MKCC has published its draft Local Plan – the ‘MK City Plan 2050’.
In a delegated decision made on 25 June, MKCC leader, Cllr Pete Marland approved the draft document for a 12 week consultation period over the rest of the summer, which started on Wednesday 17th July. The full range of evidence reports and the sustainability appraisal have also now been published.
The consultation exercise provides a formal opportunity (known as ‘Regulation 18’) for community, town and parish councils, and anyone else with an interest in the MK area to submit a response. MKCC then aims to produce a final version of the plan to submit for examination by June 2025 (per ‘Regulation 19’). This will mean that the plan will be examined under the current system, rather than under the new Local Plan system proposed in the Levelling Up & Regeneration Act 2023, or any replacement acts.
The draft version at long last shows the culmination of evidence gathering and policy choices that have been gradually emerging from MKCC over the last 18 months. Local councils will remember the ‘Ambition & Objectives’ consultation early last year followed by the conference in October. Now we have a lot more flesh on the bones, both in terms of the proposed spatial strategy of where the next era of growth will be and of the breadth of development management policies. Interestingly, it confirms MKCC is planning for a 25 year plan period to 2050, probably the longest period of any Local Plan in recent times.
MKCC’s Planning Cabinet Advisory Group on 11 June received a presentation from officers on the proposed major housing site allocations and employment land strategy.
The headlines are:
Allocating an additional 24,000 to 34,000 homes to reach a total urban and rural population of 410,000 by 2050
16,500 of these new homes will be at key locations within the city boundary
The remaining homes will be delivered at a small number of large strategic countryside locations east and south east of the city
No expectation of housing growth anywhere else in rural MK unless brought forward through neighbourhood plans to meet very local needs
An economic development strategy retaining 275 Ha of existing land allocations across the city with 300,000 sq.m. of additional floorspace in Central MK, including a new residential university
Policies for Central MK and Bletchley to allow for much taller buildings than at present
Support, but no specific proposals, for estate regeneration and renewal
The delivery of a mass rapid transit system with high density development around its transport hubs
The presentation raised many questions that we expect to be answered in the supporting evidence documents. Although some of the key spatial proposals are a continuation of past growth trends, the sustainability benefits of many are unclear. Are there more locations within the city to deliver high quality growth to avoid continuing to build outwards? Is it realistic to assume no meaningful growth in MK’s rural towns and villages and might such an approach lead to unintended consequences of the kind seen in some places over the last decade?
How can ONH help?
We have regularly supported community, town and parish councils in the MKCC area and elsewhere in producing their representations to past consultations and are ready to help again.
ONH is actively reviewing the draft plan and its evidence base now that they have been published. There will be time after the summer break, and before the end of the 12 week consultation period on 9th October, to discuss how a local council should position its representations, whether in the urban or rural areas. Group requests from neighbouring or parishes for joint advice are also welcome.
Please get in touch via our Contact page or by emailing info@oneillhomer.co.uk
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