckinghamshire, England.
History and geography
The village name is an Old English language word, and means 'Wafa's hill'. In the '' Anglo-Saxon Chron ...
east towards the M1 motorway. This parcel of land is bounded by the
A421
The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across south central England. Together with the A428 road, A428, the A43 road, A43 and A34 road (England), A34, it forms the route from Cambridge through Milton Keynes to Oxford. The sectio ...
to the north, the M1 to the east and the
Marston Vale Line to the south. "Access to this area will be made by extending the H10 Bletcham Way". The report goes on to say (13.31, .32) that the development will sweep around
Woburn Sands
Woburn Sands () is a town that straddles the border between Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire in England, and also is part of the Milton Keynes urban area. See map. The larger part of the town is in Woburn Sands civil parish, which is in the City ...
and
Aspley Guise
Aspley Guise is a village and civil parish in the west of Central Bedfordshire, England. In addition to the village of Aspley Guise itself, the civil parish also includes part of the town of Woburn Sands, the rest of which is in the City of Milto ...
without coalescing with them, but that
Wavendon
Wavendon is a village and civil parish in the south east of the Milton Keynes urban area, in Buckinghamshire, England.
History and geography
The village name is an Old English language word, and means 'Wafa's hill'. In the '' Anglo-Saxon Chron ...
will be assimilated. This area is currently being considered as a 'reserve', and greater priority has been given to the Linford Park (northern), Fairfield (western) and Broughton Gate/Nova (eastern) expansion sites mentioned above.
;Growth Area 2 and 3 (South West) – and Salden Chase:
The South-western Growth Area proposal was for approximately 875 hectares (2,161 acres) and was to be bounded at its north-east by the southwest point of the existing built up area (
West Bletchley
West Bletchley is a district and civil parish that covers the western part of Bletchley, a constituent town of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England. The parish consists of that part of Bletchley which is south of Standing Way/H8 ( A421) ...
) and at its East by the brickfields and landfill site to the south of Bletchley. The area was to be enclosed to the north by the
A421
The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across south central England. Together with the A428 road, A428, the A43 road, A43 and A34 road (England), A34, it forms the route from Cambridge through Milton Keynes to Oxford. The sectio ...
(running east to west across Milton Keynes) and at the south by the road running southwest from
Water Eaton to
Drayton Parslow
Drayton Parslow is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Buckinghamshire, England, about south of Bletchley. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 596, increasing at the 2011 census to 614.
Toponym
In the 1 ...
. This would have absorbed and expanded
Newton Longville
Newton Longville is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Buckinghamshire, England. The village is about south-west of Bletchley.
History
The toponym "Newton" is derived from the Old English for "new farm". It is record ...
in a similar way to the other villages that predate the new city. However, the
MGPlanning Inspector struck out this proposal, saying that any expansion should be constrained to the south by the disused
Bletchley-Bicester railway line.
The more recent
Aylesbury Vale
The Aylesbury Vale (or Vale of Aylesbury) is a geographical region in Buckinghamshire, England, which is bounded by the Borough of Milton Keynes and South Northamptonshire to the north, Central Bedfordshire and the Borough of Dacorum ( Hertfor ...
Local Development Framework (2009) proposes a more limited version of this vision. The Council proposes (and MKP agrees) to zone land between the railway line and present A421 for 5,360 dwellings, called
Salden Chase. The plan explicitly excludes Newton Longville itself from the expansion area. The plan also includes land reservation for a new
Newton Longville railway station
East West Rail is a major project to establish a strategic railway connecting East Anglia with Central, Southern and Western England. In particular, it plans to build (or rebuild) a line linking Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester, Milton Keyn ...
and for a new link road between the A421 and the
A4146 bypassing Newton Longville to the northwest.
Northern expansion
There are two sites to the north of the city that were designated as expansion areas in the 2004 plans. The first is named 'Redhouse Park' and is a residential and industrial district located north of Giffard Park near the
M1 Motorway
The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the country was the Preston By-pass, which lat ...
service station. The other area was initially called 'Stantonbury Park Farm' (now called Oakridge Park) and consists of a small residential development north east of
New Bradwell
New Bradwell is (mainly) an Edwardian era village, modern district and civil parish in north-west Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. Together with Wolverton (on the other side of the West Coast Main Line), it was built primarily to hous ...
. Construction on both these sites is complete.
In 2016, developer Gallagher Estates proposed a substantial further expansion northwards between the railway line and the M1 at Haversham, north of the
River Great Ouse
The River Great Ouse () is a river in England, the longest of several British rivers called "Ouse". From Syresham in Northamptonshire, the Great Ouse flows through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to drain into the Wa ...
. In the February 2017 draft of the Council's "Local Plan to 2031" ("Plan:MK"), the location is no longer shown as a potential strategic expansion area.
Urban intensification
MKP believes that the settlements along Saxon Street (V7) are insufficiently dense to support a sustainable public transport strategy. In a leaked report, MKP appears to be proposing demolition and rebuilding up to six districts at higher
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
. The report acknowledges that "Milton Keynes is a planned city and therefore does not contain the obvious degraded and run-down districts that many of our cities possess: areas which clearly lend themselves to policy interventions, aimed at securing urban regeneration and tackling social exclusion." Nevertheless, it does correctly identify some early building that will not last another 25 years. "6.4 Much of the housing within this area was built using innovative construction methods and materials such that many are likely to be nearing the end of their structural life well before 2031, despite some renovation and improvement work that has taken place in certain areas. The declining housing standards are reflected in the findings of the city’s Social Atlas that shows the highest levels of social deprivation are found within these areas." The target density here is 40 dwellings per hectare.
Responding, MKP's chairman Sir Bob Reid denied that any such decision had been taken.
Reaction of existing residents and neighbouring councils
As might be anticipated, these plans are controversial. Two former staff members of
Milton Keynes Development Corporation
Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC) was a development corporation operating from 1967 to 1992 oversee the planning and early development of Milton Keynes, a new town midway between London and Birmingham.
Establishment
MKDC established o ...
(an architect/ex County Councilor and a Professor of town planning) have written to the local papers in vehement terms, decrying the poverty of imagination and conventional-town thinking being displayed in the proposals. They argue for an international competition to provide an inspiring vision for the next 25 years. The chairman of local branch of the
Federation of Small Businesses
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is a UK business organisation representing small and medium-sized businesses. It was formed in 1974 as the National Federation of Self Employed (NFSE). The current name for the organisation was adopted in ...
br>
remarks"The consultants have picked up a standard report and inserted a few MK references. Nowhere in the document is there an understanding of how Milton Keynes has got to where we are today and why we are successful."
Commenting on the plans,
Aylesbury Vale District Council
Aylesbury Vale District Council was the non-metropolitan second tier authority for Aylesbury Vale in Buckinghamshire. It was responsible for housing, waste collection, council tax, local planning, licensing and cemeteries, while Buckinghamshire Co ...
said (8 August 2006) 'Expansion plans for Milton Keynes are "seriously and fundamentally flawed" '. The council’s response criticises the growth plans for:
* Failing to take proper account of public opinion and the concerns and issues raised by earlier public consultation
* Not doing enough to accommodate more housing within Milton Keynes
* Failing to identify a new transport strategy for public transport and other environmentally friendly modes of transport, both for the existing city and the expansion areas
* Not taking proper account of the impact on either the existing communities that will be affected or the local landscape
* Not giving proper consideration to the growth options to the east of the M1 motorway
* Failing to identify defined boundaries to the urban area to provide long-term protection for the countryside around Milton Keynes, particularly those areas adjacent to the planned growth near Newton Longville
Subsequently, Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council commissioned Town Planning consultants Colin Buchanan and Partners to review the expansion proposals. According to Bucks CC, Buchanan found the MKP plans to be flawed in both research and conclusions. The two councils pressed strongly for any expansion to occur east of the
M1 motorway
The M1 motorway connects London to Leeds, where it joins the A1(M) near Aberford, to connect to Newcastle. It was the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the UK; the first motorway in the country was the Preston By-pass, which lat ...
, between
Moulsoe
Moulsoe is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Unitary authorities in England, unitary authority area of the City of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. It is on the border with Bedfordshire, and just east of the M1 ...
and
Newport Pagnell
Newport Pagnell is a town and civil parish in the City of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The Office for National Statistics records Newport Pagnell as part of the Milton Keynes urban area.
It is separated from the rest of the urban ...
.
Draft Regional Spatial Strategy - The South East Plan: Panel Report
In their report on the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the
South-East Region, the Planning Inspectors Panel made a number of important statements that affect the expansion of Milton Keynes to 2026.
* The plan should add 2,400 dwellings for housing outside the Milton Keynes urban area to the district-wide total. (para 23.39)
* They saw 'no reason for Newport Pagnell to have a significantly higher level of growth than previously, unless it were incorporated into a planned expansion of Milton Keynes east of the M1', adding that they do not see any need for this before 2026. They go on to note the southwards expansion of Newport Pagnell (towards Moulsoe) is constrained by the flood plain of the
River Ouzel
The River Ouzel , also known as the River Lovat, is a river in England, and a tributary of the River Great Ouse. It rises in the Chiltern Hills and flows north to join the Ouse at Newport Pagnell.
It is usually called the ''River Ouzel'', e ...
at
Caldecote. (para 23.40)
* In reference to expanding the grid system into the expansion areas, they were "not convinced" that this would necessarily be the most appropriate solution for future expansion. (para 23.62)
* The scale of the south east extension area should be larger than recommended in the MK 2031 strategy, and the south west be proportionately smaller. (paras 23.123, 23.124) and that the start of construction in the south east extension area should be phased for 2011-16 and for the south west 2016-21. (paras 23.127- 23.130) The panel's version of the expansion will fill the wedge between the
Marston Vale Line and the M1, potentially as far as Junction 13.
* The text should make clear that the housing levels are consistent with the overall aspiration for 68,600 additional homes 2001-31 in the MKSM strategy, and clarify that additional employment land will be provided as part of the future urban extensions to Milton Keynes. (paras 23.37, 23.23)
* While declining to be specific about planning guidance beyond the scope of the Inquiry (i.e., to 2026), the Inspectors do not consider that they would be justified at this stage in ruling out provision to the east of the M1 after 2026 or in identifying the M1 as a permanent boundary for the city. (paras 23.131).
Consultants' review of the Panel Report on behalf of the Councils affected
In response to the Panel Report, the Councils and District Councils of Aylesbury Vale, Mid-Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes jointly commissioned consultants GVA Grimley to prepare a report on the likely real-world impacts of its proposals for south-west and south-east "Strategic Development Areas" (SDAs). In summary, it concludes that the proposals as stated would not be realistic and goes on to propose a modified version.
It concludes that the South East SDA (the wedge between the M1 and the Marston Vale line with its apex near Junction 13) will not accommodate the 10,400 dwellings at 30 per hectare (30 dph) as proposed in the Panel Report, though it could do so 40 or 50dph. The Consultants view is that the highest density would not be appropriate. Short of a density even greater than 50 dph, there is insufficient land in Mid-Bedfordshire to accommodate the 5,600 dwellings proposed by the Panel. The consultants recommend a density of 40/45 dph here, with a green buffer around
Aspley Guise
Aspley Guise is a village and civil parish in the west of Central Bedfordshire, England. In addition to the village of Aspley Guise itself, the civil parish also includes part of the town of Woburn Sands, the rest of which is in the City of Milto ...
, albeit with access to
its station.
It concludes that the South West SDA cannot be constrained at its southern boundary by the (disused) Bletchley-Oxford line without unacceptable
ribbon development Ribbon development refers to the building of houses along the routes of communications radiating from a human settlement. The resulting linear settlements are clearly visible on land use maps and aerial photographs, giving cities and the countrysid ...
along the A421 south of
Whaddon. Accordingly, it proposes that development be moved closer to Far Bletchley and
Newton Longville
Newton Longville is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Buckinghamshire, England. The village is about south-west of Bletchley.
History
The toponym "Newton" is derived from the Old English for "new farm". It is record ...
, with a green buffer around the latter and a clear western boundary east of Whaddon. For this SDA, the consultants recommend a density of 30/40 dph.
The Councils have yet to respond to the review. It is clear that its proposals are inconsistent with Mid-Bedfordshire's wish for a very large green belt south of the city.
Ministerial confirmation of the Panel report - plus development across the M1
In the ministerial ruling, the Panel's rulings are confirmed, with some important exceptions. The Minister has deleted the original proposal to locate 5,700 dwellings in "
the Aspley Guise triangle" because it is out of the scope of a South East plan and is for the East of England plan to make (though there is a strong hint that it should do so). Consequently, this housing provision must be met from within the Borough and thus on the east side of the M1. The Minister rules further that this provision must not obstruct any future potential expansion in this area.
The summary statement is that
Grid system expansion plans already in the pipeline
Despite the new developments not following the grid principle, several new extensions are planned to the grid network. They are listed below in numerical order, listing H-roads first.
*H4 Dansteed Way western: As part of the WEA plans the H4 will extend along the land reserved for it west of its present end in Grange Farm to link up with the extended V2 (see below).
*H7 Chaffron Way western: A downgraded H7 is planned to extend further between Kingsmead and Tattenhoe Park, according to the Kingsmead South master plan.
*H7 Chaffron Way eastern: the H7, as a 'city street' is planned to extend through Broughton Gate (Eastern Expansion Area) to the A5130.
*V2 Tattenhoe Street north: The V2 will extend north to the top of Grange Farm before becoming a 'city street' and running north into Fairfield (Western Expansion Area). It will not extend to the east of Stony Stratford.
*V7 Saxon Street north: In the form of a 'city street', the V7 will penetrate the new district of Stantonbury Park Farm and loop round back on to the old Newport Pagnell - Wolverton Road, according to the master plan for the development.
*V8 Marlborough Street south: The V8 is planned to run alongside the A5 to join H10 Bletcham Way at Fenny Lock.
*V10 Brickhill Street north: The V10 is being extended north to meet Little Linford Lane, providing an alternative route from Newport Pagnell at the Poets Estate. However this stretch is not designated 'V10' and will have a speed limit.
Land banking fraud
The credible expectation that Milton Keynes and its borough will continue to grow has provided a convincing back story for
land banking
Land banking is the practice of aggregating parcels of land for future sale or development.
While in many countries ''land banking'' may refer to various private real estate investment schemes, in the United States it refers to the establishmen ...
scams.
Sale of Land at Abbey View, Sherington Bridge Farm, Newport Pagnell
- Milton Keynes Borough Council
Milton Keynes City Council is the local authority of the City of Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It has both borough status a ...
See also
* Thames Gateway
Thames Gateway is a term applied to an area around the Thames Estuary in the context of discourse around regeneration and further urbanisation. The term was first coined by the UK government and applies to an area of land stretching east from ...
References
External links
*
Milton Keynes Partnership home page
Future plans for Milton Keynes on the Milton Keynes Partnership website
Government's "Milton Keynes and South Midlands Regional Strategy"
* South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England at the ITL 1 statistical regions of England, first level of International Territorial Level, ITL for Statistics, statistical purposes. It consists of the counties of england, ...
Region "government"'
Strategy for Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale
(4.96MB, 4 pages).
Urban Eden - the movement to promote a sustainable extension of the original masterplan for Milton Keynes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Expansion Plans For Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
United Kingdom planning policy
Town and country planning in England