Residents must benefit from expansion of MK that could cross Central Beds border, councillor warns
Allowing Milton Keynes City Council to expand beyond its eastern boundaries under its urban regeneration plans needs to produce benefits for Central Bedfordshire residents, a councillor has warned.
At a meeting tonight, (Thursday, October 9) Central Bedfordshire Council will consider a motion about a new town project, allocating 40,000 homes to the Tempsford area, which sets out its future infrastructure demands.
But it contains “no reference to Milton Keynes whatsoever”, according to Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker.
“It fails to recognise that Milton Keynes City Council’s leader and senior management team won’t be sitting idly by waiting for a civil servant to ask if they’re interested in progressing a new town project,” he explained.
An amendment to the motion has been tabled by CBC’s executive member for finance councillor Baker adding a sixth recommendation to the original five.
It states: “That the council leader works closely with Milton Keynes City Council and other local authority counterparts to understand their plans for the new town projects, to seek influence over decisions that could support and provide benefits to Central Bedfordshire residents, and to report back to a proposed working group.”
Tempsford is one of 12 new town projects announced by the government, while urban regeneration and north-eastern expansion of Milton Keynes is another, said councillor Baker.
“Milton Keynes is a regional growth area, has publicised and promoted plans for expansion (documented within its 2050 vision) to government, and has been successful in negotiating significant sums of money for infrastructure from the last Conservative government.
“The council was awarded £95m in 2020 to build early infrastructure to the east of Milton Keynes, which includes a health hub, primary and secondary schools, roads, such as the rebuilding of the A507, and a bridge over the M1.
“Development of ‘East of Milton Keynes’ is now apace, all within the city council and formerly Buckinghamshire county area. Planning consortiums are promoting extensions to the east of the city crossing the Central Bedfordshire boundary.
“From the government’s point of view, a development corporation within Milton Keynes will resolve the political issues that arise from such projects. The government’s new towns task force report recommends that Milton Keynes not only expands, but is equipped with a mass rapid transport (MRT) system.
“Presumably this involves guided bus or tram lanes to support the rapid growth of the new city, as outlined in the 2050 vision,” he added.
“The proposed MRT routes provide connectivity from Newton Leys to Stadium:MK, Milton Keynes Hospital and the Central:MK business district. This would also stretch to the East of Milton Keynes development, within proximity of Cranfield University.
“It’s vital CBC doesn’t sit idly back while Milton Keynes councillors set out a vision of a future that could ultimately cross the boundary into Central Bedfordshire, without providing significant benefits to local residents.
“These might include fast and frequent public transport from Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes Hospital, efficient connectivity between Cranfield University and the Milton Keynes business districts, and high-quality off-road cycle routes between Cranfield and the East of Milton Keynes health hub. We shouldn’t be left behind.”