MK Expansion

It's on once again.  Here is the page which is exclusively for news, views, links and information specifically targeting the debates/proposals surrounding the Easterly Expansion plans for the City of Milton Keynes. 

Here's some original background from last year's web page.

In June 2006 Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP) put forward comprehensive expansion proposals in the draft 2006 "Milton Keynes 2031 strategy".

I've certainly not got the space/inclination to detail the strategy document but essentially 6 development options were put forward for consideration all involving large-scale development/expansion of Milton Keynes.  The Easterly expansion (option 6) geographically would have had the greatest effect on our immediate area with up to 12,500 new homes being incorporated -  a development which would completely surround  Moulsoe and reach up through/into Salford and the Cranfield corridor - pretty much right on our doorstep. 

Fortunately/unfortunately for us, (depending which way you look at it) at the time, this Easterly Development "Option 6" was dismissed from the Strategy by MKP in favour of expansion to the South West.  This upset our friends in the West including Bucks County Council, (BCC) Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) and  North Bucks Parishes Planning Consortium (NBPPC) who have all called foul expressing concern that "there was insufficient examination of this option".  As a result they commissioned a firm of Consultants, Colin Buchanan (CB) to "review the process which led to the expansion proposals" put forward by MKP.   CB were also asked to "examine the feasibility and viability of some future expansion taking place to the east of the M1 motorway" rather than to the south west of Milton Keynes as proposed in the MKP strategy.

Bottom-line, there is a very large lobby which now wants a full review of the decision making process thus far and furthermore are all putting forward counter proposals calling for Development to the  East of the M1 - that's us!!

There has been little time to yet concentrate any counter measures as the Buchanan Report was only published on the BCC website on 4th January and disturbingly, objections to it must be made in writing by 22nd January 2007 which is the closing date for responses to the Examination in Public.  I only get this info. yesterday from Cllr Pat Seymour who is totally against these new proposals and as Councillor for the Ward is currently writing her statement of objection for the Examination in Public deadline on the 22nd January. (The actual hearing takes place in March - I'll post more details as I get them)

 Views were aired at the last Milton Keynes Council full Council Meeting on Tuesday 9th January 2007 and North Crawley was represented by Cllr Seymour and three North Crawley residents who, by asking questions enabled Cllr Seymour to ask the Mayor to bring the item on MK Growth forward so residents could hear the debate - otherwise the item would not have been debated.  Following this representation  by Cllr Seymour, North Crawley and Moulsoe residents, MKC voted unanimously against the Buchanan Proposals.

According to Cllr Seymour, there will now be a debate on the whole Growth issue at the next MK Council meeting on the 13th February 2007.  Although this is too late for the EiP deadline, MKC (after a Liberal Democrat motion proposed by the Leader of the Council and seconded by Cllr Seymour), has already made its statement rejecting the latest proposals for our rural area.  Cllr Seymour says the purpose of the meeting on the 13th Feb is to debate all the areas suggested for MK growth and that it "would be good to have some support from our area in the Public Gallery if anyone wants to come along"

I also asked Cllr Seymour for a full quote on this issue which she kindly supplied:-

“When all the growth options were being looked into (including option 6), all the neighbouring councils came up with a joint response, which included throwing out option 6. Now we find that Bucks County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council have gone behind our backs and put in their own proposal for a new town to be built in our beautiful villages.   These plans have come as a complete shock to all of us.   We have not even been consulted on them.  An hour before the council meeting I was on the phone trying to get some local residents to attend the council meeting. Now MKC have written a strong rebuttal to it.   I am also  submitting a strong rebuttal.” 

You know what gets me the most  - its just how it always seems that there is such little time for the likes of you and me to actually take in what amounts to potentially major change to the area which will affect us all and irrespective of whether we agree or disagree, a pathetic timescale for written support/objection.  I don't know about you, but whenever I see evidence of such short notice, my suspicions are raised immediately.

This link -  Buchanan summary  - will open up the Executive Summary by Colin Buchanan which introduces the context and brief of his full report.  Its 6 pages, which is as much as I like to read at one go but it does effectively précis his FULL 251 page report which if you so wish can be viewed by going directly to the BCC website at:-   

Just go to the page and then click on the underlined file name “MK 2031 Long Term Growth Strategy” - its at the bottom of the page.  This will download a large PDF file - 3499k which is the FULL 250+ page Buchanan Report.  Depending on your internet speed (got broadband??), it will take 1 minute+ to download and you will need Adobe reader to view it.

I warn you, its heavy going and by all accounts a superb example of what a Consultant is paid to do - steal your watch and then tell you the time!!.

That's unfair - the Buchanan machine was commissioned/paid to put forward counter proposals and this has been done very effectively indeed - if I was with the pro Easterly expansion lobby, it's certainly an excellent piece of work!!

The address for any written objections (by the 22nd January 2007!!) is:-