In January 2004, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announcedMilton Keynes to double in size over next 20 years (Guardian) the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton Keynes.
The expansion plans proposed that the population of Milton Keynes (ceremonially Buckinghamshire) should double in the subsequent 20 years. to do so, taking Planning controls were taken away from Milton Keynes Council and English Partnerships were made the statutory planning authority, appointed to bring the plan to life. In turn, English Partnerships established a subsidiary Milton Keynes Partnership to manage the programme locally. Their proposal for the next phase of expansion moved away from grid squares to large scale, mixed use, higher density developments which are more based on public transport than private car usage.
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.MK Council: Adopted Core Strategy Accessed 3 October 2013
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes is a purpose-built, 'new city' in South East England. It is located about 45 miles (75 km) north-west of London, 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.
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 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, 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, 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 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."
Central Milton Keynes 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.
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 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.
East and west flanks
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 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 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. EEA Development Framework, map 3.3, page 27 (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. MK Partnership) After this the area to the east of the A5130 as far as the M1 motorway and bounded on the south by the A421 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)
On 19 November 2009 the MK Citizen 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.
Oakgrove Millennium Community At Oakgrove (near Middleton), they proposedPartnership avoids grid road question (Citizen) 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).
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 east towards the M1 motorway. This parcel of land is bounded by the A421 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 and Aspley Guise without coalescing with them, but that Wavendon 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