Expansion plans for Milton Keynes

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 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 (ceremonially Buckinghamshire) should double in the subsequent 20 years. He appointed English Partnerships to do so, taking planning controls away from Milton Keynes Council 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 is a purpose built, 'new city' in South East England. It is located about 45 miles (75 km) north west of London, 60 mile (97 km) south east of Birmingham, and approximately midway between Oxford and Cambridge. The "designated area", alongside some of the surrounding towns and villages, forms the unitary authority of the Borough of 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 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, 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.

The immediate practical impact of the government's plans was its publication on 24 March 2004 of a 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.

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 as well as providing a more pedestrian friendly environment, particularly within Central Milton Keynes ("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."

The most significant areas for urban intensification are in Central Milton Keynes ("CMK") and at the northern and southern edges of Campbell Park (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 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.

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 corridors' 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 on the Grand Union Canal 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.

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. 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, [then] 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).

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 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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

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 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).

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, 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 along the A421 south of Whaddon. Accordingly, it proposes that development be moved closer to Far Bletchley and Newton Longville, 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.

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.

The credible expectation that Milton Keynes and its borough will continue to grow has provided a convincing back story for land banking scams.