Expansion plans for Milton Keynes

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In January 2004, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced[1] the United Kingdom government's Expansion plans for Milton Keynes

He proposed that the population of Milton Keynes should double in the subsequent 20 years. He appointed English Partnerships to do so, taking planning controls away from Milton Keynes Borough 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.


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[edit] Milton Keynes

Main articles: Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes Development Corporation, Milton Keynes (borough), and English Partnerships

Milton Keynes is a purpose-built, high-technology 'new city' in South East England. It is located about 45 miles (75 km) north west of London and approximately mid-way between Oxford and Cambridge. With other towns it forms the unitary authority of the Borough of Milton Keynes.

Although legally Milton Keynes is still a town rather than a city, the term "city" is widely used locally to describe the larger urban area and "town" is used for the earlier settlements. This avoids a great deal of ambiguity and confusion, and is the convention used in this article.

[edit] 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, SI2004.932,[2] 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.

[edit] Milton Keynes Partnership's strategy

MKP's strategy until 2031 is set out in their "MK2031" plan[3]. 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."

[edit] 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 to be known as 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. One of the current criticisms of CMK is (with the notable exception of the Xscape dome) the lack of "landmark" buildings. Their CBX III development is intended to rectify this with buildings of between 8 and 14 storeys in height. These will stand out from existing development, which in general is around 4 storey. Other taller structures are also 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.

[edit] 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 story apartments.

[edit] 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 but without any grid roads. This area has been named 'Fairfield'.

On the eastern side of the city 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. 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, essentially but not officially forming a 'V12'. Along the A421 a new employment complex named 'Nova' is planned.

[edit] Oakgrove Millennium Community

At Oakgrove (near Middleton), they propose[4] 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. The Parks Trust (who own the land) are deeply opposed to this proposal and declare that they will not release it without a compulsory purchase order. In the light of overwhelmingly negative comment, the Borough Council has stated that it will oppose the proposal.

Oakgrove is planned to be a completely different style of estate featuring new traffic calming measures, a wildlife coridoor and high-density housing. The plan to divert the V10 has received considerable objection in local newspapers as many believe that it would cause congestion, would increase many journey times and is a backward step from the ease of movement the grid network creates.

[edit] South-east and south-west expansion

The Draft Strategy proposes (at 13.10)

  • "Growth Area (GA) 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 (GA) 2 and 3 – South West: The South-western Growth Area is approximately 875 hectares (2,161 acres) and is bounded at its north-east by the southwest point of the existing built up area (Bletchley) and at its East by the brickflelds and landfill site to the south of Bletchley. The area is enclosed to the north by the A421 (running east to west across Milton Keynes) and at the south by the road running southwest from Water Eaton to Drayton Parslow." This will absorb and expand Newton Longville in a similar way to the other villages that predate the new city. Providing transport links into this area will be difficult as no sizable roads exist between the end of the V7 Saxon Street in central Bletchley and the A4146 much further south. However, a new station for Newton Longville (on the former Varsity Line to Bletchley) is included in the plan.

Development of these proposals is not anticipated before 2021

[edit] Northern expansion

There are two sites to the north of the city that have been designated as expansion areas. The first is named 'Linford Park' and is a residential and industrial district located north of Giffard Park near the M1 Motorway service station. Construction is already underway on this district. The other area is called 'Stantonbury Park Farm' and will consist of a small residential development north east of New Bradwell. Construction is anticipated to start towards the end of 2006.

[edit] Urban intensification

MKP believes that the settlements along Saxon Street (V7) are insufficiently dense to support a sustainable public transport strategy. In a leaked [5] report[6], MKP appears to be proposing demolition and rebuilding up to six districts at higher population density. The report ackowledges 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[7], MKP's chairman Sir Bob Reid denied that any such decision had been taken.

[edit] Reaction of existing residents and neighbouring councils

As might be anticipated, these plans are controversial — especially since the local population has little democratic control over the plans and actions of this Government-appointed Quango. Former staff members of Milton Keynes Development Corporation (architects and town planners) have written[8] 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 remarks cuttingly "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 said (8 August 2006) 'Expansion plans for Milton Keynes are "seriously and fundamentally flawed" '. The council’s response[9] 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

[edit] Grid system expansion

Despite of 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.

  • H1 Ridgeway link-up: The land for this has been reserved since the 1970 Plan for Milton Keynes. This would join the two halves of the H1, crossing the A5. There is an alternative proposal to build on the H1 reservation (between Galley Hill and Fullers Slade) which would prevent the road link up. The latter seems more likely since the cost of a bridge would be difficult to justify.
  • H6 Childs Way extension to Kingsmead: This was completed in 2004 and terminates here. It links Kingsmead and Whitney to the rest of the city.
  • 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 Steeet north: The V2 will extend north to the top of Grange Farm before becoming a 'city steet' and running north into Fairfield (Western Expansion Area). It will not extend to the east of Stony Stratford.
  • V6 Grafton Street south-east (to connect Granby with Sherwood Drive for Bletchley Park developments) via a new bridge over the West Coast Main Line: In 2004, urban design officers for Milton Keynes Borough Council proposed[10] (in its "Central Bletchley Renewal Strategy"[11]) this extension. Doing so would have relieved pressure on the heavily congested Saxon Street/Watling Street and the Buckingham Road/Saxon Street junctions. However, the Council declined to approve it and a subsequent amendment[12] records that it has been deleted.
  • V7 Saxon Street north: In the form of a 'city street', the V7 will penetrate the new district of Statonbury 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 30mph speed limit.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Milton Keynes to double in size over next 20 years (Guardian)
  2. ^ http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2004/uksi_20040932_en.pdf
  3. ^ A Strategy for Growth to 2031" (June 2006, 3.45MB PDF), see also a glossy summary (July 2006, 1.69MB PDF)
  4. ^ Partnership avoids grid road question (Citizen)
  5. ^ 'Bombshell' of leaked expansion report (Citizen)
  6. ^ Annex 7 FINAL URBAN POTENTIAL STUDY June06 (1.4MB PDF))
  7. ^ MK Partnership chairman Sir Bob Reid responds (Citizen)
  8. ^ City revamp is 'madness' (Citizen)
  9. ^ http://www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/avdc/content/index.jsp?contentid=1147114118
  10. ^ page 21 "Bletchley Park Avenue"
  11. ^ http://www.mkweb.co.uk/urban%2Ddesign/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=23139
  12. ^ http://www.mkweb.co.uk/urban-design/documents/amendments_page.pdf

[edit] External links

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