Core Strategy: Submission Version
(4) Position Statement Milton Keynes Council Position Statement
Land East of the M1 motorway
i. The Secretary of State's Proposed Changes to the South East Plan (July 2008), include a recommendation in Policy MKAV1 (Housing Distribution by District 2006-2026) for "at least 5,600 dwellings by 2026 on suitable sites to the east of the M1 motorway" and that in order to bring about the step change in housing delivery, Core Strategy: Submission Version suitable sites in this location should be brought forward now. The Secretary of State recognises that further studies may be needed to test the ultimate scale of development suitable for this area after 2026 and to that end states that "The form of development east of the M1 motorway should not prejudice consideration of future development in the locality after 2026". ii. The reason given in the Proposed Changes for the introduction of the land to the east of the M1 is to help meet the Government's aims for a step change in housing provision. It also seems that the 5,600 homes proposed for this area are intended to compensate for the ‘lost’ homes proposed by the Panel for the Bedfordshire part of the South East Strategic Development Area (SDA). iii. Milton Keynes Council's response to the Proposed Changes consultation was agreed at Cabinet on 7 October 2008. In addition to approving the detailed comments on the Proposed Changes, Cabinet gave the go ahead to consideration of a legal challenge to the final version of the South East Plan should the allocation of land east of the M1 remain, subject to a report assessing the potential grounds for a challenge. iv. The Council’s detailed objection to the proposed development east of the M1 is set out under the following headings.
a. Lack of supporting evidence b. Cost of transport infrastructure c. Implications for the 1:1 ratio between new homes and new jobs d. Inconsistency and lack of clarity of planning and delivery arrangements e. Implications for the Core Strategy and the delivery of planned growth f. Lack of integration with East West Rail proposals g. Deliverability and choice
v. The Council has serious concerns about and opposition to the proposed development east of the M1. It is considered that there is potential for this issue to delay the finalisation of the Core Strategy due to the amount of work that would be needed to establish the options, infrastructure requirements and parameters for the identification of a site for this development. Given this situation, the authority has taken a pragmatic view and decided to take the Core Strategy forward to submission without reference to the proposed development east of the M1. Once the final South East Plan is published and the situation with regard to land east of the M1 is confirmed, the Council will consider how best to reflect the regional policy position. Should development east of the M1 be confirmed at the regional level and the Council's objections be resolved then, a site allocation or allocations will be brought forward through a Development Plan Document, the timetable for the preparation of which will be confirmed in a future review of the Local Development Scheme. vi. As such, the Core Strategy works on the assumption that 4,800 homes will need to be delivered in Strategic Development Areas within Milton Keynes rather than 10,400 as proposed in the emerging South East Plan. This leads to a reduction in the total housing numbers proposed for Milton Keynes over the period of the 2 Core Strategy from 46,960 to 41,360.
(5) Contents
Executive Summary 5 Section A - Introduction, Vision and Objectives 1 Introduction 8
2 Spatial Vision and Objectives 20 Section B - Spatial Strategy 3 Overall Development Strategy 30
Strategy Table 43 Core Strategy: Submission Version
4 Strategic Sites 52 Strategic Sites 52 South East Strategic Development Area 53 South West Strategic Development Area 57
5 Development in the Urban Area 60
Central Milton Keynes 60 Milton Keynes Council Other Areas of Change 63
6 The Rural Area 67 Section C - Supporting Policies 8 Meeting Housing Need 70
9 A Well-Connected Milton Keynes 73
10 Building Sustainable Communities 78
11 Delivering Economic Prosperity 85
12 A Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Milton Keynes 90
13 The Natural and Historic Environment 94 Section D - Delivery and Monitoring 14 Delivering Infrastructure 98
15 Monitoring and Review 101 Appendices A Glossary and Abbreviations 109
B Bibliography and relevant documents 115
C Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan 119
D Housing Trajectory 125
(6) Contents Milton Keynes Council List of Policies Policy CS 1 Employment Land Provision 35 Policy CS 2 Retail and leisure development 36 Policy CS 3 Milton Keynes Development Strategy 38 Policy CS 4 South East Strategic Development Area 54 Policy CS 5 Central Milton Keynes 62
Core Strategy: Submission Version Policy CS 6 Other Areas of Change 65 Policy CS 7 Strategy for the Rural Area 68 Policy CS 8 Meeting Housing Need 71 Policy CS 9 A well connected Milton Keynes 76 Policy CS 10 Developing Successful Neighbourhoods 78 Policy CS 11 Ensuring High Quality, Well Designed Places 80 Policy CS 12 Sustainable Construction 82 Policy CS 13 Community Energy Networks and Large Scale Renewable Energy Schemes 83 Policy CS 14 Delivering Economic Prosperity 88 Policy CS 15 Supporting Small Businesses 89 Policy CS 16 Increasing access to local services and facilities 91 Policy CS 17 Healthier and Safer Communities 92 Policy CS 18 The Natural and Historic Environment 96 Policy CS 19 Delivering Infrastructure 100
(7) Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Section A - Introduction, Vision and Objectives
The Core Strategy is the key document in the Local Development Framework. Upon adoption, the Core Strategy will provide the vision, objectives and over-arching strategy for the development of the Borough from 2006 to 2026.
A key aim of the Core Strategy is to formalise the link between the Council's planning function and the priorities identified by the Local Strategic Partnership in the Community Strategy and the Local Area Agreement. Core Strategy: Submission Version
The Core Strategy: Submission Version is the Council's final position on the strategy for growth of Milton Keynes, based on previous rounds of consultation and an up-to-date evidence base. It builds on the Preferred Options document, published in September 2007, providing policies and delivery strategies to guide growth and change in the city and development in the rural area. The Core Strategy deals with the key strategic issues facing the Borough, providing 'hooks' for future Local Development Documents (LDDs) to deal with other issues in more detail. Milton Keynes Council The Core Strategy sets out some of the key characteristics and challenges facing the city in the 'Story of Place'. This provides the context for the Core Strategy. From it flows the .Spatial Vision - Milton Keynes in 2026. and a series of Table 2.1 .Core Strategy objectives with delivery policies.. These outline where the Council expects the Borough to be as a result of growth in 2026 and the issues to be addressed. Each objective is linked to relevant policies throughout the document and a series of indicators are provided so progress in delivering change can be monitored.
Section B - The Spatial Strategy
The Spatial Strategy section of the document sets out where change will take place across Milton Keynes up to 2026, what this change will involve, how it will be delivered and who will be involved in its delivery.
Policy CS 3 . Milton Keynes Development Strategy . focuses the majority of development on the existing urban area and in Strategic Development Areas to the south east and south west of the city. The policy contains a settlement hierarchy confirming Newport Pagnell, Olney and Woburn Sands as Key Settlements and the focus of future rural growth.
Table 3.3 .Overall Development Strategy. summarises the change that will be occurring in Milton Keynes up to 2026. This includes details of the developments that are already planned through the Local Plan (2005) process, and in some cases are already under construction.
Amount and distribution of development
Chapter Could not find 1239116807996 clarifies how housing and employment requirements will be met and how retail development, a key component of a growing city, will be managed through growth. The housing section summarises the what is already known about housing delivery in Milton Keynes, clarifying that that there are already sufficient sites identified in the urban area to meet urban housing requirements, there is a need to allocate a new Strategic Development Area to the south east of Milton Keynes and that further rural housing sites will need to be found through the Local Development Framework process. 5
The employment section clarifies that there are already significant employment allocations across Milton Keynes which, when supplemented by additional provision in the SDAs and employment growth in sectors such as retail and education, has the potential to provide 94,600 new jobs, exceeding the required 1:1 homes:jobs ratio.
(8) Executive Summary Milton Keynes Council There is currently no short term requirement for new retail development to support growth. The retail section sets out the need for additional development post 2011, with the focus on Central Milton Keynes and areas of growth.
Area based policies
The Core Strategy allocates a new SDA to the south east of Milton Keynes. In Chapter 4 .Strategic Sites. the land
Core Strategy: Submission Version uses in the SDA are set out along with details of the arrangements in place to bring the development forward. The area will primarily accommodate 10,400 new homes (including growth in Central Bedfordshire) new employment areas and a range of facilities to support the new population.
Focusing specifically on the city centre, .Central Milton Keynes. (within Chapter 5 .Development in the Urban Area.) reflects the important role that the city centre plays in the future of the Borough and the wider area. The section clarifies the importance of the city centre as a residential, employment, cultural and retail hub for the sub region. It considers the role that emerging and existing planning policy documents have in shaping CMK as a modern, sustainable centre of the urban area.
.Other Areas of Change. within Chapter 5 .Development in the Urban Area. covers the remaining urban area of Milton Keynes, including the older town centres of Bletchley and Wolverton, as well as existing and developing city estates and expansion areas. The section clarifies how development in these areas delivers the regional requirement for 34,160 new dwellings. The section also sets out the Council's priorities for any future unidentified change within the urban area, which include supporting sustainable patterns of movement, regenerating the most deprived estates and reinforcing the role of existing town centres. The implications of the Council's Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy and Development Frameworks for Bletchley and Wolverton, and how they fit within the strategy for growth, is explained in this section.
Development in the rural area is covered in Chapter 6 .The Rural Area.. Here, development is based on the principle of focusing development on the most sustainable rural settlements, with the best range of facilities and public transport access. The chapter clarifies the changes already planned in the rural area up to 2011 and introduces the principles that will ensure future change in the rural area is based on local need, not pressure for growth.
Section C - Supporting Policies
As well as setting out the Spatial Strategy for growth, the Core Strategy contains supporting policies covering issues that need to be addressed to ensure the sustainable development of the Borough. These policies cover more specific issues such as transport and building design, which underpin the successful delivery of the spatial strategy.
Chapter 8 .Meeting Housing Need. sets out the approach to ensuring that the new housing built responds to the needs of prospective residents across the region. This covers issues including affordable housing and Gypsy and Traveller sites.
Transport is the main focus of Chapter 9 .A Well-Connected Milton Keynes., which sets out at a strategic level the approach to improving the viability of public transport across Milton Keynes, whilst maintaining the integrity of the existing grid system. This includes outlining the importance of supporting the core bus network, which links key trip generators, the role of existing Council strategies on parking and bus travel as well as introducing the role 6 of the proposed East West Rail project.
Chapter 10 .Building Sustainable Communities. outlines the the Council requirement for all new housing developments to reach Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4, and non-housing development to reach the highest standards of sustainable construction, to help address the impacts of climate change. It also sets out the urban design standards that new developments should adhere to, to ensure places are well designed, function in an effective manner and respect the distinctive qualities of the existing built environment in Milton Keynes.
(9) Executive Summary
Supporting the delivery of new and improved job opportunities, is the focus of Chapter 11 .Delivering Economic Prosperity.. This sets out the approach to ensuring that employers are attracted to the area to deliver the employment growth set out in Chapter Could not find 1239116807996. Key requirements of this section are support for the development of the current university centre into a full campus university and the delivery of the type of employment floorspace that is required by firms in knowledge driven industries.
Chapter 12 .A Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Milton Keynes. outlines the actions being taken by the Council to ensure that existing communities develop and are supported alongside growth. This covers factors including reducing health inequalities and improving community safety.
Chapter 13 .The Natural and Historic Environment. sets out the Council's approach to ensuring the continued Core Strategy: Submission Version protection of areas of landscape and biodiversity importance. This also covers the protection of the 27 conservation areas within Milton Keynes.
Section D - Delivery and Monitoring
The final section of the Core Strategy sets out the arrangements in place to ensure that growth and the development in the Borough happens in a timely and sustainable manner. Chapter 14 .Delivering Infrastructure. sets out the Milton Keynes Council procedures established to manage project delivery in specific fields including transport and the environment, and the mechanisms for ensuring key pieces of infrastructure needed to support growth are delivered.
Monitoring the achievement of the Core Strategy objectives, through identified critical success factors, will be carried out on an annual basis through the Annual Monitoring Report. Policies throughout the Core Strategy refer to the 'key outcomes' they are expected to deliver. Chapter 15 .Monitoring and Review. summarises the indicators and targets that will be used to monitor the performance of the Core Strategy. It also highlights any circumstances where shortfall in the delivery of key outputs of the Core Strategy will lead to its review, in part or as a complete replacement.
The Core Strategy replaces the strategic element of the Local Plan 2001-2011, as well as some of the other Development Control policies. The table in Appendix C .Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan. clarifies which Local Plan policies are replaced by this Core Strategy and how future Development Plan Documents (DPDs) will replace the remainder of the Local Plan.
7
(10) 1 . Introduction Milton Keynes Council 1 Introduction
What is a Core Strategy?
1.1 The Core Strategy is the key document in the Milton Keynes Local Development Framework (LDF). It provides the vision, objectives and strategy for the spatial development of the Borough. It also provides the basis for the preparation of all the other documents in the Milton Keynes LDF, although the Waste Development Plan Document Core Strategy: Submission Version (DPD), (2008) was adopted in advance of this Core Strategy.
1.2 This document should not be compared to the Local Plan, which was required to guide development under the former planning regulations. Although it contains policies, it is primarily a strategy setting out how change will be delivered over the next 20 years (2006 to 2026). The policies in this document have been developed to deliver the strategic objectives, which have been identified in response to the vision for the future. Through the spatial strategy and supporting policies, the Core Strategy establishes delivery mechanisms which ensure future development results in a sustainable future for Milton Keynes.
What is spatial planning?
1.3 There are many definitions of ‘spatial planning’ including the Government's own definition set out in the 2008 Planning Policy Statement 12 (PPS12). During the preparation of the Core Strategy we have found that the Planning Officer Society definition (1) of spatial planning is the clearest.
1.4 This defines spatial planning as:
“A process aimed at achieving sustainable development, including good design. It is based upon a development plan that enables local planning authorities and other organisations to co-ordinate their activities, achieve agreed objectives and manage changes affecting the area”
1.5 This is different to Local Plan policy where the focus was on determining the use of land and buildings. Documents such as the Core Strategy can now join up with other policies and programmes produced by local authorities and their partner organisations. The broader remit of spatial planning, encompassing environmental, social and economic issues, enables it to contribute more effectively towards sustainable development and good design.
1.6 There are four primary sections to the Core Strategy:
1.7 Section A - The Introduction, Vision and Objectives; Sets out the context and background for the Core Strategy, and establishes the Vision and Objectives to be delivered.
1.8 Section B - The Spatial Strategy; Sets out the strategic directions of growth and identifies the changes needed in other areas of the city.
1.9 Section C - The Supporting Policies; Develops the spatial strategy and elaborates how the objectives (and 8 vision) will be implemented. 1.10 Section D - Delivery and Monitoring; Includes a chapter on the delivery of key infrastructure, identifying the key projects that need to be delivered to support growth, along with details of how they will be delivered.
1 Policies for Spatial Plans: A guide to writing the policy content of Local Development Documents (Planning Officers Society July 2005)
(11) 1 . Introduction
1.11 The Core Strategy co-ordinates and provides connections with other major strategies (list in full at Appendix B .Bibliography and relevant documents. ) including:
National planning policy and guidance Regional Spatial Strategy (the emerging South East Plan and the East of England Plan) and the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy Regional Economic Strategy Milton Keynes Sustainable Community Strategy Milton Keynes Partnership Business Plan
Local Transport Plan Core Strategy: Submission Version Other strategies identified in Appendix B .Bibliography and relevant documents.
1.12 The Core Strategy shows where the city and borough will grow and change over the next 20 years. It also sets out the locational criteria and spatial principles for development where it is not possible to be more specific about the details of development in particular areas.
1.13 The document does not include specific development control policies, although its policies will be used Milton Keynes Council to support decisions on planning applications. Some issues will be dealt with in other Development Plan Documents (DPDs) including:
Development Management DPD - setting out all the regulatory policies to guide planning decisions and preparation of planning briefs; Site Allocations DPD - setting out the allocation of sites (other than the Strategic site allocated in this Core Strategy), in the Borough for future housing, employment and other uses; Area Action Plans/Supplementary Planning Documents – to provide more detailed guidance on the delivery of change in specific areas of growth and regeneration; Proposals Map – providing the spatial dimension for the policies and proposals of all the Development Plan Documents, showing areas and links on an Ordnance Survey map base. Waste DPD – which has already been adopted and identifies sites for waste management facilities and includes detailed policies for the treatment and disposal of waste. Minerals DPDs - Including the Minerals Core Strategy and Minerals Sites and Policies DPD Supplementary Planning Documents - providing more detailed guidance on specific topics.
1.14 The Milton Keynes Local Development Scheme (LDS) provides further information relating to the timetable for the preparation of these documents, as well as other documents emerging as a result of the Core Strategy. A revised LDS (April 2009) has been agreed to reflect the timescale for the production of these documents.
Milton Keynes Context - the Story of Place
1.15 It is important to understand the context of future development in Milton Keynes, looking at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the Borough, to help inform the Core Strategy. The city has grown from a collection of small towns and villages into a significant regional centre in less than 40 years. It is the largest and most successful new town of the 20th century. The qualities from this success must not be lost in the next round of growth, and should continue beyond the period covered by this Core Strategy.
1.16 As part of the development and refresh of the Sustainable Community Strategy, much work has gone into 9 investigating the key issues currently faced by Milton Keynes, summarised in the 'Local Story of Place' (2). The following section summarises the findings of this work along with key background from other strategies and
2 The story is the result of ongoing discussions throughout 2007 highlighting the facts about the areas performance over time, drawing on evidence received through the Sustainable Community Strategy consultation. The Story is available at http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/partnership-working/documents/
(12) 1 . Introduction Milton Keynes Council pieces of research, including the Sustainability Appraisal of the Core Strategy. It looks at those aspects of the original Milton Keynes Plan (1970) that are still functioning successfully, and those where interventions are needed to ensure Milton Keynes continues to grow and perform successfully as a regional centre, now and into the next 20 years.
Figure 1 Regional Context of Milton Keynes Core Strategy: Submission Version
Population Growth
1.17 Milton Keynes is a key focus for growth in the South East. The growth will bring up to an additional 100,000 residents over the period between 2006 and 2026. Milton Keynes is at the centre of the Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area, one of the fastest growing regions in Europe.
1.18 The scale and pace of the city’s development is unique in the UK, with thousands of new residents welcomed each year. Since New Town designation in 1967, the Borough’s population has grown from 40,000 to 228,000 (2007 estimate) and is set to continue on this growth trajectory over the lifetime of this Core Strategy. By 2026, it is anticipated that Milton Keynes will have a population in the region of 325,000 residents, dependent on housing completion rates (3).
10 1.19 At 228,000, the population of Milton Keynes is currently approaching the level that was planned for the city in the original Milton Keynes Plan (March 1970). As the population moves beyond this figure, there will be implications for the role of the city, how it functions and how it needs to be designed in the future.
MK%5FStory%5Fof%5FPlace%5FFinal%5FJan%5F08%2Edoc 3 Source: MKC Statistics – Borough Projections to 2031
(13) 1 . Introduction
1.20 Around 16% of the population of the Borough live outside the city in Newport Pagnell, Olney, and other settlements, including Woburn Sands and Hanslope.
1.21 Population growth is mostly through inward migration from elsewhere in the UK, with a net annual gain of around 2,500 - 3,000 people (MKC Statistics, 2008), based on recent housing completion rates. This figure is likely to be lower over the next few years due to the economic slowdown, but the growth in population will still be significant.
1.22 Over time there have been changes to the demographic and ethnic composition of the local population. School figures show that 21.3% of children are now from an ethnic minority community, compared to 9.3% of the total population, highlighting the increasing diversity in the local population. Population predictions show that Core Strategy: Submission Version in the future, Milton Keynes will also be home to a relatively high number of both young children and elderly residents, which will have implications for services provided and how people travel around and use the local area.
Transportation
1.23 The city benefits from its excellent location midway between London and Birmingham, and its connections to the M1 Motorway and West Coast Mainline train service (as shown in Figure 1 .Regional Context of Milton Milton Keynes Council Keynes.). Nearly 18 million people live within an hour and a half drive of Milton Keynes (MKi, 2008), making it very accessible by road.
1.24 Its position at the centre of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc offers great opportunities for the future growth of the Milton Keynes economy. However, the east-west transport links are important, but are currently inadequate. The East-West rail proposals will help improve this situation (see Chapter 9 .A Well-Connected Milton Keynes.).
1.25 Milton Keynes city was designed as a multi-centred settlement for easy travel by car, with a distinctive and efficient grid road system and plenty of parking. Whilst this has been, and continues to be, one of the strengths of the original Milton Keynes Plan, the system is now beginning to experience peak hour congestion at junctions, which analysis shows will be exacerbated by future growth. The system also contributes to the low levels of bus usage in comparison with similar sized towns and cities, with much of the population segregated from good public transport routes.
1.26 The Transport Strategy Review (2008) shows that at current rates of growth, by 2031 there will be a 57% increase in journeys during the peak travel period compared with 2001 levels, with only an additional 25% increase in highway capacity practicably deliverable. This highlights the pressure that the existing grid system faces and the need for action to be taken now to allow it to continue to function effectively in the future.
1.27 The need to tackle low public transport usage, and increase the choice of transport modes for some journeys, is not only important to help protect the capacity of the grid network, it also plays a role in addressing climate change, improving access for the whole community and supporting the regeneration of the city.
1.28 Low car ownership in some of the city's more deprived estates (for example Netherfield - 57% and Beanhill - 60%, compared to an Milton Keynes average of 81% of households with access to a car) highlights the need to provide viable alternatives to the car in these areas. Limited access to public transport and a lack of local opportunities heighten the exclusion felt by residents in deprived areas by cutting them off from job opportunities and other key facilities. 11 1.29 The city does benefit from a unique redway system, which provides a network of foot and cycle paths across the city. This has the advantage of providing opportunities for short trips to be made on foot or bicycle, but the system has been criticised for not providing direct routes between key facilities and being segregated from roads, increasing the perception of fear on isolated routes.
(14) 1 . Introduction Milton Keynes Council Economy
1.30 Milton Keynes is emerging as an important regional centre. Towns such as Northampton, Bedford, Aylesbury and Luton are all within a 30 mile radius, making it an attractive option for work and leisure opportunities for a large number of people, with popular destinations including the theatre, Xscape and the shopping centre.
1.31 The area has particular economic strengths in logistics, retail, hotels and restaurants, banking, finance and
Core Strategy: Submission Version insurance, and business services, with the proximity and links to London being particularly valuable in terms of attracting business to the area. Forming part of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc, there are also opportunities to "tap-in" to the skills and knowledge base provided by their world class universities, aided by the new University Centre in Central Milton Keynes.
1.32 Approximately 122,000 jobs (4) exist in the city, and new employers are attracted every year which helps us to meet our jobs growth targets. However, in January 2009, unemployment in Milton Keynes increased to 3.6% (compared to 3.4% in the UK as a whole, and 2.4% in the rest of the South East). Inward commuters comprise one third of the working population. The resident population of Milton Keynes has an ‘average’ skills base, and there is a relatively small proportion of highly skilled residents compared to the rest of the South East and nationally. This is an issue that needs to be addressed to allow residents to be successful in the modern economy by increasing skills in the working population. The economic downturn in 2009 means that adjustments may be required to reflect the impacts on the local economy and the variety of matters covered in this Core Strategy.
1.33 The high quality transport links have resulted in high demand for storage and logistics space, which have a relatively low 'job density'. The aim to provide at least 1.5 jobs per new home (an increase of the ratio set out in the emerging South East Plan), will mean that without a shift away from this form of development it will be difficult to provide the land needed to accommodate the required employment workspace, or to provide the type of job needed to improve the local economy.
Deprivation
1.34 The overall prosperity of Milton Keynes masks localised inequalities, notably in parts of the older towns and central estates, where there are particular issues with health, skills and employment. The Government's Index of Multiple Deprivation data shows that this problem is worsening, with there being 21 deprived estates (5) in 2007, compared to 18 in 2004.
1.35 These areas are also characterised by a poor mix of housing tenures, low housing densities, poor relationship between buildings and open space and often poor quality housing construction, all of which affect their attractiveness as places to live.
1.36 Without careful planning, growth could exacerbate the divide between old and new, and create a polarised city. There has been a degree of 'opportunistic' regeneration over recent years as older parts of the city have evolved. However, a major challenge remains to enable the worst performing areas of the city to benefit from the city’s overall prosperity and growth opportunities, with regeneration being supported by the community rather then being required by growth, guided by the Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy (2008).
1.37 Community safety and fear of crime can be particular issues in some of the city's worst performing neighbourhoods, and across the Borough as a whole. In 2007/08, 26,732 crimes were reported (a decrease from 12 29,729 in 2006/07). The Milton Keynes Community Safety Partnership published their three year Community
4 add source for jobs figure 5 A deprived estate is defined as an estate where over 50% of the defined Super Output Areas within the boundary fall within the most deprived 25% nationally, based on Government indicators.
(15) 1 . Introduction
Safety Plan in 2008, which sets out priorities to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and fear of crime across the Borough. Careful consideration of both the physical aspects of urban design and in tackling crime reduction and the fear of crime through visible and responsive policing will be integral to addressing crime across Milton Keynes.
Environment
1.38 As a New Town, Milton Keynes has few opportunities for brownfield development, with most new development taking place on greenfield sites. The loss of greenfield land around Milton Keynes has been mitigated through the development of the linear park system across the city which provides high quality, open space accessible by all residents. Much of the open space is integrated with a strategic flood defence system, which alleviates the risk of flooding across the urban area. The amount of open space in Milton Keynes (40%) compares Core Strategy: Submission Version favourably with other cities and helps to reduce the "heat island effect" of the main built up area. In areas where more development may reduce this benefit, high quality design (for example, 'green roofs') could offset the impact of new development.
1.39 There are 27 conservation areas in the Borough, each with a distinctive character. The development of Milton Keynes has successfully integrated several conservation areas, and other areas of historic character, into the urban area. Future growth will have to address how best to conserve and enhance areas of historical importance. Milton Keynes Council
Layout and Design
1.40 The key defining features of Milton Keynes in terms of its layout are that it is based around a highly recognisable grid road layout, and that it has a linear park system which also acts as a strategic flood defence system. The grid road layout does limit linkages between the 'grid squares' and pedestrians and cyclists are encouraged to use the separate redway network. This is less easy or direct in many circumstances. The challenge for the LDF is to ensure that the concept of a grid in whatever form appropriate, and the extension of the linear open space network, be reflected in the growth of Milton Keynes, provided the improvements for transport and access for the whole community are not compromised.
1.41 An additional feature of many of the early residential estates in Milton Keynes is that each was designed so that it would have its own distinct character in terms of layout and building appearance. This was made more achievable by the grid roads which physically separate one estate from another. Many early estates have a unique character with high quality architecture for their time. Not all were successful and some have failed to stand the test of time, but the ambition was unprecedented.
1.42 More recent residential developments particularly towards the outskirts of the city have, in too many instances, failed to add to the architectural creativity and innovation that was evident in many early estates. The early sense of uniqueness and ambition that was reflected in the grid road layout, the strategic open space network, water management infrastructure and the design of early estates has, it could be argued from a new housing development point of view, largely been replaced by mediocrity and a relatively standardised product. There have, however been notable exceptions to this, such as Oxley Park, (on the west of the city), which has won recent awards for design and innovation.
1.43 A major challenge is to exploit the growth of Milton Keynes to create new neighbourhoods and regenerate deprived neighbourhoods such that they have a real sense of equality, place and identity. They should be integrated with the adjacent parts of the city and have a full range of good transport connections to jobs, education, health and other facilities. The Core Strategy provides the framework which will allow these key issues to be addressed. 13
(16) 1 . Introduction Milton Keynes Council Summary
1.44 As a summary of these issues and those raised from consultation and in other background documents, the following analysis has been prepared, identifying some of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing Milton Keynes.
Table 1.1 Strengths and Weaknesses Core Strategy: Submission Version Strengths Weaknesses A strategic location between London, Birmingham, Low educational attainment, poor skill levels and Oxford and Cambridge, with excellent transport links absence of a traditional university resulting in the loss with the rest of the UK of highly educated 18-22 year olds and associated vibrancy Grid road system allows quick vehicle movement with convenient parking in CMK New Town stigma deters people and companies from moving to MK Regional retail and employment dominance Grid roads and low density layout limits public transport A network of well strategically planned, well maintained, usage and causes segregation which affects the viability multi-functional parkland and recreation space of shared services
A good quality of life with a high satisfaction rate Pockets of deprivation and social exclusion across the amongst residents and employers city, worsened for those without access to a car
Attractive hinterland settlements, and sensitive Older grid squares often badly designed and dwellings treatment of villages now within Milton Keynes city in a poor condition
Unique 1970s New Town with a wealth of high quality Need for greater diversity of housing types, including family housing 'executive' properties
MK Tariff allows for long term planning and funding of Lack of identity and innovation in some recent housing infrastructure developments
Homes and Communities Agency assist in delivery of Poor east west sub-regional connections growth and are a major landowner Lack of independent presence in retail, leisure and entertainment sectors
Table 1.2 Opportunities and Threats
Opportunities Threats Young and growing population providing workforce If regeneration doesn't happen then this could lead to and improving the potential viability of cultural facilities increased deprivation
Potential to create high value knowledge based Loss of greenfield land through growth 14 industries as a key location in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc (O2C Arc) No conventional campus university and high demand for storage and distribution businesses, could prevent Development of East/West Rail to improve connections creation of knowledge based economy to Oxford, Aylesbury and Bedford
(17) 1 . Introduction
Opportunities Threats Reduce disadvantage in deprived areas through Potential shortfall in funding from Tariff and other investment and locally driven regeneration sources could lead to key infrastructure not being delivered Falling house prices in MK, which already has low prices compared to the rest of the South East, will attract External image of Milton Keynes may not change which people here would deter investment and people relocating here
Investment in public transport and careful design of Standardised new housing developments undermine new growth areas could reduce car usage unique character of the city Core Strategy: Submission Version
Reduce Milton Keynes' carbon footprint by constructing Growth will lead to increased congestion if public a more energy efficient built environment utilising new transport is not sufficiently addressed, potentially technologies leading to increasing CO2 emissions
Lack of defining architectural style gives licence for Need to deliver correct balance of jobs:houses, to
architectural creativity and uniqueness prevent excessive in/out commuting while not Milton Keynes Council constraining economic growth Scale and importance of Milton Keynes as a regional centre makes it capable of supporting regional facilities
National, Regional and Sub-Regional Policies
National
1.45 Planning Policy Statements and Planning Policy Guidance notes set out the Government’s national policies on different aspects of land use planning in England. It is not the role of the Core Strategy to repeat national policy, but to interpret it locally.
1.46 This Core Strategy has been prepared in the context of all the Government’s Planning Policy Statements, Guidance notes and Circulars (as extant at March 2009) and prepared in line with the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.
Regional and Sub-Regional
1.47 In order to address the undersupply of housing in the South East, the Sustainable Communities Plan (SCP, February 2003) included Milton Keynes as part of one of four growth areas, as part of a strategy to deliver growth of up to 300,000 new jobs and 370,000 additional homes across the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Growth Area up to 2031.
1.48 The Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy (MKSM SRS, March 2005 (6)) expanded on the background provided by the SCP, and replaced the part of the existing Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) that relates to Milton Keynes. The Strategy focussed on the potential for Milton Keynes to grow as a major regional centre, through development of Central Milton Keynes and enhancement of the public 15 transport network plus jobs and housing growth, which will include growth across local authority boundaries. The guidance in the MKSM SRS on the overall level of housing growth for Milton Keynes and the strategic directions of growth were used as the basis for the preparation of the MK Growth Strategy, which was used as background evidence in the preparation of this Core Strategy.
6 http://www.go-se.gov.uk/gose/news/newsarchive/mksmSRS/
(18) 1 . Introduction Milton Keynes Council 1.49 Once adopted, the emerging South East Plan (SEP, due to be adopted during 2009 (7)) will provide the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the South East region looking beyond the MKSM SRS plan period to 2026. The .Position Statement. at the beginning of this Core Strategy sets out the Council's response to the Proposed Changes document.
Local Policies
Core Strategy: Submission Version 1.50 The Milton Keynes Local Plan (December 2005) provides the local planning framework to guide the development of Milton Keynes up to 2011; this Core Strategy carries forward the overarching strategic principles from the Local Plan. The preparation of the Core Strategy is a key stage in the replacement of the old style Milton Keynes Local Plan, but it will take time for the complete set of documents in the Local Development Framework to be prepared. The ‘saved’ Local Plan policies (8) remain the basis for decision making in Milton Keynes and for the determination of planning applications until the replacement framework is in place. Where policies in this Core Strategy replace Local Plan policy, this is set out in the table in Appendix C .Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan., which also indicates which policies will be superseded or replaced by other future DPDs, as programmed in the most recent LDS (April 2009).
1.51 The Milton Keynes Local Transport Plan (LTP, 2006-07 to 2010-11) sets out how the change in travel demands created as a consequence of growth will be dealt with and the longer term interventions that will be needed improve accessibility, modal-shift, and congestion issues, and to maintain the transport infrastructure network. The recently approved Milton Keynes Transport Strategy Review (December 2008) sits alongside the LTP as a framework to complement development policy and guide transport schemes.
Sustainable Community Strategy
1.52 One of the purposes of a Core Strategy is as a delivery tool to help implement the spatial elements of the Sustainable Community Strategy. The Sustainable Community Strategy for Milton Keynes, adopted in 2008, was prepared by the Local Strategic Partnership alongside the development of a new Local Area Agreement (9). The priority actions raised by the document are summarised as follows:
planning for the longer term future of the economy, ensuring the workforce has the skills and knowledge to match future opportunities; minimising and reducing our environmental impact; recognising the pressure growth could exert on services for existing residents; reducing social exclusion and the unacceptable gap in life chances between the most and least affluent in Milton Keynes; responding to a changing population and increasing diversity; and encouraging healthier lifestyles.
1.53 Four action plans are set out to address these issues with spatial planning and this Core Strategy playing a major role particularly in delivering Action Plan 1: Re-inventing our city places and spaces, which aims to develop high quality environments for the people of our city, towns and neighbourhoods.
16 7 This follows the Examination in Public between November 2006 and March 2007, the Panel Report into the Examination in Public published in August 2007, and the Secretary of State's proposed changes to the Plan published in July 2008. For further information about the South East Plan, go to http://www.southeast-ra.gov.uk/southeastplan/ 8 GOSE has confirmed that the Council can extend the life of some 'saved' Local Plan policies beyond December 2008. These saved policies are available on the Council's website http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/planning-policy. 9 Local Area Agreements set out the priorities for a local area, agreed between central government and a local area (the local authority and Local Strategic Partnership) and other key partners at the local level. The LAA can be seen at http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/partnership%2Dworking/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=25889
(19) 1 . Introduction
Other Strategies
1.54 The Core Strategy draws together various strategies into an integrated document, prepared to ensure effective and co-ordinated delivery of future development. Plans and strategies at a national, regional, sub-regional and local level that have implications for the development and use of land within Milton Keynes have been taken into account in the preparation of this document and are listed in Appendix B .Bibliography and relevant documents.. Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Council
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(20) 1 . Introduction Milton Keynes Council
Key Drivers of Change from Strategies and Plans
1.55 Housing growth at Milton Keynes city – to meet targets set out in MKSM SRS and the emerging SEP, we should achieve a ‘step-change’ in housing growth in Milton Keynes, and work with neighbouring authorities to deliver growth in the strategic development areas.
Core Strategy: Submission Version 1.56 Housing development in the rural area and the rest of the Borough – we should deliver 2,400 new homes between 2006 and 2026 for the rest of Milton Keynes Borough, guided by the emerging SEP.
1.57 Jobs growth – in line with the target in MKSM SRS and the emerging SEP we should provide at least one additional job for each new home built (*1.5 jobs per home in this Core Strategy), to secure no net change in overall out-commuting.
1.58 Regional role – Milton Keynes should develop as a major regional centre (or regional hub in the SEP) through substantial development of the city centre.
1.59 Sustainable communities – we should ensure new communities integrate a high quality environment with the provision of housing for all members of the community, excellent public services, a full range of community facilities and a prosperous economy, accessible by sustainable transport choices.
1.60 Improving the transport network – in particular, the core bus network across Milton Keynes should be upgraded, with emphasis on high quality public transport serving east-west and north-south corridors. Also, we should ease east-west traffic problems in the south of Milton Keynes and improve access to the M1 motorway. On a strategic scale, the East-West rail scheme is supported.
1.61 Location for knowledge-based businesses – taking advantage of its position between Oxford and Cambridge, Milton Keynes should look to become a location for knowledge-based businesses and a networking hub.
1.62 Improving skills and educational attainment – we should make better use of Milton Keynes’ labour supply and provide an attractive skills base for incoming firms, by taking advantage of opportunities for skills development, including improving higher education provision through the University Centre Milton Keynes.
1.63 Green infrastructure network – our extensive existing multi-functional green infrastructure network (the linear parks) should be extended as part of future growth and development, providing biodiversity, cultural, recreational, health and environmental benefits.
1.64 Climate change, environmental standards and resource efficiency – we should minimise and reduce our impact on the environment and our contribution to climate change through high standards of energy efficient design and construction in new developments and encouraging renewable energy and the efficient use of resources.
1.65 Regeneration – to close the gap between the most and least successful neighbourhoods in Milton Keynes, we should address the pockets of deprivation across the city and improve the life chances and conditions for the most deprived, through regeneration of areas (identified through the Milton Keynes 18 Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy).
(21) 1 . Introduction
Community Involvement
1.66 The importance of effective community engagement in planning is emphasised in PPS 1, Delivering Sustainable Development. The adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) (December 2006) sets out the Council’s standard for involving communities in the preparation of LDDs and the Core Strategy has been produced in-line with these requirements (10).
1.67 A major feature of the production of this Core Strategy is that the process has been front-loaded with the involvement of the community, stakeholders and local interests engaged through the preparation of the MK
Growth Strategy led by Milton Keynes Partnership, and subsequently through periods of consultation on the Core Core Strategy: Submission Version Strategy Issues and Options and the Preferred Options, as discussed in the Statement of Consultation accompanying this document. Community engagement will continue to play an important role in developing future local development documents.
Sustainability Appraisal
1.68 The Core Strategy has been subject to Sustainability Appraisal (SA) as an ongoing process throughout its preparation, which is set out in the accompanying Core Strategy SA Report. The approach used in the SA of the Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy is based on the process set out in the Government’s guidance on Sustainability Appraisal (November 2005). The SA is also conducted to meet the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Regulations, as set out in the Government guidance. A checklist in the report sets out how these requirements have been met. During the scoping phase of the SA work it was confirmed that an Appropriate Assessment was not required as it was not considered that the strategy would have significant impacts on European protected sites.
1.69 The SA process has played an important role in shaping the Core Strategy. The initial assessment of alternative options for growth was undertaken as part of the MK2031 work. Subsequently for the Core Strategy a scoping report was drawn up which heavily influenced the following Issues and Options and Preferred Options. The Preferred Options was accompanied by a full SA report. These stages of the SA process informed the preparation of more environmentally, economically and socially sustainable policies and practices to accommodate growth. The final SA report includes the Scoping and Preferred Options stages of the SA process as well as analysing the impacts of the changes to the Core Strategy between the Preferred Options and the Submission stage.
Evidence base
1.70 In order to comply with the statutory requirement there is an extensive background of current and robust documents which elaborate and justify the content of this Core Strategy. Reference to the supporting evidence is provided by footnotes, the text or the appendices.
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10 MK Statement of Community Involvement (December 2006) http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/planning%2Dpolicy/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=61284
(22) 2 . Spatial Vision and Objectives Milton Keynes Council 2 Spatial Vision and Objectives
The Spatial Vision
2.1 To understand what the Core Strategy aims to deliver, it is important to set out a clear vision of how Milton Keynes will be 20 years from now. The Spatial Vision acknowledges that the changes planned for the future of Milton Keynes will take many years to achieve, and reflects how in 2026 some elements will still be evolving. Core Strategy: Submission Version 2.2 The Spatial Vision on the following page is based upon the principles in the vision established as part of the consultation on the MK Growth Strategy, with amendments reflecting comments received through public consultation on the Core Strategy, continuing research, and the need for the vision to consider the whole Borough. It is in conformity with the requirements for Milton Keynes in the emerging South East Plan and the MKSM SRS. The Spatial Vision also reflects the aspirations in the Sustainable Community Strategy for Milton Keynes.
Core Strategy Objectives
2.3 The Core Strategy contains a series of strategic objectives which will guide and be used to monitor the delivery of the spatial strategy and inform the supporting policies. They have been developed in the context of the regional strategic objectives for Milton Keynes, as set out in the emerging South East Plan and the MKSM SRS.
2.4 The objectives set out what needs to be achieved to ensure the Spatial Vision is delivered in an effective, timely and sustainable manner. They draw on the objectives of those strategies already in place across the Borough and provide a coordinated action plan for future development in Milton Keynes. Alongside each objective are critical success factors which must be achieved if the strategy is considered to be successful. These will be measured through LDF monitoring procedures as described in 15 .Monitoring and Review..
2.5 Therefore, Table 2.1 .Core Strategy objectives with delivery policies. provides information on which Core Strategy policies will help deliver each objective. Key to the success of the Core Strategy is knowing how and by whom the strategy will be delivered. In some cases, where more specific or detailed guidance is needed, this will be through planning documents that will be produced in the future. In other cases delivery will be dependent on the commitment of the development industry, various Government and Council departments, key partners, neighbouring authorities, or particular established or emerging procedures. Where this is the case, these commitments and procedures have been identified in this document, to ensure a clear and robust strategy for implementation is in place.
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(23) 2 . Spatial Vision and Objectives
Spatial Vision - Milton Keynes in 2026
Scale of growth
2.6 Milton Keynes (MK)is the largest Growth Area in South East England with 40 years experience of development and a track record in innovation. The scale of growth proposed up to 2026 is 41,360 new homes over 20 years. This will lead to a 30% increase in the Borough’s population, from about 230,000 in 2008 to around 300,000 by 2026, by which time MK will be one of the top 20 cities in the UK in terms of population. Core Strategy: Submission Version 2.7 A further 9,000 - 11,000 homes are planned in sustainable urban extensions to the SW and SE of the existing built-up area that will be part of the city but within the area of adjoining local authorities. To achieve this level of growth in the ‘Greater MK’ area will require a sustained increase in housing delivery rates throughout the next 20 years. This will need to be matched by growth in jobs and the provision of new facilities in step with housing new development.
2.8 The planned growth at MK accounts for about 20% of the new housing planned for the wider MK and South Midlands Growth Area. Milton Keynes Council
Regional centre
2.9 MK will continue to be an exciting and different place to live, work and visit, with a growing international profile and reputation. It will develop as a regional centre for the wider MK and South Midlands Growth Area, where the population will rise from 1.5 m to over 2 m, all within 45 minutes travel time of the city.
2.10 Growth will support new shopping, cultural, leisure and entertainment facilities in Central Milton Keynes, as well as new leisure and recreation facilities in the older town centres of Bletchley and Wolverton and in the new sustainable urban extensions to the SW and SE of the city.
Location of growth/change
2.11 The main areas of change will be:
Sustainable urban extensions on the edge of the city. The following urban extensions already have planning permission:
Eastern Expansion Area 4,000 homes Newton Leys, SW of Bletchley 1,650 homes Northern Expansion Area 400 homes Stantonbury Park Farm 600 homes Western Expansion Area 6,600 homes This Core Strategy allocates an additional urban extension SE of the City, in line with the Regional 21 Spatial Strategy (11) (7,000 homes within the Borough).This area includes 3 ‘Strategic Reserve Areas’ previously identified in the Milton Keynes Local Plan but not included in the SEP housing figures. This urban extension is likely to extend into Mid Bedfordshire but the number of homes in the area outside the Borough is not yet agreed.
11 South East Plan Proposed Changes (July 2008)
(24) 2 . Spatial Vision and Objectives Milton Keynes Council The Core Strategy for Aylesbury Vale allocates an urban extension SW of the city, in line with the Regional Spatial Strategy (5,390 homes)
Central Milton Keynes (CMK) where there will be a wider range of shopping, cultural, leisure and entertainment facilities and visitor accommodation to complement existing attractions such as the centre:MK, Midsummer Place, the theatre, gallery, ice rink and Xscape. Taller buildings and higher densities will mean more jobs, and more opportunities for city centre living (6,000 homes). Core Strategy: Submission Version Bletchley and Wolverton, where new housing and facilities will help to revitalise these older centres. Older ‘new town’ housing estates, built in the 1970s, that are in need of regeneration and investment.
Transport
2.12 New public transport routes will link the urban extensions with the facilities, services and jobs in CMK. These routes, using existing grid roads and new highways in the urban extensions, will be capable of upgrading to accommodate new forms of public transport – e.g. guided bus, trams. There will also be better public transport on a north-south corridor running between Wolverton, CMK and Bletchley, connecting many older estates with lower than average levels of car ownership.
2.13 The unique grid road system will continue to serve the city but to reduce congestion and encourage healthier lifestyles, the target will be to reduce the proportion of peak hour journeys-to-work by car from 68% in 2001 to 55% in 2031. This will be achieved by making it easier and more attractive for people to travel by public transport, walk, cycle and work from home.
2.14 The council supports the principle of extending grid roads to serve the urban extensions SE and SW of the city, which are partly or wholly outside the Borough. We will work with the adjoining local authorities to make sure that the highway system within these areas links not only with existing and planned roads within the city but also with the existing road network in the surrounding rural area. The road network in and around these urban extensions must be designed to
deal effectively with through traffic provide direct routes for public transport, cycling and walking that are convenient for residents avoid unacceptable congestion on existing roads in the city and nearby settlements
2.15 Improving transport links and services to other towns in the MK & South Midlands Growth Area will also be important if MK is to fulfil its role as a centre for jobs, shopping and leisure for the wider region - e.g. links to Aylesbury, Bedford, Luton and Northampton. The need for better transport links to these towns also reflects the need for local residents to be able to access specialist acute medical services in the hospitals in each of these towns and in MK.
2.16 Better east-west, inter-regional transport links will be critical to the economic success of the city, providing better connections for businesses. These include East West Rail and the A421 corridor through the city (A1 – M1 – M40). There is also the potential to create a transport interchange within the sustainable urban extension SE of the City (M1 / A421 / East West Rail / east-west bus route to CMK), providing opportunities to reduce trips by car into the city centre from the east of the city and beyond. 22 2.17 The city also aspires to direct train services to Europe via the Channel Tunnel
(25) 2 . Spatial Vision and Objectives
Jobs, economy, skills
2.18 The increase in the number of homes should at least be matched by an increase in the number of jobs, to maintain a balanced community and avoid increasing the proportion of people commuting into and out of the city. The target will be to sustain a ratio of 1.5 new jobs per new home, as in recent years. The main areas where new jobs will be created are in CMK, on undeveloped land in existing employment areas, and in the new urban extensions.
2.19 A new university, better facilities at MK College and investment in existing and new schools such as
the MK Academy at Leadenhall, will drive an improvement in education standards and a higher skills base Core Strategy: Submission Version among the city’s young people. This will support a greater emphasis on office and knowledge-based jobs and take advantage of the city’s location at the centre of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc. These jobs will mainly be in CMK but also at the ‘Science and Innovation Habitat’ next to the Open University. This shift of emphasis will provide more opportunities for well qualified young people who have grown up in MK to stay in the city rather than move away to further their education and careers.
2.20 The forecast increase in home working will require improved IT systems across the Borough and have implications for the design of new housing. Milton Keynes Council
Linear parks
2.21 The linear parks are a unique feature of the city. They will be extended along the Broughton, Caldecotte and Loughton Brooks into the urban extensions on the edge of the city, and also along the Ouse and Ouzel valleys to the north. These extended linear parks will provide not only accessible open space but also opportunities for improving habitats for wildlife and for strategic flood management.
Regeneration
2.22 Around 20 older ‘new town’ estates have been identified as in need of regeneration in the Councils Regeneration Strategy (2009). 3 estates have been selected for pilot studies: they are Fishermead, Tinkers Bridge and the Lakes Estate in Bletchley. The emphasis will be on community-led regeneration, which is likely to lead to different outcomes in different areas. In some areas, where there is support from the local community, this may lead to some redevelopment and/or new development, but the main aims of regeneration in these areas will be to
Improve the physical appearance of the area Improve the condition of the housing stock Reduce unemployment Raise education standards Improve health and increase life expectancy
New neighbourhoods
2.23 New neighbourhoods created on the edges of the city will be mixed communities, sensitively integrated with existing settlements, with a choice of high quality housing of different types, tenures and densities, plus green spaces and other facilities meeting the needs of all members of the community. This will include larger 23 sites reserved for community uses such as places of worship and meeting places, reflecting the different needs of a more ethnically diverse population.
(26) 2 . Spatial Vision and Objectives Milton Keynes Council 2.24 Milton Keynes has an increasingly diverse population in terms of ethnic mix (12). It has also been identified as one of the top 10 least segregated cities in the UK (13). Larger sites will be reserved for community uses such as places of worship and meeting places, to meet the needs of those ethnic groups that are dispersed across the city.
2.25 Existing parts of Milton Keynes and new neighbourhoods should be places where people feel safe by tackling crime and the fear of crime. Important components of this are tackling antisocial behaviour Core Strategy: Submission Version including drugs, alcohol, as well as the wider environmental factors such as vandalism and litter. New development will be designed to reduce opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour.
Facilities
2.26 To ensure that growth leads to the creation of sustainable communities, it will be essential that new facilities and services are provided in step with new housing development. Major facilities that will be required as a result of the growth of the city include
The development of University MK, from the recently established University Centre in CMK to a full campus university At least 15 new primary schools (14) and 4 new secondary schools (15) (plus at least 4 new primary schools and 1 new secondary school in the SW SDA in Aylesbury Vale) A programme of improvements to MK General Hospital, particularly to provide caring for children and young people (including maternity provision) and for the elderly, reflecting the forecast increase in the proportion of the population in these age groups New and improved ‘super clinics’ in the urban extensions and other parts of the city, so that people have access to a wider range of health services closer to where they live More specialist housing for the elderly, including a second retirement village, reflecting a doubling in the percentage of the Borough’s population aged 65+. A second crematorium at and new burial ground in the Western Expansion Area New and improved facilities for Thames Valley Police including new neighbourhood police offices and an expansion of the existing custody facilities in CMK. New and upgraded fire stations to enable the Bucks Fire and Rescue Service to respond effectively to emergency calls, and to raise awareness in order to avoid preventable emergencies. The relocation of the main ambulance station from Milton Keynes Hospital to improve the garaging, servicing and staff facilities, and make sure response times to keep pace with growth. Extension of the sewage treatment works at Pineham in the long term A major regional water resource development may be necessary after 2019/20
Climate change and carbon emissions
2.27 As explained previously, the linear parks serve a strategic flood management function. This principle should continue in the future development of the city, to provide the necessary flexibility to respond to the increased rainfall predicted in the latest climate change assumptions used by the Environment Agency.
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12 MKC Population Bulletin 2008/09 -pages 6 & 7; State of the English Cities report (CLG Research Report, 2006) – Table 3.16 13 State of the English Cities report (CLG Research Report, 2006) – Table 5.3 14 WEA (4); EEA (2); SE SDA (7 - including within MBDC); CMK (1); Newton Leys: (1) 15 WEA:1; EEA:1; SE SDA: 2
(27) 2 . Spatial Vision and Objectives
2.28 The city aspires to be ‘one step ahead’ of national policy and regulations on construction standards by continuing to act as an exemplar and test bed for new technology and higher standards. The scale of the growth planned for MK means that energy and resource efficiency must be a key part of the design of new neighbourhoods and new buildings. All new homes will achieve at least Sustainable Homes Code Level 4, with at least 10% of their carbon dioxide emissions being offset by the use of low carbon or renewable energy technology. Non residential buildings will also incorporate 10% low carbon/renewable energy and be built to BREEAM Excellent standard, where this is technically feasible.
2.29 The SE SDA will benefit from a community energy network providing at least 20% of the area’s energy
demands from a low carbon source. It will also be designed to maximise solar performance, helping to reduce Core Strategy: Submission Version the need for energy use.
2.30 Existing homes in the Borough will benefit from money generated through the Carbon Offset Fund. Contributions to the Fund from new developments will be used to improve insulation in older housing, thus reducing carbon dioxide emissions, helping to address climate change, and tackling fuel poverty by reducing fuel bills.
Conservation Milton Keynes Council
2.31 Many new buildings will be innovative and contemporary in design, building on the city's distinctive New Town character. There will be more ‘landmark’ buildings that help to create a sense of place in new development areas, and also help people find their way around the city.
2.32 The amount of new development planned over the next 20 years places a special importance on continuing to conserve and enhance the historic environment of the Borough which includes 27 Conservation Areas, 49 Scheduled Ancient Monuments and more than 1,100 Listed Buildings.
Rural area
2.33 While most new development will be concentrated in the city, there will be a limited amount of new development in the towns of Newport Pagnell, Olney and Woburn Sands. These towns have a range of shops and other facilities, and good public transport links. The level of new housing development in the rest of the Borough will continue at similar rates to recent years (120 new homes per year or 2,400 homes over 20 year) Sites for about half this housing have already been identified.
2.34 Existing village facilities such as schools, shops and public houses will also be protected from changes of use. It will also be important to maintain and improve public transport services from the rural area to jobs and facilities in nearby towns.
2.35 To help support rural facilities and to broaden the mix of population and housing, three ‘Selected Villages’ have been identified where a small amount of new housing - over and above infill development – is supported by the parish council. These are Bow Brickhill, Hanslope and Sherington. Where a local need can be demonstrated, small affordable housing schemes will also be approved on ‘exception sites’ outside the normal village development limits.
2.36 To support the rural economy, the change of use of existing rural buildings to employment uses will generally be encouraged, including the conversion of existing farm building to provide visitor accommodation. 25
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core SpatialVisionandObjectives 2 . Table 2.1 Core Strategy objectives with delivery policies
Strategic Objectives A To ensure the allocation and delivery of 41,360 new homes by 2026, as set out in the South East Plan Proposed Changes. This will be comprised of:
A new strategic allocation of 7,000 homes to the south east of the city 1,800 in a range of sustainable locations in the rural area
The rest of the delivery will come from the following existing allocated sites:
5,900 already been completed in the 2006-09 period 10,600 in expansion areas to the east and west of the city 2,650 in other smaller expansion sites 6,000 in Central Milton Keynes 7,200 in remaining undeveloped grid squares, Bletchley and Wolverton
In addition, ensure that a further 9,000 to 11,000 homes built in adjoining authorities on the edge of the city are integrated with Milton Keynes to ensure efficient use of facilities, infrastructure and resources.
Critical Success Factors: Deliver 41,360 dwellings by 2026 within Milton Keynes Borough Key Delivery Policies: B Deliver 1.5 net additional jobs for each new dwelling completed, to meet the needs of the expanding population to find employment locally through the growth of existing employers and attracting new investment, including small businesses Critical Success Factors: 1.5 jobs per additional dwelling; Local Area Agreement (LAA) target for VAT registered businesses showing growth Key Delivery Policies: C Enhance Milton Keynes’ role as a centre for the MKSM region, with CMK developing as a key location for residential, retail, cultural, leisure development. CMK will also be the primary location for major office schemes within the borough, developing 12,000m2 of floorspace per annum Critical Success Factors: completion of 12,000m2 of office floorspace in CMK per annum; majority of new leisure and retail floorspace to be
(29) delivered in CMK Key Delivery Policies: D To ensure through the layout of new developments and appropriate interventions in the city and rural areas that everyone lives in a safe, healthy sustainable environment with excellent access to public transport, open space and everyday facilities Strategic Objectives Critical Success Factors: No significant loss of services and facilities in the rural area; all new dwellings to be within 400m of a bus stop Kehttp://miltonkeynes.limehouse.co.uk/creation/#y Delivery Policies:
Strategic Objectives E All new development should meet high design standards, building on the Milton Keynes ethos of safe, high quality, modern and innovative design, contributing to the unique qualities of the city. Where appropriate, it will be sensitive to local surroundings and existing communities. Critical Success Factors: Building for Life score for new developments Key Delivery Policies: F Mitigate the Borough’s impact on climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of Milton Keynes residents through increasing the standards for low carbon and water efficient developments including a higher level of renewable energy provision, whilst reducing the use of energy and other resources in existing communities. Critical Success Factors: LAA target for reduction in Borough's CO2 emissions per capita; all new residential developments to achieve a minimum of Code for Sustainable Homes level 4 Key Delivery Policies: G Continue to deliver housing that meets the needs for all sections of the community through: delivering viable levels of market, affordable, supported or specialist housing for those most in need; planning proactively for Houses in Multiple Occupation; and meeting the pitch requirements of Gypsies and Travellers to be set out in the revision to the South East Plan SpatialVisionandObjectives 2 . Critical Success Factors: 30% of new dwellings on qualifying sites be affordable (unless revised in a subsequent DPD); deliver the additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches required in the review of the South East Plan Key Delivery Policies: H Grow Milton Keynes’ knowledge-based economy by taking full benefit of its position in the Oxford to Cambridge Arc and expanding and retaining a skilled and qualified workforce, through expanding education provision, including a new campus based university. Critical Success Factors: Development of a traditional campus university by 2026; LAA targets for increasing the working age population with NVQ2 and above and NVQ4 and above Key Delivery Policies:
(30) I Through Neighbourhood Action Plans reduce deprivation in identified failing estates where there are regeneration opportunities supported and informed by local people to:
27 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core SpatialVisionandObjectives 2 . Strategic Objectives Reduce crime Improve the physical environment Increase employment through creating opportunities and improving skills and education standards Improve health and supporting healthy lifestyles Improve the condition of the housing stock Critical Success Factors: Development of neighbourhood action plans for targeted estates; improved Index of Multiple Deprivation ratings for targeted estates Key Delivery Policies: J Increase security, safety and reduce the potential for crime and the fear of crime through the incorporation of best practice design principles in all new developments and effective interventions in existing areas Critical Success Factors: LAA targets for crime reduction Key Delivery Policies:
Strategic Objectives K Protect, maintain and enhance the historical, cultural and physical character and assets of the New Town and the towns and villages, including the borough’s 27 conservation areas Critical Success Factors: No "at risk" listed buildings on the English Heritage register; all 27 conservation areas to have up to date conservation area character assessments Key Delivery Policies: L Encourage healthy lifestyles, and allow biodiversity and wildlife resource to flourish through protecting, enhancing and expanding the extensive green infrastructure network, linear parks, and conservation of rural landscapes. New development will adhere to Milton Keynes’ traditional high standards open space provision. Critical Success Factors: LAA target for adult participation in sport, no net loss of recognised biodiversity habitats Key Delivery Policies: M Manage increased travel demands through: (31) Improving the public transport network, including north-south and east-west routes through the city and supporting the development of East West Rail Strategic Objectives Increasing travel by walking and cycling, through the layout and location of new development and maximising the potential of the extensive redway and leisure route network Reduce congestion and the need for journeys by private vehicle through demand management measures and encouraging modal shift to lessen the impact of climate change generated by Milton Keynes. Critical Success Factors: Local Transport Plan (LTP) target for reduced congestion growth; LTP target for increasing local bus passenger journeys; Key Delivery Policies: N Co-ordinate a series of policies, programmes and decisions, including the Milton Keynes Partnership Business Plan, to deliver infrastructure investment and provision by a range of organisations, including the emergency services, to ensure balanced growth of city. Critical Success Factors: On time delivery of infrastructure required through growth Key Delivery Policies: SpatialVisionandObjectives 2 . (32)
29 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version 3 . Overall Development Strategy Milton Keynes Council 3 Overall Development Strategy
3.1 The overall development strategy for Milton Keynes establishes how the growth of Milton Keynes will occur up to 2026. It also sets out the changes that will be occurring in the different parts of Milton Keynes to ensure the Borough continues to develop in a sustainable manner. The key requirements of growth are set below.
The key requirements: housing, jobs, shopping and leisure Core Strategy: Submission Version 3.2 The growth requirements for Milton Keynes are set out in the emerging South East Plan (SEP). The broad requirements are for 41,360 new homes (excluding any development East of the M1) and for at least 1 new job for every new home (1.5 jobs per home in this Core Strategy) over the period from 2006 to 2026.
3.3 The emerging SEP sets out a requirement for a Strategic Development Area in Milton Keynes Borough to the south east of the city (the SE SDA) , which could continue into Central Bedfordshire, and a further SDA to the south west of Milton Keynes (SW SDA), lying entirely within the district of Aylesbury Vale.
3.4 This Core Strategy allocates the Milton Keynes part of SE SDA as an area of strategic growth for 7,000 new homes, employment provision and associated infrastructure, including schools and community facilities (16). The remainder of the SE SDA and the SW SDA are to be dealt with through the Core Strategies of Central Bedfordshire and Aylesbury Vale, as plan making authorities for these areas.
3.5 The majority of the remaining housing and jobs growth in the urban part of Milton Keynes has already been planned through the Local Plan (2005), and is either under construction, already has a planning permission in place (and is likely to be renewed), or has been completed between April 2006 and March 2009 (17). There is, however, a need for further development in the urban area to support the regeneration of the city and an improved public transport system. There is also the need to consider how changes to the current allocation of undeveloped employment land could be altered as part of the shift towards a more ‘knowledge based’ (18) economy.
3.6 There is a specific housing provision in the emerging South East Plan for the rural part of Milton Keynes, based on continuing the level of provision established over the past 10 years through the Local Plan. This provision will be met in sustainable locations across the rural area, as set out in the settlement hierarchy (19), and will be allocated through a future Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD) as non strategic sites.
3.7 The settlement hierarchy in Policy CS 3 . Milton Keynes Development Strategy . is based on focusing development in the most sustainable locations and helping to ensure key settlements (and areas of Milton Keynes) continue to provide sustainable choices for local residents. The Spatial Strategy Policy sets out the Settlement Hierarchy, with the focus of development being the urban area as the most sustainable location, based on public transport links (and their improvement), access to facilities and environmental considerations (20).
HOUSING
3.8 The scale of housing to be provided and meet the South East Plan, is set out in the following table. For clarity, in addition to the specific housing requirements for the Milton Keynes Local Authority area, the housing requirements across the Milton Keynes boundary in Central Bedfordshire and Aylesbury Vale have been included. More details of housing completions, permissions and allocations can be found in the housing topic paper. 30
16 See 4 .Strategic Sites. 17 See Housing Topic paper and Employment Land Topic Paper 18 Knowledge based definition to add 19 See Rural Topic Paper 20 See Spatial Strategy Topic Paper for more details
(33) 3 . Overall Development Strategy
Table 3.1 Summary of Housing Requirements
MKC Urban area SE SDA Rural Area SW SDA Central Beds SEP Requirement 34,160 0 2,400 5,360 Minimum of 2,000 Completions 5,315 0 582 0 0 2006-2009 Outstanding 9,234 (21) 0 71 0 0 Core Strategy: Submission Version Local Plan Allocations Deliverable sites- 6,929 0 447 0 0 0-5 years Suitable 13,048 0 106 0 0 deliverable sites Milton Keynes Council 6+ years Required LDF 0 (22) 4,800 1,194 Aylesbury Vale Mid Beds Core Supply Core Strategy Strategy
Milton Keynes Urban Area
3.9 Development within the existing urban area is discussed in more detail in the Development in the Urban Area chapter.
3.10 Table 3.1shows that sufficient sites are already identified in Milton Keynes to deliver the emerging SEP requirement of 34,160 homes up to 2026. It is estimated that 6,929 of these will be completed over the 5 period from April 2009 to March 2014 (23). This is slightly below the yearly average required to meet the emerging SEP target. This is primarily due to a delay in bringing forward larger expansion sites as a result of the slow down in the housing market from 2007 onwards.
3.11 However, from the level of outstanding Local Plan allocations and other suitable sites (24), it can be seen that there are sufficient additional sites to fulfil the regional requirement once the housing market recovers (25). In the urban area, the strategies and policies within this document are therefore primarily focused on ensuring development supports the delivery of the strategic objectives, primarily regeneration, improved design and improved public transport.
The Strategic Development Areas
3.12 The SE and SW SDAs are discussed in more detail in Chapter Strategic Sites. The SDAs are new designations and as such there are no completions or existing commitments toward the requirements, other than the Strategic Reserve Area allocations from the Local Plan (2005). 31 21 The total Outstanding Local Plan Allocations includes 2,500 homes as part of the existing Strategic Reserve Areas. These will be included as part of the total SE SDA total of 7,300 dwellings. 22 Total existing supply is 34,525, exceeding the SEP minimum requirement 23 Details of housing delivery can be found in the Housing Topic Paper. 24 Suitable sites in the 6 year + period are made up of the remaining capacity of larger development sites currently under development, sites with planning permission and HCA owned/briefed brownfield regeneration sites. 25 Add link to the Housing trajectory.
(34) 3 . Overall Development Strategy Milton Keynes Council 3.13 The total number of homes proposed in the Milton Keynes part of the SDA is around 7,300, as part of a mixed use development. This comprises the 2,500 homes previously allocated as Strategic Reserve Areas in the Local Plan (2005) plus 4,800 on new allocation identified through this Core Strategy. They are allocated as one single SDA to allow comprehensive planning of the area.
3.14 The growth of Milton Keynes across the boundary with Central Bedfordshire will also be classed as part of the SE SDA. In total, the combined area has potential for over 10,000 homes (26). The level of growth in this area Core Strategy: Submission Version will be dealt with through the Central Bedfordshire Core Strategy and a review of the East of England Plan.
3.15 The requirement for a SW SDA is addressed in the Aylesbury Vale Core Strategy, with 5,360 homes forming a sustainable extension to the existing urban area. The impacts of that proposal on Milton Keynes are addressed in this Core Strategy.
The Rural Area
3.16 Development within rural settlements is discussed in more detail in Chapter The Rural Area.
3.17 From table 3.1 it can be seen that there is a shortfall in current housing land provision of over 1,000 homes in the rural area that need to be addressed through the Core Strategy and future documents in the Local Development Framework.
3.18 Policy establishes the framework within which this provision can be met, focusing development on the most sustainable rural settlements.
3.19 Set out in the Overall Strategy is the proposed amount and distribution of employment land in the various areas of change in Milton Keynes. How this Overall Strategy delivers the employment provision required by the emerging SEP is set out here.
EMPLOYMENT
The requirement - job numbers
3.20 The emerging SEP proposes a ratio of at least 1:1 for the provision of new jobs and dwellings so as not to worsen net commuting flows. That ratio has been increased in this document to 1.5 and the justification for this increase is set out in the Employment topic paper. On the basis that up to 49,950 (27) dwellings will be provided in and around Milton Keynes this would mean the minimum number of jobs to be delivered within Milton Keynes from 2006 to 2026 is 49,950, around 2,500 jobs per annum.
3.21 It is not intended that this 1:1.5 ratio should be used as a development control tool to restrict growth. Therefore if monitoring detects that employment growth in terms of numbers of jobs is growing faster than housing provision, the response of the Council and its partners would be to encourage an increase in the delivery of new housing rather than restrict employment growth. Conversely, if monitoring detected housing provision is running ahead of the provision of jobs rather than restrict the delivery of new dwellings the Council and its partners would seek to increase the delivery of new jobs to ensure a better balance between them. In the past decade jobs growth at around 2,500 jobs per annum has exceeded housing provision. 32
26 Add a link to the GVA Grimley study 27 49,950 is made up by 34,160 homes in the existing urban areas, 4,800 in the Milton Keynes part of the South East SDA, up to 5,600 in Central Bedfordshire and 5,390 in Aylesbury Vale
(35) 3 . Overall Development Strategy
The requirement - job type
3.22 The emerging SEP acknowledges the need to support the role of knowledge driven industries in delivering sustainable economic development in the south east of England (28). The Employment Land Study (ELS) recommended that the type of jobs to be delivered in Milton Keynes are those in the "knowledge economy" and in order to deliver this economy the focus should be on;
Providing more office and technology floorspace Reducing the reliance on distribution and logistics activity (B8 uses) Increasing the job density on employment sites Core Strategy: Submission Version Strengthening the role of CMK and other centres
3.23 Milton Keynes has a surplus of land allocated for industrial and warehousing and distribution (B1c/B2 and B8 uses - see table 4.2), so where land currently allocated for non-office uses is uncommitted, the opportunity exists to gradually reallocate the most suitable sites for alternative uses (such as office development and high tech floorspace B1a/B1b uses). This would assist in part, to a gradual re-shaping of the economy of Milton Keynes over time. Milton Keynes Council 3.24 CMK is a focus for developing B1a/B1b uses but the ELS report also identified that these uses should be developed between 2007 and 2016 at Linford Wood, Kents Hill, Knowlhill and Walton, to support clusters of similar businesses , a feature of the knowledge economy (29).
Supply in Milton Keynes
3.25 Current monitoring (2009) identifies that Milton Keynes has about 287 hectares of land available for employment development, including land in the SDAs (see Jobs potential on employment and other sites)
3.26 If fully developed the existing stock of employment land is estimated to have capacity for between 36,200 to around 53,800 jobs (30) but as Jobs potential on employment and other sites illustrates much of this land is allocated for industrial and distribution purposes rather than for office/high technology development.
3.27 This quantity of land does mean that Milton Keynes is able to be flexible in accommodating employment development and can continue to offer a greater choice of sites to businesses but as land is developed over time this choice and flexibility will diminish.
3.28 Jobs are also created on sites which are not designated for employment use. The ELS estimates that as a result of growth, other sectors, such as retailing, health and personal services, generate 0.31 jobs per new dwelling and that an additional 0.37 jobs per dwelling are created in sectors such as education, real estate and public administration.
3.29 The jobs potential of Milton Keynes if all land in Jobs potential on employment and other sites is developed and housing targets are met, delivering associated jobs, is estimated at around 75,000 to 92,000 jobs. However, if land is allocated towards office and technology uses a greater number of jobs can be produced from the available stock of employment land. There will also be additional scope to consider the future of employment land no longer required for its current purpose or where buildings have become obsolete. 33
28 SEP Proposed Changes para 6.8 29 Milton Keynes Employment Land Study Table 8.2 p.140 30 To calculate the number of jobs this amount of land and floor space would generate if fully developed, figures of 19 sq metres per person for office development and 34 sq m per person for industrial and 50 sq m for warehouse and distribution have been assumed
(36) 3 . Overall Development Strategy Milton Keynes Council Table 3.1 Jobs Potential on Employment Land and other Sites
Amount of Land (in Number of Jobs hectares) / Quantity of Floor space (sq.m) Existing Employment Land Allocations (i) (ii) 242.4 29392- 47049
Core Strategy: Submission Version New Employment Land Allocations in SW & SE 44.84 6790 SDA's (iii) Total Area & number of jobs on existing and 287.24 36,182 - 53,839 proposed employment land Number of Jobs in Central Milton Keynes (Delivery 204,000 sq m 10,737 of a maximum 12,000 sq metres of B1(a) Office Space per annum 2009-2026) Number of Jobs from retailing, health etc 0.31 jobs 12,822 per dwelling, 41,360 dws. (iv) Number of Jobs from education, construction, 15,303 hotels etc 0.37 jobs per dwelling, 41,360 dws. (iv) Total Jobs 75,044 - 92071 Homes to Job Ratio 41,360 homes 1 home to between 1.8 - 2.2 jobs 49,950 homes 1 home to between 1.5 - 1.8 jobs
Employment density Offices (B1a) 19 sq metres per person, Industrial (B1c/B2) 34 sq metres per person, Warehouse and Distribution (B8) 50 sq metres per person.
Sources:
i. Amount of Employment Land in MK Borough MK Intelligence. ii. Land with Planning Permission for Employment Uses not on sites allocated for Employment Use, Table 3.6 2007/2008 Annual Monitoring Report p 26. iii. SDA details Tables 6.3 & 6.4 GVA Grimley SDA Study (April 2008) p.30-31 iv. MK Employment Land Study 2007 p.81-82
Location of jobs
3.30 As set out in the Overall Strategy, the largest centres for new employment development in the future include Central Milton Keynes and allocated employment sites within the city such as the Western and Eastern 34 Expansion Areas, Shenley Wood, Broughton/Atterbury, Walton and Knowlhill. Provision for employment development will also be made within the new Strategic Development Areas on the edge of the city.
3.31 Settlements in the rural part of the Borough also have a role to play in accommodating new employment development but given their size and constraints to development this role will be limited.
(37) 3 . Overall Development Strategy
Policy CS 1
Employment Land Provision
The Council will:
Ensure an adequate supply of employment land in the period 2006-2026 to provide for local job requirements. This should be focused on supplying a trend towards office, science and technology use,
in locations that encourage sustainable movement. Core Strategy: Submission Version Normally protect existing employment sites from redevelopment or changes of use to other uses, unless it is no longer suitable for employment use Plan for the development of industrial, warehousing and distribution uses at a lower growth rate than past trends
Delivery Milton Keynes Council 3.32 The preparation of the Site Allocations DPD will consider, where appropriate, the reallocation of existing employment allocations, towards the office, science and technology uses identified in the Employment Land Study. Where existing employment land is no longer required a Development Management DPD will contain a criteria based policy against which any potential redevelopment or change of land use will be considered.
3.33 Development Frameworks for the Strategic Development Areas will ensure that employment provision is in line with the requirements of Employment Land Provision and is located in the most sustainable locations.
3.34 Through partnership working, particularly with MKP and Invest MK, efforts will be made to ensure that there is a range of development sites readily available to enable new employment opportunities to be bought forward in CMK and other appropriate locations.
3.35 Replacement Employment Land Studies will normally be undertaken with partners every 3 to 5 years to assess the availability of employment land and monitor progress towards the development of the knowledge economy.
RETAIL (shopping) and LEISURE PROVISION
3.36 As a New Town, Milton Keynes has been planned with a retail hierarchy from the regional centre of CMK, the district centres of Kingston, Bletchley, Wolverton and Westcroft, the town centres of Newport Pagnell, Olney, Stony Stratford and Woburn Sands and local centres and village shops. The role and function for each centre in the retail hierarchy is described in saved Local Plan Policy TC1, and this remains in place at this time (31).
3.37 CMK continues to develop as a regional shopping centre for comparison shopping and to cater for the convenience shopping needs generated by the growing numbers of workers and residents within CMK. The Council is also seeking to regenerate the district centres of Bletchley and Wolverton, which are important secondary centres in the city with good public transport links. Future provision 35 3.38 The Retail & Leisure Study was commissioned from consultants Roger Tym and Partners (RTP), to deal with the future needs and requirements for retail and commercial leisure facilities within the Borough, in 2007. (32).
31 The Development Management DPD will consider the need to revise the retail hierarchy 32 Milton Keynes Council: Retail Capacity and Strategy Review. Draft Report for Consultation December 2008.
(38) 3 . Overall Development Strategy Milton Keynes Council 3.39 Among the key findings and recommendations of the RTP report were :-
The preferred strategy for meeting future retail and leisure needs is Strategy 1, a policy of focusing large scale comparison shopping developments and commercial leisure provision including food and drink uses to CMK.
Allow for smaller scale comparison retail and commercial leisure needs in the town and district centres Core Strategy: Submission Version New convenience floorspace should be provided in areas of high population growth, with smaller scale increases in convenience floorspace permitted in existing centres consistent with their role and function.
RTP recommend the Council and its partners should be aiming to provide a new food store of around 3,500 sq metres (gross) and associated development in each of the Expansion and Strategic Development Areas phased alongside the delivery of new housing. The consultants note planning permission already exists for a food store in the Western Expansion Area. The analysis by RTP suggests a food store in the Eastern Expansion Area would be required in the period 2016-2021 and those in the SW and SE SDA would be required in the period 2021-2026.
3.40 Given the considerable uncertainties involved in forecasting retail requirements up to 2026, these longer term forecasts should be treated with some caution and only be regarded as a guide to the level of future retail floorspace provision. Further retail capacity studies to be produced in the future will review this data.
Policy CS 2
Retail and leisure development
Over the Core Strategy plan period the Council will;
Continue to enhance the role of Central Milton Keynes as a regional shopping centre and focus for commercial leisure development and comparison shopping. The Council will plan for a major increase in the amount of comparison retail floorspace and associated development in the area between Silbury and Avebury Boulevard, Saxon Gate and Marlborough Gate. Plan for the provision of a new food store of around 3,500 sq metres gross and associated development in each of the Expansion and Strategic Development Areas, such development to be phased alongside the delivery of new housing. Permit increases in convenience and comparison floorspace and commercial leisure provision within the district and town centres consistent with their role and function and consistent with the particular objectives of regeneration in the district centres of Bletchley and Wolverton and controlled expansion and diversification in Westcroft and Kingston.
Delivery
3.41 The Council will continue to monitor retail completions and commitments and regularly review and report on retail capacity within the Borough to determine the need for additional retail floorspace and where and when 36 it should be delivered. Retail capacity assessments will be undertaken every 3-5 years for the whole of Milton Keynes Borough.
3.42 Undertake joint working with other Local Planning Authorities to ensure new retail development in SDAs is phased alongside housing provision in sustainable locations. Through the creation of development frameworks for the SDAs, individual retail assessments will be undertaken to establish the level of provision required in each area and when it will be needed.
(39) 3 . Overall Development Strategy
3.43 Policies in the Development Management DPD will be prepared to ensure delivery of the policy requirements, including a review of the defined primary shopping areas across the Borough and policies on non-retail uses in town centres, district and local centres. Work on the Retail and Leisure Study, assessing the successful and unsuccessful aspects of local centres, will be used to inform policy production, which will also seek to protect the individual characteristics of each centre.
3.44 Work with key stakeholders in the district centres of Bletchley and Wolverton, to assess the opportunities for leisure and retail to contribute towards regeneration in these areas.
OVER ARCHING STRATEGY Core Strategy: Submission Version 3.45 There are two key diagrams visually showing the implications of the Development Strategy on the future growth of Milton Keynes, one for the whole of the Borough, including the rural area, and one specifically for the urban area, where the majority of change is planned. Milton Keynes Council
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(40) 3 . Overall Development Strategy Milton Keynes Council
Policy CS 3
Milton Keynes Development Strategy
All new development in Milton Keynes will contribute to meeting the objectives of this Core Strategy.
Core Strategy: Submission Version Residential and employment development will primarily be focused on the existing urban area, where the continued development of CMK, completion of existing city estates and sensitive redevelopment and infill development, particularly in the older parts of the city, will contribute to a more sustainable Milton Keynes.
Development of a Strategic Development Area to the South East of Milton Keynes will complement the development of the urban area, and existing areas of expansion, by providing a sustainable urban extension to the city.
In the rural area, development will be concentrated on the Key Settlements of Newport Pagnell, Olney and Woburn Sands, as the towns with the largest range of facilities and best public transport links.
Limited sensitive development will be identified in Sherington as a selected village with local support for development, and existing housing allocations in Hanslope and Bow Brickhill will be completed as existing Selected Villages. Sensitive redevelopment and infill opportunities (33) will be allowed in Other Villages where appropriate.
Table 3.2 Settlement Hierarchy
1. Milton Keynes City Central Uncompleted District/town City expansion areas: Selective infill Milton city estates centres: and Keynes Bletchley, Existing expansion redevelopment Wolverton, areas and SE SDA opportunities Kingston and Westcroft 2. Key Settlements Newport Pagnell Olney Woburn Sands 3. Selected Villages Sherington Hanslope Bow Brickhill 4. Other villages Villages with development boundaries (34) 5. Other settlements 38 Villages in the open countryside Development across the Milton Keynes boundary with Central Bedfordshire and Aylesbury Vale will be integrated successfully with the existing urban and implemented through close joint working with neighbouring authorities.
(41) 3 . Overall Development Strategy Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Council
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33 Add definition of infill and redevelopment in the glossary 34 Other villages with a development boundary are Astwood, Castlethorpe, Clifton Regis, Emberton, Lavendon, Little Brickhill, Long Street, New Haversham, Newton Blossomville, North Crawley, Ravenstone, Sherington, Stoke Goldington, Wavendon, Western Underwood.
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . Figure 3 Key Diagram - Milton Keynes urban area (43) 3 . Overall Development Strategy
Delivery
This Core Strategy allocates the SE SDA as a mixed use strategic allocation. Details of this allocation and it’s implementation are found in Chapter 4 .Strategic Sites.: .South East Strategic Development Area..
Other development sites will be allocated through a Site Allocations DPD. Sites will be identified in accordance with the settlement hierarchy above, in the context of the area based policies in Chapters 4 .Strategic Sites., 5 .Development in the Urban Area. and 6 .The Rural Area. and the development control polices in place at the time of a planning application. Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Council
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(44) 3 . Overall Development Strategy Milton Keynes Council Figure 2 Key Diagram - Milton Keynes Borough Core Strategy: Submission Version
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(45) 3 . Overall Development Strategy
Strategy Table
3.46 As set out above, much of the required housing and employment development in the urban area of Milton Keynes has already either been completed, is under construction, is allocated for development or has a planning permission in place. The table covering the next 8 pages summarises what we already know about the future development of Milton Keynes and introduces how the SE SDA fits into the strategy for growth.
3.47 Table 3.3 .Overall Development Strategy. sets out the roles of individual areas/settlements where development will be occurring, what this development will include and when it will be delivered. It summarises
the strategies and policies that are set out in more detail later in the document. It is designed to give an overview Core Strategy: Submission Version of the changes that can be expected in individual areas by 2026. Milton Keynes Council
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . Table 3.3 Overall Development Strategy
Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
SE SDA Allocated through c. 7,000 as part of new mixed 10ha of office space 20ha of light industrial c. 3,500 sqm anchor food New mixed use local centres to be Role: A sustainable the Core Strategy. use communities on the edge in designated and warehousing/ retail store serving local provided. Sharing of sites/buildings urban extension to of the city. employment areas. storage land. weekly needs. by compatible uses to be supported. Milton Keynes, Required through To be delivered in Smaller local centres, south of the A421 the South East Plan Range and type of homes to the long term (CMK Job potential - providing for day to day Where appropriate, facilities in and north of the be determined through a short/medium term 1,250-3,000 shopping needs, to be Woburn Sands and Wavendon will be Bedford-Bletchley Contains existing Development Framework, focus). provided in accessible enhanced for existing and new railway line, Local Plan (2005) using SHMA evidence. Job potential - about Any other locations, well related to residents. Work on the Development containing a range Strategic Reserve 2,400 employment other facilities, such as Framework will help to identify of homes, jobs and Area allocations - Expected development opportunities will be schools. Approximately requirements and opportunities. associated facilities c.2,500 dwellings period - 2016-2026 (subject in schools, retail, and 4,500 sqm in total. to market improvement). community facilities. Facilities Schools: 7 primary and 2 secondary Additional growth to occur in 7,000 homes would (based on current adopted standards) Central Bedfordshire generate Leisure: 5ha for indoor sports use. boundary, subject to a review approximately 4,760 A further 2ha reserves for commercial of the East of England Plan. jobs in schools, retail, leisure provision. Total combined area will and community 11ha for specialist sub-regional sports provide around 10,400 homes facilities across the facilities city(35) Playing fields Community health/emergency services: Provided in line with service providers requirements, with sharing of sites/buildings encouraged (18ha provision)
Other: Linear park extension with strategic flood risk management (52ha) A421 dualling to M1 junction 13 Transport interchange facility serving CMK and links to West Coast Main Line rail services Improvements to local train station(s) Community energy network(36) (47)
35 Jobs growth associated with residential growth is based on the findings of the Employment Land Study (2007). The Study concludes that each new home generates 0.68 jobs in services such as education, construction, retail and leisure on non-employment land. 36 A community energy network is where electricity is generated locally and the waste heat distributed through a network to local homes and facilities, making more efficient use of fuel Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
Safeguarded route for the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway
SW SDA 5,400 new homes, employment areas and associated facilities to be provided in an SDA to the south west of the city in Aylesbury Vale District. This will be allocated West of Chepstow through the Aylesbury Vale Core Strategy but will be an extension to Milton Keynes. The integration of the SDA with Milton Keynes is considered in this Core Strategy. Drive, Bletchley, and south of Tattenhoe Park
Expansion Areas The expansion areas were approved through the Local Plan (2005). They will provide approximately 13,250 new homes, associated facilities and employment areas (EA) on sites around the edge of the existing urban area. The details of each EA are set out below. All 5 areas have outline planning permission; some areas have detailed permission and are under construction. Milton Keynes Partnership Committee (MKP) has development control powers for the majority of these areas.
Western EA Outline permission 2006-2009 completions - 0 17ha - B1 and B2 Any other Retail and leisure Service provision focused on the High Role: A sustainable granted. Detailed uses in small scale employment development to be Street area and along the city streets. urban extension of applications under 6,600 dwellings remaining. employment areas. opportunities will be focused on the city streets Requirements based on providing for Milton Keynes, west consideration. Job generation - c. in schools, retail, and and as part of a mixed use the needs of new residents, taking of V4 Watling Street Primary Completion expected 3,450 community facilities. High Street area at the into account existing capacity in between Crownhill infrastructure 2021-2026. 6,600 homes would centre of the EA. surrounding areas. and Stony (main roads, generate Stratford, with sewers etc) work approximately 4,500 7,500 sqm in total, Facilities: good public approved jobs in schools, retail including 3,000 sqm food 1 secondary and 4 primary schools transport links to and community store. Health 'spokes' co-located in 2 CMK facilities across the primary schools city. Additional 0.25ha retail in Health 'hub' in the High Street a separate local centre Library and lifelong learning facility in High Street area OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . 2 combined community centres/sports pavilions A burial ground serving the whole city
Other Key Requirements: District Park with multi-functional use (play pitches, allotments and green city edge) (48)
45 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
Eastern EA Outline permission 2006-2009 completions - 200 17ha of 80ha of large footprint Retail and leisure Service provision focused on High Role: A sustainable granted small/medium scale manufacturing and development to be Street area and along city streets. urban extension to 2004/2006. 1,521 4,000 dwellings remaining. B1/B2 employment. warehousing focused on the city streets Requirements based on providing for Milton Keynes, dwellings with Job numbers - development near to as part of mixed use the need of new residents, taking into between Kingston detailed Completion expected c.3,450 421. centres. account existing capacity in and the M1, permission 2021-2026 2,000 sqm retail surrounding areas. proving a range of (including Job numbers - c. 8,000 floorspace, 800sqm pubs, homes and jobs, completions) restaurants and bars. Facilities: providing an 4,000 new dwellings 1 secondary and 2 primary schools attractive entrance will generate Health 'spokes' co-located in both to the city. approximately 2,750 primary schools jobs in retail, Library and lifelong learning facility education and in High Street area community sectors 1ha community recycling facility across the city. Mixed use local centre 2 combined community centre/sports pavilions J14 mixed use 'gateway' area, including improved park and ride facility
Other Key Requirements: Linear park focused on Broughton Brook and M1 wildlife corridor 20ha multi-functional district park Safeguarded route for BMK Waterway
Newton Leys Outline permission 2006-2009 completions - 5 A range of B1, B2 and B8 employment Shops to provide day to Specific facilities to be provided as Role: An extension June 2006. 621 opportunities to be provided. day shopping needs to be part of the masterplan for the site are: to Milton Keynes, dwellings have 1,650 dwellings remaining 1,650 dwellings will generate approximately provided as part of a Combined school SW of Bletchley, detailed 1,100 jobs in retail, education and community mixed use local centre. Community centre providing a range permission Currently under construction sectors across the city Contribution to improve Doctors surgery of housing and (including existing local centre at Park/play areas employment completions) Completion expected Serpentine Court on the Playing fields with changing facilities opportunities 2021-2026 Lakes Estate, Bletchley and Travellers site Bletchley town centre. Hotel and leisure site Contribution towards Bletchley Regeneration (49) Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
Stantonbury Park Outline planning 2006-2009 completions - 0 A limited amount of small office provision as 1ha mixed use centre Provision of local facilities in a mixed Farm permission part of a local centre. providing local shops and use local centre. Including: Role: A small urban December 2006. 600 dwellings remaining 600 new dwellings will generate service housing extension 297 units and a approximately 400 jobs in retail, education Doctors surgery to the north of doctors surgery Currently under construction. and community sectors across the city Open space Milton Keynes, with detailed Completion expected Local play area enabling the permission 2016-2021 Financial contributions towards: creation of a Improvements to existing schools country park Improvements to facilities in surrounding estates and villages
The development will include a new country park within the Ouse Valley Linear Park
Northern EA Outline permission 2006-2009 completions - 60 Limited employment 400 new dwellings No new provision. Within Small community centre Role: A small July 2005. provision. Upto will generate the catchment area of Neighbourhood Play area housing extension 277 units with 400 dwellings remaining 3,000 sqm of C3/B1 approximately 275 Giffard Park local centre Sustainable Urban Drainage system partly on detailed live-work jobs in education, and good access to Contributions towards improvements brownfield land, permission Currently under construction. accommodation to retail and community Newport Pagnell at: north of the city Completion expected be provided in the sectors across the city Giffard Park Combined School close to Newport 2012-2016 NEA. Hanson Environmental Study Centre Pagnell Job numbers: 60-150 Haversham Village Hall Medical facilities in Newport Pagnell
CMK Identified as an 2006-2009 completions - 12,000 sqm per 6,000 dwellings Milton Keynes' primary Services to be provided as part of OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . Role: The key 'Area of Significant 1,000 (mainly at The Hub and annum estimated to provide retail centre, with an mixed use urban local centres in centre in Milton Change' in the Vizion developments) (Employment Land over 4,000 jobs in emphasis on supporting residential areas of CMK ('West End' Keynes, providing South East Plan. Study, 2007), education, retail and and enhancing the role of and Campbell Park) a range of c.6,000 dwellings remaining, providing over 600 community sectors CMK as a regional centre employment, Scale, distribution primarily focused on a jobs per annum. across the city. and European destination. Site for new school located within the leisure, and principles of Sustainable Residential SRQ entertainment and development Quarter (2,000) in the west Over 100,000 sqm of CMK will also remain the other key services established in the end of the city, and Campbell office floorspace focus of cultural and Focus for high-level services and for the sub-region, Local Plan. Park (2,300), as planned in the already permitted in commercial entertainment facilities serving the whole of Milton as well as an Development CMK development Campbell Park (jobs development in the city. Keynes and towns in the surrounding increased Framework in framework. potential 5,200) Opportunities to enhance sub-region. residential place for area. existing or develop new population To be developed at a high CMK will be the facilities will be explored University: Support for the Campbell Park density (up to 100dph) to focus of future office as they emerge. development of the existing
(50) development has support greater intensity of developments over university centre into a campus outline permission, use of CMK facilities and the 1,000 sqm in the university areas with detailed use of public transport short/medium term
47 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
permission and Development in Campbell On other identified Local leisure uses provided Station Square: multi-modal (rail/ areas under Park ongoing (completion sites in CMK, total as part of Campbell Park bus/ car/ taxi/ cycle/ walk) transport construction. 2021-2026) potential job supply development. interchange at the rail station is over 12,000 'West End' 'West End' due to commence Improved leisure facilities: include development has 2012 (completion 2020) planned improvement to the Leisure outline permission Plaza and Xscape
Remaining 'New Tattenhoe Park: 2006-2009 completions - Oakgrove: Up to 1,000 sqm office space Local retail opportunities Mixed use local centres to be Town' grid outline permission 1,100 (subject to planning consent). Job potential to be provided through provided at:: squares - 50 development of local Kingsmead South Roles: To support Oakgrove: Local c. 3,950 homes to be centres, providing Tattenhoe Park the day-to-day Plan allocation - completed covering 4 main Other day-to-day needs. Oakgrove needs of local application under estates Any other employment opportunities will be residents through consideration in schools, retail and community facilities. Tattenhoe Park: up to Each centre to provide for local need the provision of Developments due to be 2,000 sqm (outline) and include a mix of uses, including retail and Oxley Park: 14 or completed by 2016-2021 3,950 homes would generate over 2,500 jobs retail, community buildings and community 17 sites have across the city (ELS, 2007) Oakgrove: up to 4,850 potentially small scale office facilities alongside detailed Tattenhoe Park: 1,300. 30% sqm (subject to planning provision. Other specific facilities to residential permission adaptable 'flexible' housing consent) be provided include: development Kingsmead South: Oakgrove: 1,300, built to Kingsmead South: up to Tattenhoe Park (outline consent): 2 of 4 phases have high standards of sustainable 480 sqm (outline) Primary School (recently opened) detailed construction Hotel and pub permission Oxley Park: local centre Oxley Park: 750. Mix of already completed and Oakgrove (subject to planning house types and styles, occupied consent): including the exemplar eco Cafe/restaurant/pub dwellings. Nursery Community centre Kingsmead South: 450
Other: 150, small sites within newer city estates including Grange Farm and Monkston Park (51) Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
Bletchley Mixture of 2006-2009 completions - 750 No new employment allocations. Maintain One of four district centres Opportunities for new service Role: One of four planning and protect existing employment sites from within MK providing provision to be developed as part of district centres applications and c. 1,000 homes committed as redevelopment for non-employment uses weekly shopping needs. regeneration of the town centre. providing for outstanding Local part of redevelopment where they are still suitable. weekly needs of Plan allocations opportunities within the Improved range of retail Central Bletchley Development residents, and town. Development 1,000 new homes would generate and leisure opportunities Framework identifies 21 key projects supporting the role expected to be completed approximately 650 ancillary jobs. will be supported as part for the town centre with priorities for: of CMK 2011-2021 of the regeneration of the A wider range of town centre uses New jobs to also be generated through the town centre to increase More shops Key sites: ongoing development of the stadium and the range of uses and level More housing Bletchley Leisure Centre - 300 surrounding uses and through regeneration of activity in the centre. More places to eat, drink and relax delivered through the Central Bletchley More job opportunities Reckitt and Coleman - 210 Development Framework Focus on maintaining a (remainder) primary shopping area Key projects already serving the weekly needs under-construction at Bletchley Park Bletchley Park - 130 of local residents and leisure centre site. Improvements (remainder) to street scene already undertaken.
Future provision focused on Key transport interchange on the supporting town centre access to both the West Coast Main regeneration and making the Line and East-West rail and bus most of brownfield routes. Bletchley is a key part in the opportunities Core Bus network as a major trip generator.
A major centre for further education
with 1 of 2 campuses for MK College. OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 .
Wolverton Mixture of 2006-2009 completions - No new employment allocations. Maintain One of four district centres Opportunities for new service Role: One of four planning 350 and protect existing employment sites from in MK providing weekly provision to be developed as part of district centres applications and redevelopment to non-employment uses shopping needs. regeneration of the town centre. providing for an outstanding c. 850 homes committed where they are still suitable. weekly needs of Local Plan primarily through the delivery 850 new homes would generate Support for retail and The Wolverton Regeneration Strategy residents and allocation of 450 of schemes identified in the approximately 575 ancillary jobs leisure developments as and Wolverton West End supporting the role homes Regeneration Framework for part of any mixed use Development Framework establish a of CMK the town. Development town centre schemes framework of future development expected to be completed delivered through the priorities in the town. 2016-2021 Wolverton Regeneration Strategy. Key projects include: New health centre
(52) New leisure centre, including provision of a 50m swimming pool. Improvements to Wolverton station.
49 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
50
Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
Key Sites: Focus on maintaining a Wolverton is a key part of the Core primary shopping area Bus network as a major trip generator. West End - 450 serving the weekly needs of local residents Wolverton Park - 300 (completion 2009/2010)
Future provision focused on bringing brownfield land back into active use and supporting the role of the town centre
Other urban areas Mixture of 2006-2009 completions - Currently more than 140 ha of vacant Protection of retail role of Service provision to be investigated Role: City estates permitted 1,900 employment land - 25% of total planned MK existing district, town and as part of ongoing work with will continue to applications and provision. Potential job capacity 23,400. local centres, including communities on the Neighbourhood provide day-to-day identified c. 1,400 additional dwellings Westcroft and Kingston as Regeneration Strategy. The three services for local regeneration through infill and Existing suitable employment sites will be key district centres in the pilot areas are the Lakes Estate, residents opportunities redevelopment opportunities protected from redevelopment to west and east of the city. Fishermead and Tinkers Bridge. in the urban area. non-employment uses. The need to review town Opportunities to meet identified need Additional housing could be 1,400 homes would generate approximately centre boundaries and will be investigated on a case by case provided through 1,000 jobs in education, retail and community primary shopping areas to basis as part of wider regeneration regeneration initiatives in the sectors across the city. be considered through the plans. city's most deprived estates. Development Opportunities to reallocate unused Management DPD Water supply provision to be address Future site allocations will be employment land to encourage the long term process. post 2019 sought in suitable locations provision of office floor space in suitable across the urban area based locations, as identified in the Employment Retail will be resisted in on: Land Study. This will be addressed through out of centre locations and Good public transport links the Site Allocations DPD on employment land to and access to shops, schools support the role of district, and other facilities town and local centres, Helping to regenerate older Focus on small scale The reallocation of and the provision of an areas of the city by improving office provision - employment sites effective public transport the mix and quality of CMK is the primary with an existing B8 system housing in the area short/medium term designation, which Giving more life to town focus of office are identified as being (53) centres development suitable for long term office provision, will be reallocated to support the move Status Housing capacity Employment: Employment: Retail and Leisure Services and facilities: Office Other Specific requirements
towards a knowledge based economy
Rural Settlements Rural settlements 2006-2009 completions - 600 Focus on protecting the roles of the key Protection of the retail Focus on supporting the role of the Role: Development are separate from settlements and supporting opportunities for roles of town centres. key settlements where access via in the rural area to the MK Growth c.1,800 additional homes to rural diversification Opportunities for retail public transport is the greatest. support local Area defined in the be provided based on Sites to be protected or allocated as development to be services and the SEP and have their continuing rate of delivery(37) appropriate through the Site Allocations DPD encouraged where they Specific improvements through continued own housing in the rural area. enhance the daily Nampak development, Woburn provision of viable allocation. shopping needs of local Sands: rural public c. 600 homes with Focus on Newport Pagnell, residents. Public open space and play facilities transport services, full or outline Olney and Woburn Sands as Enhanced community facility on particularly to CMK permission or with the 3 most sustainable rural The need to review town Station Road an existing Local settlements with best public centre boundaries and Financial contributions to improve Plan allocation transport linkages and largest primary shopping areas to Asplands Medical Centre and range of facilities, and be considered through the education facilities Sherington, as a new selected Development village, where a new Management DPD proces. Specific local requirements will be greenfield site(s) will be investigated through the production allocated. Hanslope and Bow Retail will be resisted in of the Site Allocations DPD Brickhill will retain Selected out of centre locations to Village status from the Local support the role of town Plan (2005) where existing centres, and the provision Local Plan allocations will of an effective public provide new housing. transport system
New housing sites for OverallDevelopmentStrategy 3 . approximately 1,000 new homes will be identified in these areas in the Site Allocations DPD to supplement existing identified supply of c.600 homes.
Opportunities for sensitive infill development and conversions in other sustainable villages. (54)
37 Average rate of housing delivery in the rural area has been 120 dwellings per year over the last 10 years
51 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version 4 . Strategic Sites Milton Keynes Council 4 Strategic Sites
4.1 The overall strategy sets out how the growth of Milton Keynes will occur up to 2026. This section looks more closely at the different areas, providing a greater level of detail as to what change is to happen, why it is happening and the mechanisms in place to ensure that it happens.
Strategic Sites Core Strategy: Submission Version 4.2 As explained in the preceding chapter, two new large scale, mixed use, cross-boundary developments called Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) will provide for a significant proportion of the future growth of Milton Keynes (38). This part of the Core Strategy allocates the South East SDA as a strategic site allocation and sets out principles for its development and delivery including joint working with Central Bedfordshire Council. This chapter also sets out Milton Keynes Council's aspirations for the South West SDA which lies wholly within Aylesbury Vale District Council but which will function as a sustainable urban extension to Milton Keynes, with direct impacts on Milton Keynes Council.
Delivering a sustainable community
4.3 A study by GVA Grimley (39) has made some strategic assumptions about key land uses for the SDAs. Whilst these need to be examined and confirmed through further technical work, they provide a useful indication of the broad land uses that the SDAs will need to include. The land use budget assumptions for each SDA are set out in the following sections.
Joint working arrangements
4.4 Given the location of the two SDAs in relation to Aylesbury Vale District and Central Bedfordshire, a co-ordinated approach to LDF preparation is needed even though the extent and exact nature of policy making and joint working arrangements will differ between the two areas. Across the Milton Keynes growth area, joint working structures are in place with regular Cross Boundary Officer and Member Groups meeting to discuss common issues. Representatives on these groups are drawn from the five local authorities (Aylesbury Vale District Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Central Bedfordshire Council (formerly Mid Bedfordshire District Council), Bedfordshire County Council and Milton Keynes Council), prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 2009, as well as from Milton Keynes Partnership and Aylesbury Vale Advantage.
4.5 For the South East SDA, notwithstanding the impact of the Proposed Changes to the South East Plan on this area, Central Bedfordshire Council has committed, in principle, to joint working with Milton Keynes Council and Milton Keynes Partnership, and has set out its intentions for the site in the submission version of its Core Strategy, the content of which is echoed in the following policy and text for this site. Milton Keynes Council supports with Central Bedfordshire's Core Strategy where it states that the part of the SE SDA within Central Bedfordshire is capable of providing at least 2,000 dwellings. All of the parties are currently committed to a jointly prepared Development Framework Local Development Document (LDD) to comprehensively plan the whole SDA.
4.6 For the South West SDA, Aylesbury Vale District Council are the plan making authority and Milton Keynes Council will work with them to ensure the integration of this sustainable urban extension into the existing city. The two local authorities are working together to identify the impacts of the development on both the surrounding 52 rural area of Aylesbury Vale and the urban area of Milton Keynes. Aylesbury Vale District Council have allocated a site for 5,390 homes in the South West SDA in the submission version of their Core Strategy (referred to as North-East Aylesbury Vale). They intend to prepare a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to bring the site forward.
38 Details of the need for the allocations and the process for identifying them can be found in the Spatial Strategy Topic Paper. 39 Add details and link to the GVA Grimley Study
(55) 4 . Strategic Sites
South East Strategic Development Area
4.7 The extent of the South East SDA in Milton Keynes Borough is outlined on the Local Plan Proposals Map as revised by this Core Strategy LINK to P MAP . It is located to the south and east of the Milton Keynes urban area. The administrative boundary between Milton Keynes Borough and Central Bedfordshire Council runs roughly north-south through the site. The allocated SDA includes the existing settlements of Wavendon and the northern parts of Woburn Sands as well as the hamlets of Cross End and Lower End. These existing settlements have been
included within the allocation so that a comprehensive approach can be taken to the masterplanning of the SDA, Core Strategy: Submission Version which takes account of the need to protect their setting and distinctiveness and to integrate long term defensible boundaries and landscape buffers into the development.
4.8 The SDA also includes the three Strategic Reserve Areas of Eagle Farm, Glebe Farm and Church Farm which are identified in the Adopted Milton Keynes Local Plan as sites for future growth. The strategic reserve sites fall within the existing Milton Keynes Tariff (40) and there is a requirement for a policy framework for these areas to be in place by 2011 in order to avoid a planning application being refused on grounds of prematurity, otherwise the landowners of the Strategic Reserves could withdraw from the agreement that supports the Tariff. This requirement Milton Keynes Council and the need to provide greater clarity as to how and when the SDA will be delivered underlie the inclusion of this policy in the Core Strategy.
4.9 A fourth strategic reserve area lies to the north of the SE SDA and the A421 and includes a transport reservation for the Bedford and Milton Keynes canal (Adopted Milton Keynes Local Plan, Policy T13). This area, called Land East of Fen Farm, has not been included in the SE SDA allocation at this time and is retained as a strategic reserve. Given the current uncertainty of the need for further growth east of the M1 motorway (see opening statement) and the potential need for an associated road link over the M1 and/or a new motorway junction, it is considered that this site's planning status as a strategic reserve remains appropriate and should be retained at this time.
4.10 The GVA Grimley SDA Study showed that the SE SDA including the part of the area within Central Bedfordshire is capable of providing 10,400 homes. Milton Keynes Council considers that, taking account of the contribution that the three Strategic Reserve Areas can make, the Milton Keynes part of the area can provide about 7,000 homes.
4.11 The following policy sets out in more detail the development principles and the site components that will be delivered in the South East SDA. The policy has been prepared in consultation with Mid Bedfordshire District Council (now Central Bedfordshire Council) and Milton Keynes Partnership and it is intended that its principles will be carried forward into future planning polices for the SDA.
53
40 The Milton Keynes Tariff and Framework agreement are described in chapter 12
(56) 4 . Strategic Sites Milton Keynes Council
Policy CS 4
South East Strategic Development Area
Provision will be made for a sustainable urban extension to the south east of Milton Keynes as shown on the Key Diagram and the Proposals Map. Development in the South East Strategic Development Area (SDA) will Core Strategy: Submission Version be permitted in accordance with other relevant policies in the LDF and the principles of development set out below. These principles will be defined in more detail through the preparation of a local development document comprising a comprehensive development framework for the whole SDA which will be produced jointly between Milton Keynes Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP) and with the involvement of stakeholders and the community. Development briefs and design codes will also be required for each phase or site, to be prepared by the developer and approved by the Councils and, for the part of the SDA within Milton Keynes, MKP.
In order to ensure that the SDA is brought forward in a strategic and comprehensive manner, planning permission will only be granted for development following the approval of the Development Framework LDD by the Councils and MKP.
The principles of the development are that it should:
1. create a sustainable, safe and high quality urban extension to Milton Keynes which is well integrated with and accessible from the existing urban fabric of the city of Milton Keynes. Its structure and layout should be based on the positive underlying principles of Milton Keynes, especially linear parks, grid roads and water management and should maintain the character and integrity of the existing settlements including Woburn Sands and Wavendon; 2. maximise opportunities for sustainable travel patterns, including reducing dependency on the use of the car by locating development in close proximity to public transport nodes and routes, particularly in the vicinity of the existing railway station at Woburn Sands to take advantage of the future development of the East-West rail link. The design and layout of the new development should link to the surrounding road and grid road network and should respect the proposed alignment of the Bedford and Milton Keynes canal; 3. apply the highest standards of sustainable construction in force at the time, creating a zero carbon and water efficient development. Due to the scale of the development a strategic level approach should be taken to the delivery of a community energy network; 4. provide residents with access to a high quality telecommunications and ICT network; 5. provide new social and commercial facilities and services and, where possible, improve facilities in the existing settlements to meet the day to day needs of new and existing residents; 6. extend the Eastern Expansion Area Linear Park to link the green infrastructure network in Bedfordshire with that in Milton Keynes and to provide multi functional green infrastructure that promotes quality of life for existing and future residents; 7. identify long term defensible boundaries for development, using and extending the existing linear park system to create strategic green infrastructure to provide a landscape buffer to maintain the identity of the existing villages and the edge of the built-up area; 54 8. provide a strategic and sustainable approach to water resource management, including SUDS and flood risk mitigation; 9. be delivered through an updated Tariff and Framework Agreement to provide contributions to on- and off-site strategic and local infrastructure required as a result of the development in an effective and timely way, including the improvement and extension of infrastructure in the existing settlements. The SDA will also be expected to contribute to the East-West rail link including new or improved rail stations.
(57) 4 . Strategic Sites
It is expected that the South East SDA in Milton Keynes Borough will provide the following,
approx 7,000 dwellings providing a range of dwelling sizes, types and tenure, including affordable housing at a level in line with up to to date standards; employment to contribute to the Borough-wide target of at least one new job per new dwelling; retail and commercial development to meet the weekly convenience shopping needs of the development and the existing settlements; a range of community facilities, including schools and education facilities, health, provision for the emergency services and the voluntary sector to meet the needs of the new and existing residents. As
far as possible these facilities should be located close to each other in accessible locations; Core Strategy: Submission Version sports and leisure facilities, including consideration of a new specialist sports facility; multifunctional green infrastructure providing a range of opportunities including strategic water resource management, formal and informal open space, playing fields, SUDS, structural landscaping and landscape and noise buffers; transport infrastructure providing good access to adjoining areas, including public transport, footpaths and cycle routes and a links to the existing road network including to the H10 grid road. New or upgraded transport infrastructure will include the dualling of the A421 between the Kingston roundabout and Milton Keynes Council the M1 junction 13; a new park and ride site linked to the M1 and the A421; contributions to the East-West rail link including a new or improved rail station at Woburn Sands.
Delivery
4.12 A Development Framework LDD for the South East SDA will be produced jointly with Central Bedfordshire Council and Milton Keynes Partnership based on the principles and infrastructure requirements set out in the above policy. It is anticipated that work on the Development Framework will be carried out concurrently with the next stages of the Core Strategy and that the Development Framework will be completed by the end of 2010. Development of the Milton Keynes part of the SDA is expected to start in 2016.
4.13 Preparation of the Development Framework will include extensive engagement with stakeholders and the local communities affected by the development. The Development Framework will be supported by a range of technical assessments including transport, landscape, biodiversity, quantum and distribution of land uses and infrastructure requirements and viability.
4.14 The development is expected to provide the following infrastructure and facilities. The levels of provision set out below are based on current adopted standards of provision. These standards may change over time and as a result of consultation with partners responsible for their delivery and should, therefore, be regarded as indicative. Infrastructure planning should also take account of facilities available in the existing settlements within and close to the SDA and should consider how these can be used and, where necessary, improved to meet the needs of the wider area. Joint working will also be required between the two local authorities and MKP to confirm the infrastructure requirements and to agree where and how services should be delivered cross-boundary. i. Residential: Up to 10,400 dwellings across the whole of the SDA; it is anticipated that the Milton Keynes part of the SDA is capable of accommodating approximately 7,300 dwellings, taking into account the three strategic reserve areas. 55 ii. Employment: the GVA Grimley study suggests that approximately 30ha of employment land should be identified within the SE SDA; this would be capable of delivering approximately 4,500 jobs. iii. Retail: the Retail Capacity Study provide a main shopping centre with a 3,500 sq metres supermarket (eg similar size to Waitrose in CMK at 2008). Given the scale of the development, smaller local centres providing corner shop type facilities should be located, ideally close to a primary school to encourage shared journeys.
(58) 4 . Strategic Sites Milton Keynes Council The need for and location of these local centres should be considered in the context of the retail facilities available in the existing settlements.
iv. Schools: provide 7 primary schools (14ha total land required) and 2 secondary schools required (21ha total land required), based on current adopted Education Facilities SPG. Recent work on pupil yield from recent developments within Milton Keynes is likely to result in a review of the standards in this SPG, increasing the number of schools required for the site. The delivery of schools in the SDA will require joint working with Core Strategy: Submission Version Central Bedfordshire Council as the Bedfordshire school system and age of transfer is different from that in Milton Keynes.
v. Sports / leisure facilities: the Milton Keynes Sports and Leisure Study suggests that having regard to the existing and projected population around the SDA and the availability of existing facilities, that an area of 5ha should be identified for an indoor sports facility such as a multi-purpose hall and swimming pool . A further 2ha should be reserved for indoor commercial leisure use.
vi. Specialist sports provision: the South East Plan Proposed Changes identify the Milton Keynes/Aylesbury Vale area as a potential location for a sporting facility of national, regional or sub-regional significance. Given the difficulty of accommodating such a use within an established urban area, the GVA Grimley study suggests that a greenfield site of up to 11ha should be reserved in the SDAs. The Council will work with neighbouring LPAs and Sport England to establish if there is a realistic prospect of such a facility being developed.
vii. Community/ health/ emergency services: Individual requirements will be discussed with the service providers in the context of existing provision in the surrounding areas and the need for new facilities to serve the development. Joint working between the two local authorities will address issues where standards of provision differ and joint working between service providers will be encouraged to facilitate the co-location of services and/or the expansion or improvement of facilities within the existing settlements.
viii. Multi functional green infrastructure: will provide a range of opportunities including playing fields, play areas; landscape buffers; informal recreation and strategic water resource management. The Council will work with Central Bedfordshire Council and partners including the Milton Keynes Parks Trust, the Greensand Trust, the Internal Drainage Board and the Environment Agency to plan for and deliver green infrastructure.
ix. Transport: the outputs from the current review of the Milton Keynes transport model will be used to assess the transport implications of the SDA proposals. Joint working with Central Bedfordshire Council will assess the cross-boundary effects and the Councils will work with other partners including the Highways Agency to assess the impact on the M1 motorway. Milton Keynes Council has resolved that the SDAs should have grid roads and good public transport. The South East SDA should link in to the existing grid road network and, to facilitate this, a link to the H10 will be required.
x. Sustainable construction: Community energy networks will be investigated in more detail through the masterplanning process of the Strategic Development Area. This will include having regard to practical issues, including site constraints and the phasing of development. A draft Joint Memorandum of Understanding (JMU) has been prepared by Milton Keynes Council in discussion with Central Bedfordshire Council. The purpose of the JMU is to agree in principle the approach to joint working that will be followed in the development of the SDA. It is hoped that upon the finalisation of local government reorganisation in Bedfordshire the JMU will be agreed by all parties as a way forward for joint working. The draft JMU envisages 56 the creation of a steering group with representatives from Milton Keynes Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Milton Keynes Partnership to guide the preparation of the development framework and the joint commissioning of technical studies where this is cost efficient.
4.15 Infrastructure needed to support the delivery of the SE SDA will be funded by a new or revised version of the Milton Keynes Tariff and Framework Agreement. This will provide contributions to the on and off-site strategic and local infrastructure requirements of the development including the improvement and extension of services
(59) 4 . Strategic Sites
and facilities in the existing settlements, to ensure that infrastructure is provided in an effective and timely way. As with the existing expansion areas, the Tariff will not provide for 100% of the funding requirements of infrastructure. Additional sources of funding will therefore need to be identified to meet the shortfall. The SDA will also be expected to contribute to the East-West rail link including new or improved rail stations. The amount, type and cost of infrastructure required and the viability of the contribution sought from developers will be identified through the preparation of the development framework. More information on the role and operation of the Tariff is in Chapter 14 .Delivering Infrastructure..
4.16 Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP) and its parent organisation, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will be involved in the preparation of the Development Framework LDD as the part of the SDA within Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Keynes falls within the Urban Development Area where MKP act as the Development Control authority. Additionally, MKP, together with Milton Keynes Council manage the existing Tariff and implementation of the Business and Delivery Plans for the current round of expansion. It is expected that MKP and the HCA will continue to have a role in a future Tariff to support the delivery of strategic and local infrastructure required by the SDAs. Furthermore, the HCA , which is actively involved in the future development of Milton Keynes, will play an important role in supporting development in this growth area. Through the utilisation of available funding streams and the provision of development expertise, the HCA will help to ensure key projects are delivered in an effective and timely manner. Milton Keynes Council
South West Strategic Development Area
South West Strategic Development Area
4.17 5,390 dwellings are proposed for the SW SDA in the Proposed Changes to the South East Plan. The SDA lies adjacent to the urban area of Milton Keynes but the majority of the site lies within Aylesbury Vale District. The main access into the site from the A421 lies within Milton Keynes Council’s area.
4.18 Although the substantive development lies outside Milton Keynes borough, it is clear from the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub Regional Strategy and the South East Plan that the SDA is intended to function as a sustainable urban extension to Milton Keynes. Joint working between Milton Keynes Council, Aylesbury Vale District Counci, Buckinghamshire County Council, Milton Keynes Partnership and Aylesbury Vale Advantage is taking place to bring the site forward.
4.19 Aylesbury Vale District Council has allocated a site for this development in their Core Strategy (referred to as ‘North East Aylesbury Vale). The allocated site lies south of the A421, north of the proposed East-West rail link and immediately to the west of the primarily residential area of Far Bletchley. A masterplan/development framework for the area, along with detailed technical assessments, is to be prepared by Aylesbury Vale District Council with input from Milton Keynes Council and other partners and the district council intends to adopt the masterplan as a Supplementary Planning Document.
4.20 Given its scale and location, the SDA will have considerable impacts on Milton Keynes and Milton Keynes Council wishes to be reassured that these impacts will be fully considered in the planning of this site. We expect the development to be well integrated with the rest of Milton Keynes, in terms of community cohesion, transport, and infrastructure. There will be a need to ensure that cross-boundary arrangements are put in place to deal with service provision and delivery, including planning obligations where relevant. Of particular concern is: 57 The need to ensure that the new development integrates with the rest of Milton Keynes in terms of community cohesion,
Impacts on traffic flows, including highway and junction capacity, along the A421, the Buckingham Roadand other roads in the southern half of Milton Keynes and Bletchley;
(60) 4 . Strategic Sites Milton Keynes Council
Impact on Bletchley town centre – whilst the development is likely to increase traffic flows in to Bletchley, it may also bring with it advantages of regeneration and additional trade for its shops and services
Core Strategy: Submission Version Usage of services and facilities in Milton Keynes eg Bletchley Leisure Centre, civic amenity sites, schools and higher educations facilities. Some services may require additional investment to increase their capacity to allow them to satisfy increased demands. This should be addressed in Section 106/ planning obligations.
The need for the development to contribute to the proposed East-West rail link including the provision of a new rail station as part of the site.
4.21 The following policy sets out what needs to be done within MK to absorb the impacts of the development, to provide supporting infrastructure and transport capacity and to support community cohesion. The delivery section sets out what Milton Keynes Council and its partners can do to support this development and the cross-boundary arrangements that are required or its success.
58
(61) 4 . Strategic Sites
South West Strategic Development Area
4.22 The SW SDA should: i. create a substantial new mixed use neighbourhood, well integrated with and accessible from the existing built up part of the city of Milton Keynes. Care will be needed to sensitively address the relationship of the SDA with the established residential area of Far Bletchley; ii. The structure and layout of the development should be based on the positive underlying principles of Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes, especially linear parks, grid roads and water management. It should provide innovative and contemporary architecture befitting of Milton Keynes as a modern, iconic forward thinking city, particularly on key frontages. As there is no common style of architecture in the surrounding area the SDA should generate its own distinct character. A primary gateway feature (be it through buildings or landscaping) should be created at the Bottledump Roundabout with a secondary one at the Tattenhoe Roundabout; iii. maximise opportunities for sustainable travel patterns, including reducing dependency on the use of Milton Keynes Council the car by locating development in close proximity to public transport nodes and routes and providing public transport links to Bletchley to support the contribution that the SDA can make to the regeneration of this area; iv. include a park and ride site serving the A421 and a rail station to support the delivery of East-West rail. Additionally, the design and layout of the new development should consider how the key elements of the existing grid road network can contribute to sustainable travel patterns; v. apply the highest standards of sustainable construction in force at the time, creating a zero carbon and water efficient development. Due to the scale of the development a strategic level approach should be taken to the delivery of a community energy network on the site; vi. extend the Loughton Brook linear park system into the SDA and maintain the Weasels Lane / Sustrans route as a green corridor to extend the green infrastructure network into the new development and provide a leisure and wildlife route into the city's existing green network and the surrounding countryside; vii. provide a strategic and sustainable approach to the management of urban drainage systems to control surface water flows; viii. provide a strategic employment area close to the A421 with good transport connections to Milton Keynes; ix. locate a 'central hub' of retail, community, health and leisure uses to serve residents of the SDA; x. provide sufficient community facilities and services to meet the needs of its residents. Joint working between the local authorities should identify opportunities and requirements for cross-boundary service delivery. Where residents of the SDA will need to use services provided in Milton Keynes it is expected that the additional costs to Milton Keynes Council will be reflected in planning obligations; 59 xi. be delivered through a Tariff and Framework Agreement to provide contributions to on- and off-site strategic and local infrastructure in Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale required as a result of the development, in an effective and timely way. The SDA will also be expected to contribute to the East-West rail link including new or improved rail stations.
(62) 5 . Development in the Urban Area Milton Keynes Council 5 Development in the Urban Area
Central Milton Keynes
What we already know
5.1 Central Milton Keynes (CMK) (41)is the main location for retail, office and leisure development with the largest Core Strategy: Submission Version concentration of jobs within the city. Among its many visitor attractions are its shops and entertainment facilities such as the MK Theatre and Xscape, providing business for its many restaurants, bars and hotels. It has a unique planned urban form and development block structure and a high quality public realm with parks and open spaces and a large number of public car parking spaces (over 20,000) mostly at surface level.
5.2 As CMK is the most sustainable location in Milton Keynes, with good public transport links and a range of facilities, it is identified for significant continued change up to 2026 in the emerging SEP. Although much of CMK has already been completed or is committed for development (42)there is still great potential to accommodate additional development either by developing undeveloped sites or through the redevelopment of existing sites where buildings have become obsolete (43).
Employment
5.3 The Milton Keynes Employment Land Study 2007(ELS) (44)acknowledged that Milton Keynes had a tremendous track record of development in terms of jobs and houses since its inception but
"The challenge presented by its future development is to transform itself from a new town to a regional centre and an international city. To achieve this a greater focus is required on Central Milton Keynes and its potential to drive the local economy together with securing stronger representation of higher value added sectors in the economy."
5.4 In line with its emphasis on developing the knowledge economy and technological sectors in general, the ELS recommended that CMK should be the focus for general office development and higher technology and higher value added developments should be promoted through the development of science and technology locations both inside and outside CMK. A target of around 12,000 sq metres per annum of new (B1a) office floorspace in CMK was proposed in the study. The main areas for new office development in CMK are Campbell Park, the Central Business District and around Milton Keynes Central railway station.
60 41 CMK is defined as the area between the West Coast railway line, the Grand Union Canal, Portway (H5) and Childs Way (H6) including Campbell Park. 42 The original plan for CMK has yet to be fully implemented meaning there are many unused sites which are identified for a particular type of development. 43 Details of completed housing and employment floor space completions and future supply can be found in the Housing and Employment Land Topic Papers 44 MK Employment Land Study - http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/planning%2Dpolicy/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=61552
(63) 5 . Development in the Urban Area
Retail and Leisure
5.5 CMK is a regional shopping centre and over the Core Strategy plan period will be the main focus of new comparison floorspace in the city (45). Elsewhere in CMK, new retail development will generally be part of mixed use development. To enhance CMK's standing as a centre for leisure and cultural activity, commercial leisure provision will be focused on CMK. If resources permit, cultural attractions such as the MK Theatre and Gallery will be improved and enhanced.
5.6 Although CMK is the focus for cultural and leisure development within the city, this does not prevent such facilities being developed within other district and town centres, where they can provide a unique and valuable city wide resource. Core Strategy: Submission Version
Housing
5.7 Central Milton Keynes is not just an employment and shopping centre; it has a growing residential population, which will expand further in future as new residential development comes forward (46). The main areas for new residential development in CMK are in Campbell Park and in a new Sustainable Residential Quarter (SRQ) (47)but new dwellings will be developed elsewhere within CMK as part of on going development of the area. Milton Keynes Council
Accessibility
5.8 The accessibility of CMK and its attractiveness as a business location is being enhanced by improvements to its transport infrastructure such as the upgrading of the West Coast mainline and new platforms and track at Milton Keynes Central railway station. A consequence of the high density development being implemented within CMK is that it generates more movement and activity. To maintain and improve the accessibility and attraction of CMK for businesses, visitors and quality of life for its expanding residential population, significant investment transport infrastructure and highway schemes for CMK are planned and CMK has been made the focus of the wider core public transport network across Milton Keynes (see Chapter 9 .A Well-Connected Milton Keynes.).
5.9 Current proposals to deliver transport infrastructure alongside growth in CMK are identified in the MKP Business Plan. The overall number of parking spaces within CMK will increase in future in line with the Council's parking standards. Over time, as new development takes place, the application of these standards will result in a decreasing ratio of public parking spaces to the amount of floorspace within CMK. Additionally, as existing surface level parking spaces are built over they will be replaced by new parking spaces mostly provided within multi-storey car parks. The overall aim is to increase pedestrian flows throughout the city centre with particular emphasis on pedestrian priority zones in the city centre and Station Square (MKC Walking Strategy Feb 2003).
Central Milton Keynes: The Vision for the City Core December 2008
5.10 The Vision for the City Core (as considered by the Council Cabinet in December 2008), sets out a vision and the Council's ambitions and aspirations for the core of CMK (48), principally as a shopping destination but also for leisure, cultural and city living attractions. It has been approved for discussion with partners and stakeholders in the city core area, as a tool to stimulate development in this area in line with saved Local Plan policies and the supporting SPD/SPGs (49).
45 The main area for new comparison shopping floor space development will be in the primary shopping area between 61 Silbury Boulevard, Avebury Boulevard, Saxon Gate and Marlborough Gate. This area includes the existing shopping centre building (the centre:mk), Midsummer Place and the Food Centre. 46 Details can be found in the Housing Topic Paper 47 The main area for new housing within the SRQ is the area bounded by Avebury Boulevard, Childs Way, Witan and Grafton Gate, block B4. 48 The City Core is defined as the area between Saxon Gate and Marlborough Gate, Portway (H5) and Childs Way (H6) 49 Central Milton Keynes : The Vision for the City Core. MKC Cabinet Report 16th December 2008
(64) 5 . Development in the Urban Area Milton Keynes Council
Policy CS 5
Central Milton Keynes
To develop Central Milton Keynes (CMK) as a regional centre over the plan period and the focus for retail, office, leisure and cultural facilities within the city together with new residential and other associated Core Strategy: Submission Version development.
The key objectives for Central Milton Keynes are to :-
Achieve a broader mix of uses, within a finer grain of development incorporating a high standard of design Promote a higher density of development Encourage walking and cycling within CMK and improve public transport access to, from and within CMK to support its role as the major trip generator in the Borough Reduce the influence of the car in the design and layout of the area Integrate different facilities and quarters within CMK
Delivery
5.11 To deliver these objectives, a range of SPD Documents have been prepared or are awaiting preparation Full details are available in the CMK Topic Paper. These support the continued development of the planned Milton Keynes as set out in the CMK Development Framework and related documentation.
5.12 Development in CMK will continue to be shaped by saved Local Plan policies for CMK (in the short term) and guidance and advice in associated SPD/SPG documents. These policies will be revised as necessary through the Development Management DPD.
5.13 To help facilitate the delivery of development with CMK and give guidance to developers, additional SPD documents relating to CMK are planned to be adopted over the next 3 years. Full details are in the Council's Local Development Scheme.
5.14 To make CMK, the main focus for office, retail and leisure development within the city, the support of MKP and other agencies will be required not only to market and bring developers and companies to CMK but also to facilitate and encourage development there. Specific delivery measures could include site assembly, ensuring provision of necessary services and infrastructure and marketing and briefing of sites.
5.15 The Council, through the promotion of its City Core Vision, is seeking to be proactive and bring key partners and stakeholders within CMK together to encourage them to bring forward retail, cultural and leisure development within the city core area.
5.16 The focus for retail comparison floorspace provision will continue to be the primary shopping area defined in Local Plan policy CC1. This will be reviewed when the Development Management DPD is produced. 62 5.17 The Council will work with partners to deliver improvements to the public transport system in CMK to mitigate the increase in activity associated with development both in CMK and in areas of growth across the city. The required infrastructure already set out in the Business Plan includes public transport priority measures and improvements to Station Square as a multi-modal interchange.
(65) 5 . Development in the Urban Area
Other Areas of Change
What we already know
5.18 As set out in Policy CS 3 . Milton Keynes Development Strategy . and in Table 3.3 .Overall Development Strategy., there are significant levels of development across the urban area. These are focused on:
The completion of existing city estates; Expansions areas; Bletchley; Core Strategy: Submission Version Wolverton; and Selective infill and redevelopment opportunities
5.19 Because most of these are previous commitments (Local Plan allocations and planning permissions),many of these areas have agreed Development Frameworks or Development Briefs to guide their development. These include the Development Frameworks for the Eastern and Western Expansion Areas, which will remain in place to guide development up until their completion. Other sites are within areas that are covered by the existing Regeneration Strategies for Central Bletchley and Wolverton, which are adopted as Supplementary Planning Milton Keynes Council Guidance, as part of the reinforcing their positions as district centres within the city.
5.20 The existing Regeneration Strategies for Central Bletchley and Wolverton will continue to be delivered throughout the plan period and will be reviewed as and when necessary. To provide additional certainty as to where development is likely to occur in these areas during the plan period, the allocation of the most suitable sites will be considered when producing the Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD).
5.21 The Joint Housing Delivery Team (JHDT) monitor housing delivery on the major sites across the urban area through monthly meetings of key stakeholders and through regular contact with landowners and developers. This important role will continue in the future to identify any blockages to or shortfalls in delivery, any actions that are needed to speed up or ensure delivery, as well as providing the planning process with an early warning of the potential need for revised planning policy.
Future development sites
5.22 There are other suitable sites, currently outside the planning process that could come forward for development over the next 15 years (50). These sites are predominantly brownfield redevelopment opportunities in older parts of the city. Relative to the number of sites already with permission or allocated for development, the sites identified would provide a small number of homes but still have the potential to make an additional contribution to housing completions during the period of the Core Strategy and could have potential to support the delivery of strategic objectives for the urban area, such as improving public transport and
5.23 The production of the Site Allocations DPD provides the appropriate forum to assess the relative planning merits of each of the sites identified in the SHLAA, and any sites which may be identified subsequently. Consideration will be given to the need to allocate sites for housing or other uses in the Site Allocations DPD, based on their merits in relation to the wider spatial objectives for Milton Keynes. 63
50 Insert reference to the SHLAA report or the housing topic paper?
(66) 5 . Development in the Urban Area Milton Keynes Council Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy
5.24 The Council adopted a Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy in December 2008 to complement the other Council growth and regeneration strategies (51). The Strategy focuses on closing the gap between the most and least successful neighbourhoods in Milton Keynes by improving the conditions and life chances of the most deprived. As explained in this Core Strategy vision, pockets of deprivation exist across the city, and it is these areas, each with their own individual problems, that the Strategy is focused on improving. Core Strategy: Submission Version 5.25 The Strategy is designed to support neighbourhoods in developing and delivering a series of actions plans which improve local prospects through sustainable and long lasting action. It is primarily focused on a community-led approach, meaning development in these areas will be driven by decisions made involving the input of local residents rather than imposed from above.
5.26 The Strategy provides the basis for partner and community engagement to address the issues in individual areas. Through the development of individual Neighbourhood Action Plans (NAPs) for whole estates or isolated areas of deprivation, communities will play a vital role in establishing the interventions needed to bring about change in their local area.
5.27 This could include the need for physical changes to neighbourhoods, in the form of additional or replacement housing or new community facilities, or 'softer' measures relating to services and support. Where physical change is identified as being necessary, the Planning Team will work with colleagues in Regeneration to ensure future planning documents reflect and support the aspirations of local communities for their estates and that any change reflects the spatial principles set out in planning policy. This could be in the form of SPDs for large scale areas of change or Development Briefs for smaller areas of change. As Policy CS 6 .Other Areas of Change. explains, any homes brought forward in these areas will be in addition to those in table 3.1 and therefore could supply a contingency provision to the 34,160 homes required to meet the regional housing requirement.
5.28 Milton Keynes Partnership (MKP), part of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will be one of the key partners of the Council in delivering regeneration within existing neighbourhoods, Bletchley and Wolverton. MKP has inherited the remaining land assets of the former Development Corporation and Commission for the New towns and has a remit to support the delivery of key infrastructure for growth and to support regeneration. The MKP Business Plan, known as the 'Single Conversation (52) will identify how the Agency will be able to contribute skills and experience to help develop the local approach to regeneration and support the development of NAPs for neighbourhoods across Milton Keynes. They may also be able to identify relevant sources of funding in order to deliver any identified projects.
5.29 It will be important that the Council and MKP continue to work closely together to facilitate change through an effective partnership based on a shared understanding of the priorities and aspirations of local communities.
5.30 The Council is committed to the long term regeneration of Milton Keynes and aims to roll out the Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy over the Core Strategy plan period. Three pilot areas have been identified for NAPs in 2009 (53), with at least one further NAP to be added in each subsequent year, focusing on the most deprived estates at the outset.
5.31 Any change that occurs through the implementation of the Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy will be in addition to the required growth in the urban area. This is based on the Council position that change in the 64 urban area should be because it is needed, and not because it is required to meet housing targets.
51 These include the Community Cohesion, Community Development and Rural Strategies, as well as this Core Strategy and the existing Development Frameworks for Bletchley and Wolverton. 52 'Single Conversation' is the name given to the dynamic business process adopted by the HCA to their work with Local Authorities in helping deliver local objectives. This includes helping to deliver locally defined regeneration needs 53 The Lakes Estate, Tinkers Bridge and Fishermead are the three identified estates
(67) 5 . Development in the Urban Area
5.32 The focus on these areas of change does not preclude appropriate development in other parts of the urban area as opportunities arise due to the natural evolution of the city. Sensitive infill developments and redevelopment opportunities will continue to occur over the lifetime of the Core Strategy, which in previous years have contributed approximately 200 homes per year to total housing completion totals.
Policy CS 6
Other Areas of Change Core Strategy: Submission Version The Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy will provide the framework for additional change in the worst performing city estates. Where the need is identified through the production of Neighbourhood Actions Plans, the Council will actively support the physical change in these areas through the development of appropriate planning policy. Any housing delivered in these areas is not specifically required to deliver regional housing targets, but will contribute to overall completions.
At least 29,000 additional homes will be provided across the urban area through the Local Plan (2005) allocations and unimplemented planning permissions, including the completion of the expansion areas to Milton Keynes Council the east, west and north of the city, to complete the requirement for 34,160 homes in the urban area between 2006 and 2026.
The focus of any future housing allocations in the urban area will be on Bletchley and Wolverton as the key area of change in the urban area, and on supporting the primary spatial objectives for the city:
Encouraging sustainable patterns of travel Regenerating the least successful estates in the city Delivering the regeneration of older town centres Retaining and enhancing green infrastructure
Delivery
5.33 The Development Frameworks for CMK, Central Bletchley and Wolverton will remain in place to guide development in these areas and will be updated when necessary.
5.34 The existing monitoring arrangements for delivery on major sites across Milton Keynes, in the form of the Joint Housing Delivery Team (JHDT), will remain in place to ensure that allocations and planning consents are being delivered as expected over the Core Strategy plan period. If a significant shortfall in development is identified appropriate action will be taken to increase supply, which could be a review of the Core Strategy or other Development Plan Documents.
5.35 The Site Allocations DPD will consider whether there is a need to identify additional sites to support the delivery of the urban area housing requirement. Through the assessment of sites, priority will be given to those sites which would help support the objectives listed in Policy CS 6 .Other Areas of Change..
5.36 The preparation of Neighbourhood Action Plans for the deprived estates will be managed by Officers in the Council's Regeneration Department, with support from the Planning Department where necessary. Where 65 the NAPs identify the need for significant physical change within city estates, an assessment will be made of the most appropriate planning response. When necessary the LDS will be reviewed and policy to support co-ordinated and effective change adopted at the earliest opportunity.
(68) 5 . Development in the Urban Area Milton Keynes Council 5.37 The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) will play an important role in supporting development in the urban area through their 'Single Conversation' approach. Through the utilisation of their skills and expertise, and access to available funding streams, the HCA will help to facilitate the regeneration process and ensure key projects are delivered in an effective and timely manner.
5.38 Proposals for the development of sites not within the planning system will be assessed against the Development Management DPD policies in place at the time of the application. Core Strategy: Submission Version
66
(69) 6 . The Rural Area
6 The Rural Area
6.1 It is recognised that there is a need to protect the character of the rural part of the Borough; however it is unrealistic to make no provision for development in these areas as there is continued local need. The South East Plan requires past rates of development in the rural area to continue up to 2026. It is also recognised that the pressure for growth in the Borough should not mean that the rural area sees an inappropriate amount of new development or that any shortfall in housing numbers is offset by increasing development in rural settlements.
What we already know Core Strategy: Submission Version 6.2 562 new homes were completed in rural settlements in the period 2006-2009. There are currently approximately 5 years worth of suitable housing sites identified within the rural area, meaning that there is a shortfall in suitable sites for new housing development across the rural area and that suitable locations for over 1000 new dwellings need to be found through the LDF process, (see Strategic Housing Land Availability for more detail).
The Rural Strategy Milton Keynes Council 6.3 The development strategy for the rural area, outlined in Policy CS 3 . Milton Keynes Development Strategy . is based primarily on sustainability considerations (54), with development focused on the largest rural settlements of Newport Pagnell, Olney and Woburn Sands, where there are the largest range of facilities and best public transport links.
6.4 This approach allows a continued focus to be placed on these key settlements in terms of planning public transport provision, service provision and generally on the role they play in supporting their local communities and other nearby rural villages.
6.5 Outside the Key Settlements there are further policy constraints to control development. The villages of Hanslope and Bow Brickhill were classified as selected villages in the Local Plan (2005) on the basis that there was support from the local Parish Councils for limited amount of sensitive new residential development in these areas. These outstanding allocations will remain in place in the Core Strategy, but no further allocations will be sought in these villages.
6.6 Sherington Parish Council have expressed a desire for the village to be classed as a Selected Village on the basis that a limited amount of sensitive development around the village would support improvements to local facilities and the local drainage system.
6.7 This has been reflected in the settlement hierarchy in Policy CS 3 . Milton Keynes Development Strategy .. The hierarchy also identifies those other villages with a development boundary. These villages, whilst not being the focus for future housing allocations, could see change within the existing boundaries through sensitive infill development or redevelopment opportunities that may emerge.
6.8 Other villages without a development boundary are classed as being in the open countryside. These are the smallest and least sustainable settlements in the rural area and as such the Council policy is not to allow any additional development in these areas. 67
54 See Rural Strategy Topic Paper for more information
(70) 6 . The Rural Area Milton Keynes Council Additional housing capacity
6.9 There are a range of additional suitable sites available for development around the Key Settlements and the Selected Village of Sherington (55). However, this does not take into account the cumulative impact of development on each of these settlements, meaning this potential supply may be constrained by the ability of settlements to cope with development of all of these sites.
Core Strategy: Submission Version 6.10 Further, more detailed work will be undertaken prior to the production of the Site Allocations DPD to ensure that a clear picture of capacity constraints is known, to avoid the inappropriate allocation of new housing sites. The Site Allocations DPD provides the appropriate opportunity to ensure the existing 5 year housing supply is supplemented by additional suitable sites to ensure a continued supply of available housing land. The Site Allocations DPD will also provide an opportunity to identify sites for additional facilities that are needed in the key rural settlements.
6.11 It is recognised that the strategy of basing rural housing provision on need means that the strategy will need to be kept under review as areas of need may change. Future revisions of the Core Strategy will consider the need to alter the strategy based on changes in areas of need and if monitoring shows that the existing strategy is failing to deliver sufficient housing to meet targets.
Policy CS 7
Strategy for the Rural Area
Between 2006 and 2026 an average of 120 homes per year will be provided in the rural area- 2,400 homes in total.
Development will be focused on the Key Settlements of Newport Pagnell, Olney and Woburn Sands as the most sustainable rural settlements.
Sites identified in the Local Plan (2005) for development in the Selected Villages of Hanslope and Bow Brickhill will remain as allocations in the Core Strategy. Based on local support, Sherington will also be the focus of a limited amount of development by way of allocation(s) as a Selected Village.
All other development in the rural area will be assessed against the relevant development control policies in place at the time of the application, with sympathetic infill development and conversions being allowed, where appropriate, in those rural settlements with development boundaries.
Support for rural employment opportunities will remain with farm diversification and the reuse of rural buildings for employment being encouraged.
Delivery
6.12 Appropriate additional sites for development will be allocated in the Site Allocations DPD. These will be focused on the key settlements and the selected village of Sherington in line with the strategy. Prior to the 68 production of the Site Allocations DPD, a detailed assessment of each settlement will be made to ensure that new development does not place an undue burden on local service provision and that, where required, the need for new facilities are identified alongside housing growth. The existing Local Plan allocations in Bow Brickhill and Hanslope will remain active.
55 See Housing topic Paper for details
(71) 6 . The Rural Area
6.13 Local stakeholders will play a key role in shaping plans for rural areas. The Council will actively seek to involve the local Parish and Town Councils in the production of future planning documents from the outset. This will include, where they exist, using locally prepared community led Village Plans to inform the plan making process, which will play an important role in identifying areas of housing and service need.
6.14 The Development Management DPD will set out policies against which development outside of housing allocations in the Key Settlements and Selected Villages will be assessed, including clarifying village development boundaries . These policies will seek to protect the character of the rural area and strictly control development which falls outside areas identified for change, allowing only sympathetic developments in appropriate locations. The Development Management DPD will also include policies on more detailed rural issues including exception Core Strategy: Submission Version sites, protection of rural facilities and conservation. Until the adoption of the Development Management DPD, the 2005 Local Plan policy S9 will remain in place identifying those villages with development boundaries.
6.15 Through annual monitoring of housing completions in the rural area, the strategy will be kept under review to ensure the average of 120 homes per year is being delivered. Where monitoring shows that the strategy is failing to deliver, the strategy will be reviewed as part of a wider review of the Core Strategy or a partial review if necessary. Milton Keynes Council 6.16 The Development Management DPD will develop policies that support the rural economy. Until adoption, existing Local Plan (2005) Policies E5 and E6 will continue to support the reuse of rural buildings for employment use and farm diversification schemes
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(72) 8 . Meeting Housing Need Milton Keynes Council 8 Meeting Housing Need
8.1 For many people, housing provision cannot adequately meet their housing needs. This can result in people living in housing that is inappropriate for their needs. The impact of this can range from minor inconvenience through to significant adverse impacts on quality of life and future life chances.
8.2 The Milton Keynes Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) provides detail on the types of housing Core Strategy: Submission Version required, for example for market housing the size and types of properties needed, and for affordable or special needs housing, the amount and tenure mix. Future planning documents will identify the amount and tenure of affordable housing and policies to support specialist housing, for example older people’s housing. The SHMA is a key part of the evidence base for meeting the housing need of the Borough. Housing need covers a range of different but equally important needs such as affordable housing, housing for older people, and housing for people with physical disabilities and sensory impairment for example as well as providing market housing that meets the requirements of local need.
Affordable Housing
8.3 The draft South East Plan sets a 30% target for Milton Keynes. The Adopted Local Plan (2005) saved Policy H4 currently requires 30% affordable housing. The 2008 Milton Keynes Strategic Housing Market Assessment(56) shows a need for between 33%(57) and 37%(58)affordable housing. The SHMA will continue to be updated on a regular basis and continue to provide a sound evidence base on which to base future policies. A partial update to the 2008 SHMA will be completed in 2009 with work on a full SHMA including a financial viability assessment commencing in 2010. The 2010 SHMA will then form part of the evidence for the Development Management DPD in setting percentages and thresholds for the amount, tenure, size and type of affordable housing in Milton Keynes.
Types and sizes of new homes
8.4 There is a need to ensure that the type (detached, semi-detached, flats/apartments, bungalows etc) and size (ranging from 1 bedroom to 5+ bedroom) provided meets the need of the market, particularly in response to changing social patterns. In terms of affordable housing the Council will require an appropriate mix of types and sizes of houses. The required type and size of housing for market housing will also be identified in order to encourage developers to provide an appropriate supply of housing having regard to the differing needs of all parts of the community.
Creating Flexible and Supportive Living Space
8.5 As well as meeting identified need, housing that has the ability to adapt to changing needs over time, to allow people to remain part of the local community and help build long term sustainable communities must be delivered. The provision of a wide range of accommodation can allow residents to meet their changing needs over their lifetimes, or allow different generations of family to live close to each other, encouraging the possibility of a stronger community.
8.6 Buildings can be designed to accommodate change more easily from the outset. Standards, such as Lifetime Homes promoted by the Joseph Rowntree Trust, set out specifications for residential properties that allow easy adaptation for dwellings to be suited to occupiers needs throughout their lifetime. Development at Tattenhoe 70 Park is testing the delivery of the concept of flexible homes, with features that allow them to be easily adapted, which if successful could be sought in future design codes and development frameworks.
56 http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/housing-strategy/home.asp?r=8986 57 Using the Department for Communities and Local Government Methodology 58 Using the McClements Methodology
(73) 8 . Meeting Housing Need
Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople
8.7 A partial review of the South East Plan will set out the requirements for Milton Keynes for the provision of sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople. The Site Allocations document will make sufficient provision to meet the requirements of the South East Plan.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
8.8 As housing has become more expensive and the rental investor market has grown, there has been a rise in the number of houses in multiple occupation (HiMO). HiMOs are dwellings shared by two or more households who share an element of facilities. These dwellings are a valuable source of providing financially viable Core Strategy: Submission Version accommodation to those on lower incomes. Given the cost of housing and the potential growth of the Milton Keynes University, it is likely that there will be a continued demand for HiMOs to meet housing needs. The Council will positively plan for this type of accommodation to deliver suitable design of properties and proper levels of management.
Policy CS 8 Milton Keynes Council
Meeting Housing Need
New residential development will be required to contribute towards meeting the needs of the community, as identified in an up-to-date Strategic Housing Market Assessment, by providing a range of housing types, sizes and tenures that help meet market, affordable, special needs and the needs of ethnic minority groups where it is practicable and viable to do so.
Developments should sufficiently flexible in terms of the design and construction of the individual buildings to be able to adapt to change over time to continue to meet local needs.
Sufficient sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople will be identified in the Site Allocations DPD to meet the need identified in the South East Plan up to 2016.
The Council will plan positively for the future provision of HiMOs as part of mixed communities, recognising the contribution that they make to the local housing market.
Delivery
8.9 Adopted Local Plan "saved" Policies H4 and H5 will continue to set the affordable housing provision at 30% until the adoption of the Development Management DPD, which will provide the appropriate opportunity to reassess this figure. Affordable housing in the Expansion Areas is provided under the Tariff agreement.
8.10 The existing Affordable Housing SPD will remain in place to expand upon the policies of the Core Strategy and Development Management DPD. The SPD will be up-dated where necessary to ensure affordable housing provision responds to changes in local need.
8.11 The Affordable Housing requirements in the South East SDA will be set in a revised tariff agreement. These 71 requirements will be based on the standards in place in Milton Keynes at the time.
8.12 Housing need in the South West SDA will be addressed by Aylesbury Vale District Council. This will be based on SEP requirements. Officers will work jointly with colleagues in AVDC to ensure affordable housing provided in the SDA contributes to the needs of Milton Keynes residents.
(74) 8 . Meeting Housing Need Milton Keynes Council 8.13 Production of policies in the Development Management DPD will be based be an up-to-date SHMA to ensure requirements are set in the context of local need at the time, and will set out:
The likely overall percentage of households that require market or affordable housing The likely profile of households types requiring market. The size and type of affordable housing required.
Core Strategy: Submission Version 8.14 The Development Management DPD will also contain detailed site criteria for the provision of Gypsies and Travellers Sites with the Site Allocations DPD allocating a site for Travelling Showpeople and, should a need be identified, Gypsies and Travellers.
8.15 The Council will produce Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Document in consultation with residents and those involved in the day to day management of HiMOs, to clearly set out how HiMO development will be managed to ensure it provides a positive contribution to the local housing market whilst adequately mitigating their impacts on local neighbourhoods.
8.16 The Development Management DPD will develop further detailed policy guidance relating "Lifetime Homes" or equivalent standards in order to achieve flexible and supportive living space.
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(75) 9 . A Well-Connected Milton Keynes
9 A Well-Connected Milton Keynes
9.1 More than any other city in England, Milton Keynes was designed around the car. The Core Strategy has an important role to play in striking a balance between the free use of the car and the need to secure higher levels of accessibility for all through a sustainable transport strategy. In this way the Core Strategy will integrate transport into the spatial strategy of the city, consequently increasing the choice of travel modes for all and enabling Milton Keynes to grow in a sustainable way.
9.2 People need to be able to travel easily and safely in their daily lives. It is essential, in order to reduce
dependence on the car, that sustainable accessibility considerations be integrated into all new development in Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes. Milton Keynes needs to be well connected, to facilitate the interaction of people and to prioritise public transport, walking and cycling.
9.3 Modelling of the Milton Keynes highway network is undertaken through the Milton Keynes Multi-Modal Model which has been accepted by the Department for Transport and the Highways Authority. The Milton Keynes Multi-Modal Model assesses the growth related highway impacts on the Milton Keynes highway network.
Background Milton Keynes Council
9.4 PPG13: Transport has objectives to reducing the need to travel and the number and length of journeys, especially by car. These objectives are also a priority in the South East Plan and the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy.
9.5 Sustainable movement and transport in Milton Keynes is a key priority in the Milton Keynes Sustainable Community Strategy and its related Local Area Agreement and Local Strategic Partnership Action Plans. Improving public transport is a Milton Keynes Council priority. The vision and strategy objectives of the 1999 Sustainable Integrated Transport Strategy (SITS) are to secure sustainable mobility. These SITS vision and strategy objectives were re-affirmed in the 2006 Local Transport Plan 2006/07 to 2010/11 (LTP2) and through the 2008 Transport Strategy Review.
9.6 The LTP2 has a clear vision to promote a safe, convenient, integrated, sustainable and well-maintained highway network by providing choices of modes of transport. In broad terms, LTP2 and the Transport Strategy Review address 5 key issues, which provide a clear direction in the formulation of Core Strategy transport and movement policy:
Making transport truly accessible; Making significant improvements in public transport in order to encourage modal shift, including greater emphasis on Transport Assessments, Transport Statements and Travel Plans; Network development, tackling the emerging congestion hotspots while maintaining support for the grid road network; Management of Central Milton Keynes Parking; and, Maintaining existing transport assets so the quality of the infrastructure does not deteriorate.
9.7 Associated with the Transport Strategy Review are the Milton Keynes Bus Strategy and the Central Milton Keynes Parking Strategy. The Milton Keynes Bus Strategy aims to increase transport choice by developing the bus network to improve bus services for existing users and to provide an alternative to the car. The CMK Parking 73 Strategy aims to maintain the economic vitality of Central Milton Keynes whilst recognising parking management as a tool to promote a shift to more sustainable transport modes.
(76) 9 . A Well-Connected Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Council 9.8 The Milton Keynes Cycling Strategy aims not only to increase cycle usage, but to allow people to move around conveniently and safely, to promote a healthier lifestyle, and to ensure that the economic prosperity of the area is enhanced. The Milton Keynes Walking Strategy supports walking as a low cost, healthy and sustainable mode of transport.
9.9 An extensive list of transport infrastructure is identified in LTP2, other Council documents and the MKP Business Plan. This transport infrastructure is required to achieve the objectives of LTP2 and in particular it’s Core Strategy: Submission Version sustainable transport objectives, and is contained in Chapter 14 .Delivering Infrastructure.. In order to secure and coordinate the delivery of the transport infrastructure the Council will work in partnership with other delivery bodies, authorities, developers and agencies. The partnership between the Council and MKP through the Milton Keynes Business Plan and the Joint Delivery Teams is particularly critical.
The Highway Network
9.10 Milton Keynes was designed for easy travel by car, with a high-speed grid road network and easy and convenient parking. Whilst this has been one of the strengths of Milton Keynes, it is now beginning to experience peak hour congestion at junctions and has low levels of bus usage in comparison with similar sized towns and cities.
9.11 The grid road network is a valuable Milton Keynes asset both operationally and aesthetically, providing a choice of route for most journeys, allowing a more flexible approach for traffic management and accommodating public transport routes. The legacy of the innovative original grid road network approach in Milton Keynes means the car remains the primary mode of transport in the city, resulting in possible impacts on air quality, the environment, community cohesion and sustainability. Any future changes or improvements to the highway network must not lose the vision of keeping Milton Keynes a ‘clean and green environment’, which values the grid road network for the whole of the city and its residents. Moreover, the grid road network has the potential to be upgraded to accommodate mass transit travel modes such as guided busses, tram and monorail services.
9.12 Network development includes the need to identify, plan, design and implement highway capacity improvements and maintenance. This will include liaison with adjacent local, regional and national highway authorities to develop policies and strategies for managing the road network in and around Milton Keynes, facilitate access to other city and regional networks and improved and better links to nearby airports. Through the MKSM Strategic Transport Board and other cross-boundary joint working with neighbouring authorities, linkages to Aylesbury, Bedford, Northampton, Luton and Dunstable and local links to accommodate future growth in Milton Keynes are being planned. The MKP Business Plan, as the Council’s Infrastructure Schedule, comprehensively lists these infrastructure requirements.
9.13 In order to maximise connectivity and choice, the city level grid road network that runs through Milton Keynes will extend into all new growth areas/SDAs. The nature of the grid will depend on specific site circumstances, will be influenced by the objective to make public transport, cycling and walking viable alternatives to the car and will be established as part of the production of each growth area/SDA Development Framework.
9.14 The concept of the connected grid road network at the city level will be replicated at neighbourhood level as part of the production of individual masterplans. In this way, people will be able to move around easily within a legible movement network, whatever transport mode they use.
74 Sustainable Transport
9.15 A key to the successful delivery of sustainable transport will be the implementation of an effective safe and convenient system of integrated public transport throughout the city as shown on the Key Diagram. It is recognised that the car will continue to be the primary mode of transport in the city, but this current car dependency cannot be perpetuated. Therefore to be sustainable, the location, scale, density, design and mix of land uses will need to change to discourage new growth being as reliant on the car. To support public transport improvements,
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new development should be provided in accessible areas that are well related to existing communities, well connected by public transport concentrated on Central Milton Keynes, Bletchley, Wolverton as the key generators of trips, and the East-West bus service, and supported by a Quality Bus Partnership.
9.16 It is also important to consider the consequential benefits of an effective and sustainable movement and transport network. It can improve the local economy by making Milton Keynes a more viable and attractive investment location. It can improve residents’ health, by encouraging more physical activity and movement. It can improve people’s quality of life by providing a level of accessibility that gives all residents equal opportunities to good quality services. Improved public transport can also be a driver to securing improved accessibility for residents in areas of deprivation and the regeneration of the older areas of the city. Core Strategy: Submission Version
9.17 The redway system, an innovative, safe and convenient approach to encourage walking and cycling, also supports the reduction in car use. However, routes are unclear and in the city centre there is a need to develop new routes, part of which began in 2008. The future of the redway system will be addressed by ensuring that redways are better located, better overlooked, more direct and therefore perceived to be safe and convenient to use.
9.18 Milton Keynes benefits from its important position in the rail network between London and the north. The Milton Keynes Council rail network provides a realistic, but not dominant, alternative to the car and facilitates inter-city access. Major improvements to Milton Keynes Central Station have recently been completed.
9.19 The Milton Keynes Council supports the strategic importance of the restoration of the East-West Rail services between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Bedford, and to and from Aylesbury. This will provide improved travel choices for existing communities and especially for the planned growth within the SDAs by the provision of new or upgraded stations. East West Rail has the potential to improve travel options into Central Milton Keynes and elsewhere through connections and station improvements at Bletchley.
9.20 Demand management measures will be managed and phased in their implementation to offer a choice of sustainable transport modes, to reduce levels of congestion at peak hours along key routes in Milton Keynes, to introduce bus priority measures, to maintain good accessibility and to provide for increased capacity, principally along the grid road network. Significant development proposals, which have the potential to generate considerable volumes of traffic, will require the submission of a Transport Assessment, or a Transport Statement or a Travel Plan. The introduction of Park and Ride facilities at various locations in Milton Keynes, to be identified in a Park and Ride Strategy, will support growth, increase the choice of travel modes and reduce the number of cars along major routes into CMK.
9.21 Other demand management measures will include revised car parking policies in CMK; utilising various methods to increase bus patronage; extension of the real time passenger information system; revising CMK car parking layouts and charges; encouraging reduced traffic flows accessing car parking areas at peak periods; improved car parking infrastructure; and the use of car clubs and car sharing
Accessibility
9.22 The ability of all people to take their place in society, the creation of mixed and balanced sustainable communities, the provision of a diverse economy and ease of access are a function of how conveniently transport and services are located. Improved public transport, sustainable travel and well located services can initiate the step change required to reduce deprivation, to improve quality of life and support the regeneration of parts of 75 the city. Core bus routes are being developed for the benefit of those areas with low car ownership. This will also help to reduce congestion if some car owners choose to use public transport for more trips in the future.
9.23 The siting of key employment, health, education and day-to-day facilities are promoted in accessible areas that are well served by safe and convenient public transport, that have access to Milton Keynes’ major transport routes and which are well related to existing communities. Higher densities in accessible locations will support a
(78) 9 . A Well-Connected Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Council better public transport system and increase the viability of key local facilities. Town centres, particularly Wolverton and Bletchley, are identified as the most appropriate, sustainable locations for town centre type uses, supporting the role of CMK, which will accommodate the majority of large new office development and service sector jobs.
9.24 In the rural parts of the Borough many residents are dependent on the urban areas for work and facilities. The relatively small size of some villages makes it difficult to provide access to all important transport facilities and services. The settlement hierarchy in Chapter 3 .Overall Development Strategy. and the assessment of the Core Strategy: Submission Version rural area in Chapter 6 .The Rural Area. focus on the settlements of Newport Pagnell, Olney and Woburn Sands and the
9.25 three selected villages of Bow Brickhill, Hanslope and Sherington, which through concentration rather than dispersal of services and development increase their economic vitality, enhance their range of economic and social facilities and improve their accessibility opportunities. in this regard, the sharing and co-location of services and facilities will also be critical in the rural areas.
The Environment
9.26 Transport is a major contributor to CO2 emissions in Milton Keynes and can be directly attributed to heavy car use. Long term targets to cut carbon emissions have been set by the Government and the Core Strategy has a key role to play in achieving such a reduction. In particular, when planning future development and its impact on the environment this relates to reducing the need to travel and improving accessibility to housing, jobs and other necessary infrastructure by public transport, walking and cycling.
9.27 LTP2 seeks to address the changing travel demands associated with growth, with an emphasis on choice and encouraging a shift away from using the car. LTP2 encourages planning policy to influence the location, scale, density, design and mix of land uses, helping to reduce the need to travel and therefore helping to manage the impact on the environment. There are also social and economic implications of this approach. By supporting
delivery of the LTP2, and subsequent LTPs, the Core Strategy can help contribute to reducing the damaging CO2 emissions associated with Milton Keynes’ reliance on the car.
Policy CS 9
A well connected Milton Keynes
Sustainable transport will be delivered by securing a step change in the provision of public transport, cycling and walking and by maintaining and extending the existing grid road network through:
Supporting the development of a core public transport network, focused on key trip generators and areas of public transport need, with CMK at its centre, and the provision of new public transport as soon as new developments are occupied. Promoting the siting of high density residential development, employment areas, health, education, emergency services and key day-to-day facilities in accessible areas focused on CMK, the east and west growth areas, district and town centres and key rural settlements which are well related to existing communities, well connected by public transport, cycling and walking routes and, where required, 76 support the regeneration of parts of the city and the viability of key urban and rural facilities. Implementing demand management measures that support the delivery of a sustainable transport network. Maximising the capacity of the highway network to accommodate public and private transport through phased improvements as housing and employment growth takes place.
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Delivery
9.28 The Milton Keynes Tariff, the emerging Transport Supplementary Planning Document, LTP2, and their respective planning obligation requirements, and other funding sources will collectively provide for the delivery of the necessary transport infrastructure in Milton Keynes.
9.29 The MKP Business Plan is the Council's Infrastructure Schedule and identifies the major transport infrastructure required to support the sustainable development of the city. Further detail on the MKP Business Plan can be found in Chapter 14 .Delivering Infrastructure..
9.30 Transport policies will inform the designation of sites for housing, jobs and other day-to-day facilities Core Strategy: Submission Version within the Allocations Development Plan Document and the development of Area Action Plans / Supplementary Planning Documents.
9.31 Guidance on appropriate demand management measures to be sought from new development will be provided by the Development Management DPD in line with the requirements of the Council's adopted transport strategies, including the adopted Bus Strategy and the CMK Parking Strategy. Milton Keynes Council 9.32 The Council will work with voluntary organisations and other service providers to facilitate the sharing and co-location of services, especially in the rural areas. The Rural Strategy and the settlement hierarchy policies of the Core Strategy will ensure effective and timely delivery, or protection, of the necessary required services.
9.33 Placechecks will identify residents accessibility requirements, supporting the development of Neighbourhood Action Plans in priority regeneration areas. The Council's transport strategies will help develop appropriate case-by-case planning responses for intervention in these areas.
9.34 Development Management DPD policies will provide detailed requirements on issues such as green travel plans, which will ensure effective implementation of the Core Strategy transport policies. (Is this not a duplicate of point 4 above?)
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(80) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities Milton Keynes Council 10 Building Sustainable Communities
10.1 Milton Keynes has been viewed as a leader in urban planning and design. As the city has evolved, so has a good reputation for innovation in low energy buildings and energy efficiency standards, helping to manage the climate change impacts of sustained growth. The creation of sustainable neighbourhoods has also been a key component of planning in Milton Keynes, with the layouts of neighbourhoods, access to them, and the relationship between uses becoming an increasingly important consideration in their design. The city also benefits due to the Core Strategy: Submission Version innovative approach taken to planning on issues such as open space provision and the management of water, which have helped to create a sustainable environment as well as contributing significantly to the character of the city.
10.2 However, the scale of growth in Milton Keynes will continue to lead to an increase in activity and carbon emissions from homes, places of work and transport, which needs to be managed. Growth will put more pressure on the existing urban area as well as presenting challenges for expanding the city.
10.3 In this chapter, the key strategic requirements needed to deliver a sustainable future for Milton Keynes, where climate change is mitigated, are outlined. Sustainability is however a key theme throughout the Core Strategy meaning elements of the policies below will also be covered in other sections, particularly 'a well connected Milton Keynes' and 'a healthy, safe and inclusive Milton Keynes' .
Successful Neighbourhoods
10.4 It is important that new neighbourhoods can be used effectively by the people that live and work in them at all times of the day. There are many negative influences on the way that places function. These can often be avoided by designing them out from the beginning. Key areas that influence how people use places include their perceived level of safety, access to open spaces and local facilities and the ability for a neighbourhood to respond effectively to the changes in lifestyle that occur over time.
10.5 Policy CS 10 . Developing Successful Neighbourhoods . puts in place the key criteria that new developments need to follow to ensure that residents and visitors to the city can make the most effective use of their surroundings.
Policy CS 10
Developing Successful Neighbourhoods
New developments in Milton Keynes will be required to support the development of sustainable lifestyles for all. To achieve this developments will be expected to:
Support extensions of the existing walking, cycling and key public transport networks of Milton Keynes through the appropriate location of key day to day facilities, including schools, shops, leisure and employment spaces. Create and support high quality open spaces in line with the Milton Keynes Open Space Strategy Avoid increasing the risk of flooding or exposure to poor air quality through the inappropriate location and design of development 78 Adhere to the highest standards of design with regards to safety and security Provide a flexible environment which can be responsive to changes in society over time. This will include a range of housing densities and designs which will allow a variety of living conditions to occur within communities.
(81) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities
Delivery
10.6 In areas of expansion, the preparation of development frameworks will ensure that the design requirements are taken into account (see Chapter 4 .Strategic Sites.).
10.7 The appraisal of individual sites for the Site Allocations DPD will include criteria that will assess their ability to support the development of sustainable communities, ensuring the most appropriate sites are allocated.
10.8 Site allocations will protect the existing network of functional greenspaces across the borough and, through planning obligations, land and funding will continue to be secured to develop new areas of high quality green space, including appropriate extension to the existing strategic water management network. Core Strategy: Submission Version
10.9 The Development Management DPD will reinforce the policy position by providing detailed policies on the protection and development of open space and the mitigation of flood risk, as well as setting out policies that support sustainable movement. The open spaces policies will be developed with input from stakeholders with an interest in the function of open space including colleagues in leisure, the IDB and local food groups, reflecting the need for spaces to be multi-functional and respond to the needs of local communities. Milton Keynes Council 10.10 The Development Management DPD and a Designing for Community Safety SPD will provide additional guidance on the safe design of buildings and places. These will Build on the principles in Safer Places and Secured by Design, including improving the natural surveillance of streets and spaces to stimulate activity throughout the day. Further policy relating to community safety is included in Chapter 12 .A Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Milton Keynes..
10.11 Other policies in the Core Strategy reinforce this strategy, with Chapters 9 .A Well-Connected Milton Keynes. and 13 .The Natural and Historic Environment. providing addition detail of the overall strategy.
Sustainable design
10.12 The quality and success of a place or neighbourhood is judged on a number of factors including ease of movement, appearance of buildings, the sense of identity and character, how buildings and spaces relate to each other, how safe it feels and whether you can access the shops and facilities you require. The main way that people experience places from day-to-day is from public streets and spaces. Therefore the contribution new development makes to the quality of the place is of fundamental importance.
10.13 It is difficult to establish an exact character for many areas of Milton Keynes. While there is a strong landscape theme running through the city, and areas of distinctive character, including Wolverton and Stony Stratford, a coherent architectural style is less apparent. This is in part because it is a new town and therefore lacks a dominant Victorian or Georgian component and it is in part because it hasn't grow in an organic way. It is also because the city in its early days was seen as a ‘test bed’ for architecture with many different architects working on different estates at different locations across the city to different briefs. The result was a great variety of architecture being created.
10.14 The grid roads with their large areas of associated planting isolate estates from each other with the result that building styles and appearances can vary between estates as they can rarely be seen next to each other and therefore any conflict between differing appearances is less apparent. 79 10.15 Individual design elements of some early estates have failed to stand the test of time. These include garage courts behind homes, which are now often underused and areas associated with anti-social behaviour. It is important that lessons are learnt from failings such as this and not repeated in the future development of the city.
(82) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities Milton Keynes Council 10.16 The scale of new development in Milton Keynes makes it very important to create character and a sense of place in each new area. The potential for large numbers off very traditional or pastiche housing types make it important for the expectations of Milton Keynes to be set out at an early stage and for a framework of design aspirations established to guide these aspirations, providing both coherence and choice across the city. Policy CS 11 . Ensuring High Quality, Well Designed Places . sets out the basic design principles that all development in Milton Keynes should follow. Core Strategy: Submission Version Policy CS 11
Ensuring High Quality, Well Designed Places
Character of Place
All development must be of high design quality that in terms of its layout, form and appearance contributes to the character of the area of Milton Keynes in which it is located.
All new development will be based on a thorough site appraisal and be sensitive to its context. This includes housing being of an appropriate density for the area of Milton Keynes in which it is located.
Where there is no clear character on the site or surrounding area, as may be common in Milton Keynes, the challenge will be to design new developments that generate their own character through utilisation of existing site features, layout of development, and appearance of buildings.
Design of Place
To ensure high design quality, all new developments should:
Comply with best practice urban design principles established in By Design, Manual for Streets and Safer Places, or future practice guidance documents Champion new approaches to sustainable urban form/structure, which build on the the concept of the grid, whereby all people live within walking distance of a viable bus route, and other shops and day to day facilities they require. Provide a choice of contemporary, innovative, exemplar architecture befitting of Milton Keynes as an ambitious, forward thinking innovative 21st century city. Require energy efficiency and solar performance to be integral to the layout and orientation of buildings and neighbourhoods, and support sustainable and strategic water drainage as part of multi-purpose open spaces that also support biodiversity improvements. Provide visual landmarks to help with orientation around the city, particularly from the grid road network. Provide a range of housing densities to contribute towards variety in visual appearance and support the functionally of neighbourhoods Effectively integrate the Council's parking standards into the the layout of new developments.
Delivery
80 The Development Management DPD will contain more specific guidance on urban design principles and housing density, based on the principles in best practice guidance documents. These principles will be reinforced in the Milton Keynes context by the Residential Design Guide SPD, which already exists as technical guidance and is to be developed as an SPD and become a material consideration in assessing applications for development. The Residential Design Guide will cover:
Layout : Urban Structure and Urban Grain
(83) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities
Density and Mix Scale: Height and Massing Architectural Detailing and Materials, and Landscaping Parking
10.17 The revised Sustainable Construction SPD will provide guidance on the solar performance of developments and a Designing for Community Safety SPD will provide details of measures required to create safe communities.
10.18 The Development Management DPD will also set out policies regarding the role and protection of existing Core Strategy: Submission Version Local and District Centres and the protection of other key community facilities.
10.19 The Council has a programme for production of Conservation Area Character Appraisals (CAs). CAs for those areas where change is expected will be prioritised to ensure that development respects the character of these areas.
10.20 The Council's in house Urban Design and Landscape team will give support and advice to Development Control to ensure that new development maximises its design potential and fulfils the requirements of local policy. Milton Keynes Council This will extend to the pre-application process to ensure design is a key element of all applications.
10.21 Officers will continue to engage with service providers to ensure that their requirements are adequately addressed as part of new developments.
Sustainable buildings
10.22 The Council has an objective of reducing the carbon footprint of it's residents (59) and achieving carbon neutral growth. Planning policy is one of the key tools in achieving these objectives due to the influence on how places function and how they develop.
10.23 The Code for Sustainable Homes is the national measure of the build quality of homes. Introduced in 2007, all new homes are now required to be assessed against the Code, although at this time there is no minimum standard that must be achieved (60).
10.24 National planning policy (61) provides the opportunity for Local Planning Authorities to set local construction standards for development above those set out nationally, where they can be justified. National policy also provides guidance on setting local targets for the level of energy to be sourced from renewable and low carbon technologies (62).
10.25 In the context of the level of growth in Milton Keynes and the need to continue delivering high standards of development across the Borough, as identified in the Sustainability Appraisal, the Council has set out local standards in the policy below. The deliverability and feasibility of these standards has been analysed independently in a study into local targets carried out in 2008 (63).
59 NI186- per Capita Carbon Dioxide Emissions in the Local Authority Area- were 7.6 tonnes per person. The Council's target is to reduce this figure by 12% per person in 2010/11 81 60 It will be mandatory for all homes to achieve Level 3 of the Code form 2010, with Code Level 6 becoming mandatory from 2016 61 Supplement to PPS1, paragraph 30 62 Supplement to PPS1, paragraph 26 63 Targets for Renewable Energy Generation and Energy Efficiency in the Developments in Milton Keynes, by Impetus Consulting, 2008 http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/planning-policy/documents/Impetus%5FRenewable% 5FEnergy%5F%5FEnergy%5FEfficiency%5FReport%2Epdf
(84) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities Milton Keynes Council 10.26 The Study also highlights the opportunities presented in the SDA for site-wide solutions to low carbon developments. The potential to create energy efficient layouts and to build on the economies of scale presented by the scale of growth are two of the reasons why, in growth in the SDA areas (Chapter 4 .Strategic Sites.) and other large sites, energy should be considered as a strategic issue. This has already been successfully delivered in CMK where a combined heat and power system supplies many housing and office developments in the city centre.
10.27 To achieve the Council aim of Carbon neutrality, the Council will continue to require payments in to the Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Carbon Offset fund. As well as ensuring new developments are achieving the highest possible standards, this process provides the basis by which measures can be taken to address emissions from older, less efficient developments in the existing urban area.
Policy CS 12
Sustainable Construction
Developments of over 5 dwellings or 1000 sqm of non-residential floorspace will be expected to achieve at least the following standards or any new standards set out in a future DPD, unless it can be clearly demonstrated that it is not technically or financially viable to do so.
Area Older Town City estates, Strategic Rural sites Existing centres including Growth (including CMK Areas conversion) A Code for Code level 4 Code Level 4 Code Level 4 Code Level 4 EcoHomes Sustainable Very Good Homes BREEAM Very good Excellent Excellent Very good Very good B Minimum carbon dioxide reduction through renewable energy and/or low carbon technologies 10% 20% 20% 10% 10%
To achieve the Council's objective of carbon neutrality, all developments over 5 dwellings or 1000 sqm will be expected to make a contribution into the Milton Keynes Carbon Offset Fund.
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(85) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities
Policy CS 13
Community Energy Networks and Large Scale Renewable Energy Schemes
Developments incorporating over 100 homes are encouraged to utilise community energy networks. Applications for development will be expected to to show how the use of community energy networks use has been explored.
The use of community energy networks are to be required in developments over 200 units, unless it can be Core Strategy: Submission Version proven that this is not feasible on technical or economic grounds.
Where an existing local energy network is established, developments will be expected to connect to the network, if feasible.
The delivery of standalone renewable energy schemes will be supported in areas where the social, economic and environmental impacts are acceptable. Milton Keynes Council
Delivery
10.28 Every application to which the policy applies will need to be accompanied by an early Code for Sustainable Homes design stage report or BREEAM Pre-assessment, setting out how the required performance level is intended to be achieved. The delivery of the required standard will be a planning condition on any approved application, with the Post Construction Review certificate required as evidence to discharge the condition.
10.29 Carbon Offset contributions will be secured through the use of s106 agreements at a rate of £200 per tonne of Carbon Dioxide emitted over 1 year. The contributions will be spent to offset carbon emissions in existing developments through measures such as improved insulation and contributions towards renewable energy.
10.30 The Development Management DPD and a revised Sustainable Construction SPD will provide additional guidance on how the policies will be successfully delivered. The SPD will provide practical advice and guidance on delivering the required standards, including the Council's position on detailed issues such as green roofs and the approach to renewable energy in conservation areas. It will also provide technical support and guidance on the Carbon Offset payment.. The Development Management DPD will also provide additional detail on the management of large scale renewable energy proposals.
10.31 Community energy networks will be investigated in more detail through the masterplanning process of the Strategic Development Areas. This will include having regard to practical issues, including site constraints and the phasing of development.
10.32 As the Code and BREEAM evolve over time, each review of the Core Strategy and the preparation of other DPDs, will consider any new updates and seek to make the appropriate alterations to the policy, having regard to the role of the Building Regulations process.
10.33 These revised standards for expansion areas will feed into the next review of the Tariff Agreement where standards are currently agreed at former old Local Plan levels. 83
10.34 The majority of growth in the strategic development areas is planned for delivery post 2016. In these areas it is likely that a review of the Core Strategy (or the introduction of the mandatory Code Level 6 requirement proposed for 2016) will require higher construction standards to be achieved. Where national requirements exceed
(86) 10 . Building Sustainable Communities Milton Keynes Council those set out in this Core Strategy, the national standards will take precedence. The production of Development Frameworks will investigate the most appropriate solutions to sourcing renewable or low carbon energy sources in these areas, including large scale, site-wide solutions and will have regard to the timing of development. Core Strategy: Submission Version
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(87) 11 . Delivering Economic Prosperity
11 Delivering Economic Prosperity
11.1 The Borough of Milton Keynes has one of the fastest growing economies in the South East region with more jobs than working age residents, resulting in net inward commuting into the city. From 1996 to 2006, the size of the Milton Keynes economy doubled in cash terms from £3.1 billion to £6.3 billion making it one of the top ten sub-regional economies in the region (64)
11.2 Milton Keynes is identified as a regional hub, a centre for economic activity in the SEP. The Regional Economic Strategy identifies a number of measures to enable Milton Keynes to develop to its full economic (65)
potential . Core Strategy: Submission Version
The Milton Keynes Economic Vision
11.3 At the local level the Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership (MKELP) brings together many of the key stakeholders within Milton Keynes and the wider sub-region. The economic vision for Milton Keynes agreed in May 2004 provides the framework for the activities of the Partnership and its constituent partners and states:- Milton Keynes Council "In 2034 Milton Keynes will be a major free standing City with a diverse, high value business base offering well paid employment opportunities to all those living within the city."
11.4 The economic vision is in the process of being refreshed and is expected to be finalised and endorsed by its members in 2009. It is a vehicle for delivering economic prosperity within the Milton Keynes sub-region. It will set out an agreed set of actions and projects between the partners together with an action plan covering the broad areas of business support and development, employment and skills, education and innovation, growth and regeneration etc. The architecture diagram for the economic vision (figure 3) illustrates the pillars and foundations to help achieve it.
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64 SEEDA: Milton Keynes Economy Review-January 2009 65 The Regional Economic Strategy 2006-2016. A Framework for Sustainable Prosperity. SEEDA p.37.
(88) 11 . Delivering Economic Prosperity Milton Keynes Council Figure 4 Milton Keynes Economic Vision: The Whole Architecture Core Strategy: Submission Version
Create a Learning City and Skilled Work Force working in Milton Keynes
11.5 Raising educational attainment and school standards and participation rates in further and higher education are key priorities for Milton Keynes. (66) The skills of the resident population as measured by qualifications NVQ 4 86 or higher (equivalent to a degree) are slighter lower in Milton Keynes (28.2%) than in the South East (30.8%). However, the proportion of people with no qualifications is relatively high in Milton Keynes (13.4%) compared to
66 Milton Keynes Sustainable Community Strategy, Our Handbook for Change 2004-2034 (Refreshed 2008) and MK Council Plan 2009-2011.
(89) 11 . Delivering Economic Prosperity
(9.6%) in the South East. (67) The majority of jobs to be created in future will be skilled jobs (involving a level of skill and training) rather than unskilled jobs. To create a learning city and skilled workforce the Council will seek to work in partnership with relevant agencies to improve both the supply and demand for skilled workers.
11.6 On the demand side, Invest Milton Keynes (IMK) part of the Milton Keynes Partnership seeks to attract and retain new and existing businesses in the city, positioning Milton Keynes as a premier investment location and target marketing and investor support towards high growth, high value and knowledge-based industries. In a highly competitive UK and international market, it has a vital role to play in raising the awareness of Milton Keynes as a business location and combating negative perceptions of the city by major external investors, which can influence inward investment into the city. The Council is also seeking to promote the development of the knowledge Core Strategy: Submission Version economy by reallocating some land allocated for industrial/distribution purposes towards office and high technology uses. (See Chapter Could not find 1239116807996)
11.7 To address the mismatch between the skills profile of the resident population and current demands for people in specific areas. The Council will seek to work with all partners involved in the learning and skills agenda to encourage them to target those in need of improving their skills and qualifications, particular those with no qualifications. Planning obligations and local labour agreements between the Council and developers may have a role to play in enabling Milton Keynes residents to access training and employment opportunities. (68) Milton Keynes Council
11.8 An important element of the Core Strategy Spatial Vision is the development of the University Centre Milton Keynes (UCMK) to a full campus University. The Government has challenged the Higher Education Funding Council to establish twenty new higher education facilities over the period 2008-2014. The Milton Keynes Higher Education Development Board consisting of key civic, educational and business interests is taking forward the establishment of the University of Milton Keynes of which UCMK is the first significant step. (69)
11.9 Milton Keynes Council will work with partners to develop an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) strategy that seeks to ensure that all major employment sites and population centres have access to high speed Internet services. To assist in delivering employment development a robust forward plan for employment growth, closely related to the housing delivery plan, will be required. This should be endorsed by the business community (via MKELP) and supported by good quality labour market information to enable effective monitoring and future inward investment planning.
The Milton Keynes Cultural Strategy 2006-2012
11.10 The Regional Economic Strategy recognises the importance of environmental and cultural improvements that promote the quality of life in the development of the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Growth Area. (70) The Council's Cultural Strategy adopted in November 2006 highlights the contribution of culture and cultural development to the growth and development of the city. The strategy’s vision is that by 2012, Milton Keynes will be recognised as a leading European city for creativity, excellence and participation in cultural activities.
67 SEEDA: Milton Keynes Economy Review-January 2009 87 68 The Milton Keynes Long Term Economic Vision, Review of Transformational Projects and Strategic Action p.74, suggests that further and higher education providers should focus on meeting business needs to ensure graduates are qualified in the subject areas and at the level sought by employers. 69 Details of the spatial requirements for adult learning centres in libraries up to 2012 are contained within the Learning and Development Accommodation Strategy and the Joint Community Infrastructure Development Plan of the Milton Keynes Partnership Business Plan. 70 The Regional Economic Strategy 2006-2016. A Framework for Sustainable Prosperity. SEEDA p.37.
(90) 11 . Delivering Economic Prosperity Milton Keynes Council
Policy CS 14
Delivering Economic Prosperity
The Council will seek to develop Milton Keynes as a Learning City and create a skilled workforce working within the Borough by working with partners:- Core Strategy: Submission Version To support the expansion of further and higher education and development of a University of Milton Keynes within the city. To support innovation and enterprise including the provision of training facilities that help to develop the skills and qualifications of the resident workforce and help sections of the community that are disadvantaged in the labour market. To support the development of knowledge related businesses within the city including the Science and Innovation Habitat (formerly the Technopole) adjacent to the Open University
Delivery
11.11 Support and monitor the implementation and delivery of rolling five year action plans in the refreshed Economic Vision
11.12 Support the development of further & higher education and training provision in the city by ensuring that the longer term spatial/strategic needs of education providers and training establishments are met
11.13 Work with partners to secure Government funding for a University of Milton Keynes
11.14 Support for Invest Milton Keynes (IMK) marketing strategies and its work to encourage inward investment and retention of business to promote the economic prosperity of the city
11.15 Develop a Borough wide Information and Communications Technology (ICT) strategy that seeks to address legacy issues, develop ICT use and ensure all major employment sites and population centres have access to high speed Internet services .
11.16 Develop a forward plan for employment growth, closely related to the housing delivery plan.
11.17 Review in the forthcoming Planning Obligations SPD how section 106 planning obligations can be used to develop the skills of the resident workforce and enable people to access training and employment opportunities.
Support for Small Businesses
11.18 The majority of businesses in the Borough are small businesses and small business units are defined as premises of up to 300 sq metres each. Key to encouraging small businesses is the provision of suitable and affordable accommodation and work spaces. Milton Keynes has lacked affordable accommodation for small and creative businesses because as a New Town accommodation was planned for larger occupiers as part of larger employment areas. Smaller and older centres (both inside and in the rural area) already play an important role in 88 providing small and affordable accommodation. 11.19 Regeneration and redevelopment proposals and changes of use may provide opportunities to increase the supply of small business premises within the Borough. Conversely, preventing the redevelopment and loss of small business units to other uses is another way the Council can protect them. Home working involving people working part or full time from home doing office work and communicating with their office via the Internet and other electronic devices is a trend which provides a number of sustainability benefits. Provision of live/work units in new development where appropriate can help to encourage working from home.
(91) 11 . Delivering Economic Prosperity
Policy CS 15
Supporting Small Businesses
Milton Keynes Council will continue to protect small business units across the Borough.
The Council will seek the provision of new small business units as part of : Core Strategy: Submission Version
Schemes to redevelop any employment land and any significant new development, within the city, the Strategic Development Areas or key settlements Encouraging developers to provide live/work units in new development.
Delivery
11.20 The Development Management DPD will contain a criteria based policy to prevent the change of use or Milton Keynes Council loss of small business units and encourage the provision of small business units where redevelopment or change of use is not wholly to meet the operational needs of the occupier.
11.21 The Council will encourage developers to provide live/work units within new housing for example, through the production of development frameworks for housing schemes. This will have regard to the design implications of this type of accommodation, including parking, to ensure they integrate effectively with their local area, which will be set out in the Development Management DPD.
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(92) 12 . A Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Council 12 A Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Milton Keynes
12.1 A major challenge for the future is not only to deliver necessary infrastructure and facilities alongside new development but also to ensure that services and facilities in existing areas are provided and protected. Access to health, education, shops, employment, public transport, libraries, open space, leisure and recreation facilities and emergency services is particularly important to people's quality of life and well being and changes for the worse can have a big impact on individuals and disadvantaged groups within society. Core Strategy: Submission Version 12.2 As a planned New Town considerations about easy access to facilities by residents are reflected in the city's design and the location of shops, schools etc. In the rural part of the Borough, many residents are dependent on Milton Keynes and surrounding major settlements for work and facilities. There has been a well documented decline and centralisation of service provision within rural areas over time, often driven by considerations of efficiency and cost effectiveness, which has led to the rationalisation of services such as Post Offices. This has meant people in the rural area often have to travel further to access services.
12.3 Spatial planning has an important role to play in designing sustainable communities which maximises people's opportunities to access the day to day services they need. Chapter 3 .Overall Development Strategy. describes the development strategy for the rural part of the Borough, being based on the principle of focusing development on the most sustainable rural settlements.
12.4 The Council has protected public open space, leisure & recreation and community facilities from development that would result in their loss. Additionally, in the rural area the Council has protected local shops, public houses and Post Offices by not permitting planning applications that result in the loss of these facilities, unless the Council is satisfied that every effort has been made to save them. Over the Core Strategy plan period, some buildings may become surplus to requirements or no longer be needed for their original purpose. Where such opportunities do arise the reuse of the building can provide an opportunity to improve people's access to services and facilities. Normally, the use to which the building will be put will be in the D1 Non-Residential Institutions (for example Health centres or day nurseries) and D2 Assembly and Leisure use classes.
12.5 Not everyone has access to a car so, as acknowledged in the Sustainable Community Strategy and associated Local Area Agreement (LAA), improving public transport has a role to play in enabling people to access the facilities and services they need. Co-location of services in sustainable locations can provide accessibility benefits to the public by allowing linked trips, and the potential for reduced operating costs to service providers. Dual use of buildings will be actively encouraged by the Council especially in areas that are deficient in facilities and/or have limited scope for new buildings.
12.6 Organised directly by the school, or in partnership with private or voluntary sector providers, extended schools will offer a range of services to meet the needs of children, families and the local community and help deliver the aims of the Governments Every Child Matters initiative (71). Additionally, provision and widespread availability of ICT services in both urban and rural areas can also assist in increasing the accessibility of services.
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71 Milton Keynes Extended Schools Report -June 2008 available at http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/extended-schools/displayarticle.asp?DocID=18906&ArchiveNumber= For further information on extended schools see: http://www.tda.gov.uk/remodelling/extendedschools.aspx
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Policy CS 16
Increasing access to local services and facilities
The Council will increase access to local services and facilities by:
Maintaining policies that seek to protect public open space, leisure, recreation, sport and community facilities, local centres and village shops, pubs and Post Offices Core Strategy: Submission Version Working with service providers (such as Schools, Parish and Town Council's, Libraries, Health, Fire, Police, Ambulance and the Voluntary Sector) on the dual use of buildings and co-location of services to safeguard and improve the provision of services throughout the Borough
Provided it does not conflict with any other policy, support the reuse of existing buildings, which are no longer needed for their present use. Milton Keynes Council
Delivery
12.7 The protection of local services and facilities and the reuse of buildings, which are no longer needed for their present use will be implemented through relevant Local Plan policies or successor policies in the Development Management DPD.
12.8 Dual use of buildings and facilities and co-location of facilities is being encouraged and implemented following discussions and negotiations between the Council, service providers, Schools and other agencies. Examples of co-location include Wolverton Library and the Town Council Offices and health services in children’s centres. Stantonbury Leisure Centre is an example of the dual use of sports facilities.
12.9 The delivery of programmes to improve health and reduce deprivation is being undertaken through the actions of members of the Local Strategic Partnership. Neighbourhood Action Plans (NAPs) based around improving physical, economic, human (including health) and social capital and working with the local community have started at Fishermead, Tinkers Bridge and the Lakes Estate. Further NAPs are planned to be extended to additional priority neighbourhoods over the next 5 years.
Health Inequalities
12.10 Despite the economic success and general affluence of Milton Keynes as a whole, the highest death rates and lowest life expectancy are to be found in those parts of Milton Keynes that are the most deprived, as classified by the Government’s Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
12.11 The LAA " Milton Keynes Story of Place” identified that:-
"There is an unacceptable gap in life chances between the most and least affluent in Milton Keynes and this gap must be reduced. Combined factors such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, bad health and 91 relatively high crime are driving local social exclusion.”
(94) 12 . A Healthy, Safe and Inclusive Milton Keynes Milton Keynes Council 12.12 The Council is committed to reducing inequalities and deprivation in the least successful areas of the city and has adopted a Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy as the basis for addressing change in these areas. Reducing health inequalities and deprivation requires co-ordinated and joined up actions by a wide variety of key stakeholders. This work covers not just health and social care provision, but all services that impact on the determinants of health, including improving access to health services and education (72).
12.13 Locality-based programmes of intervention are being undertaken to tackle the multiple problems Core Strategy: Submission Version experienced by those living on deprived estates. The Core Strategy seeks to addresses these key causes of deprivation throughout, with chapters including a 9 .A Well-Connected Milton Keynes., seeking to mitigate the key causes of deprivation.
Safer Communities
12.14 While it is important that opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour are designed out of new development, design measures (see Chapter 10 .Building Sustainable Communities.) on their own will not fully address community safety issues. Making Milton Keynes a safer place to live and visit is a responsibility that no single organisation can undertake on its own. The Milton Keynes Community Safety Partnership represents organisations working with the community to make Milton Keynes a safer place. The partnership is made up of five key partners (including the Council and Thames Valley Police) who provide strategic direction and a number of other organisations are represented on it. It aims to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour, drug & alcohol misuse and the fear of crime, which can blight people’s quality of life and participation within the community. (73)
Policy CS 17
Healthier and Safer Communities
The Council will work with other agencies on programmes to reduce deprivation and health inequalities within Milton Keynes
The Council will seek to create safe and sustainable environments by:
Designing out opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour in new development in accordance with best practice as contained within Safer Places and Secured by Design.
Working with partners in the Community Safety Partnership on initiatives to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.
Delivery
12.15 Designing out opportunities for crime and anti-social behaviour will be implemented by the requirements of Policy CS 10 . Developing Successful Neighbourhoods . and Policy CS 11 . Ensuring High Quality, Well Designed Places . regarding the design of new development. 92
72 The Childcare Act 2006 places a duty on the Council to work with partners to reduce health inequalities amongst children and families. 73 The Community Safety Partnership is currently working to its current plan, Community Safety Partnership 2008-2011 Plan. A new Community Safety Plan to be finalised in March 2009 will run from April 2009- April 2012.
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12.16 The Safer Neighbourhoods Project: 30 Neighbourhood Action Groups (NAGs) have been set up across Milton Keynes. These are voluntary groups including residents, the police, parish and local authority representatives and other organisations, such as businesses and schools. They provide a multi-agency approach to tackling crime in individual localities. Consultation within every neighbourhood helps to find out the three biggest concerns facing each area and another consultation then takes place each time the NAG needs to review its priorities.
12.17 Continue to implement key schemes including the development of an effective CCTV system, partly funded by Section 106 planning obligations from developers and focused on the city centre but capable of being extended elsewhere across the Borough. Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Council
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(96) 13 . The Natural and Historic Environment Milton Keynes Council 13 The Natural and Historic Environment
Heritage Protection
13.1 Heritage protection legislation, policy and systems extend statutory protection to historic buildings, conservation areas and monuments. Heritage protection is currently undergoing significant reform; the Council will have regard to any legislative changes to the delivery of heritage objectives and policies. Core Strategy: Submission Version 13.2 Milton Keynes has a rich resource of archaeological and historical sites, buildings and areas of special architectural or historic interest and a number of historic parks and gardens(74). They represent an irreplaceable record that contributes to the sense of local distinctiveness that is an important aspect of the character and appearance of the Borough. There is also the unique 20th century architecture in the New Town of Milton Keynes but there is an urgent need to identify and catalogue this resource in order to identify the best and most valuable examples. There is concern that the proposed levels of future growth will lead to greater pressure on these buildings that could ultimately lead to the fragmentation and loss of these recent historical assets.
Green Infrastructure
13.3 The existing framework of linear and district parks together with other public open space provide key features defining the character of the city’s landscape and creating important wildlife habitats and wildlife corridors to promote biodiversity. They also contribute to the overall quality of life for residents and by providing opportunities for formal and informal recreation, contribute to health and well-being.
13.4 An open space “hierarchy”, including lakes and dry ‘balancing’ areas for flood water management, was established by Milton Keynes Development Corporation and this remains as the principal guide in the provision of new open spaces as development proceeds. The Milton Keynes Open Space Strategy (2007) is an overarching strategy for the future delivery, management and direction of both the existing open space and new open spaces, and the means by which to achieve and sustain improvements and benefits for the Milton Keynes community.
13.5 The importance of green infrastructure (GI) has been endorsed in the MKSM SRS by including specific references to GI as part of an integrated approach to master planning, design and development. This has been reflected locally in the Milton Keynes Green Infrastructure Plan (2008) which sets out a vision and direction for green infrastructure within the Borough. The Plan also identifies opportunities for GI links into adjoining areas beyond the administrative boundaries of Milton Keynes and considers a number of broad themes around GI issues.
13.6 The city is well served by linear parks, mostly along the river valleys that run through and along the edge of the city. These are multi-functional areas that provide flood water storage, recreational facilities, ecological resources and attractive settings for development. The avoidance of coalescence between Milton Keynes and existing settlements is a key strategic aim of the Core Strategy. The Council will create extensions of the linear parks that would act as green buffers between settlements while allowing a greater variety of recreational and other uses to be accessible to local residents. In establishing these green buffers it is vital that their wider value is recognised and the findings of the Green Infrastructure Plan are considered.
Protect and enhance the Borough's rural landscape
13.7 The level of growth planned for the Milton Keynes area has implications for the rural landscape. Although 94 the spatial strategy directs growth to the south-east and south-west of the city, with further intensification within the urban area itself, the process of change is likely to have an impact on the character of the adjacent rural areas
74 There are currently no World Heritage Sites within the Borough, however the Council has proposed to English Heritage that Bletchley Park should be put forward for inscription as a World Heritage Site
(97) 13 . The Natural and Historic Environment
for a variety of reasons including increased urban densities; pressure for development in rural villages and an increasing demand from the urban population for countryside recreation and open space. The overall spatial strategy for the Borough sets out a settlement hierarchy as shown in Chapter 3 .Overall Development Strategy.
13.8 Whilst development in the open countryside is restricted, some development, most notably minerals working, has to take place where the resource arises. The difficulty is how to balance the need for such development whilst ensuring that proposals have regard to the character and quality of the surrounding landscape and, where possible, that local character is protected and quality enhanced. The Landscape Character Assessment will identify the distinctive characteristics of the landscapes across the Borough and the basis for their protection and enhancement plus development restoration and management guidelines for future policies in the Development Core Strategy: Submission Version Management DPD.
Protect and enhance the biodiversity and geological resource of the Borough
13.9 Protection will be afforded based on a hierarchy of designated sites (75) in line with national guidance (76) with:
National Sites Milton Keynes Council Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) National Nature Reserves (NNR) County Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) (77) Bucks Biological and Geological Notification Sites (BNS) (78) Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOA) Local Local Nature Reserves (LNR) Milton Keynes Wildlife corridors (MKWC)
13.10 With relatively few nationally designated sites, County and Local sites as well as BAP Priority Habitats become essential to maintaining the biodiversity resource of the Borough. Scope to enhance biodiversity exists not just within designated areas but across whole landscapes and the Council will seek overall gains for biodiversity and geology as part of new development to support the maintenance of networks of natural habitats. Measures to enhance biodiversity can help to mitigate the effects of climate change – elements such as green roofs and climbing plants provide cooling, insulation and microclimate moderation. New woodland, in additon to many other benefits, can also absorb air pollution and "lock up" carbon to prevent global warming. The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Biodiversity Partnership (BMKBP) has identified a number of ‘Biodiversity Opportunity Areas’. Six of these are wholly or partially in Milton Keynes and the aim is for the BMK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Priority Habitats within those areas to be targeted for protection, restoration and creation. The South East Biodiversity Strategy (2009) (79) identifies four of these areas as having regional importance.
95 75 The hierarchy for Milton Keynes currently includes no Internationally designated sites (Special Protection Areas, Special Area of Conservation, Ramsar Sites). 76 PPS9 Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (August 2005) 77 Formerly called Milton Keynes Wildlife Site 78 Formerly called Local Wildlife Sites in Milton Keynes. Currently being reviewed with sites either being upgraded to Local Wildlife Site or archived. No new BNS designations will be made. 79 http://strategy.sebiodiversity.org.uk/index.php
(98) 13 . The Natural and Historic Environment Milton Keynes Council
Policy CS 18
The Natural and Historic Environment
New developments will contribute to the achievement of a high quality natural and historic environment by protecting and enhancing the character, diversity and cultural significance of the Borough’s historic assets, Core Strategy: Submission Version including important elements of the 20th century New Town architecture. Developments must consider the character, appearance and setting of buildings, structures, areas, parks & gardens and landscapes of historic, architectural, cultural or archaeological interest.
Open space will be provided in line with the Council's standards. Green infrastructure will be protected and enhanced and the existing linear parks system will be extended throughout the city and beyond, providing multi-purpose green infrastructure that functions aesthetically, recreationally and safely; meets the needs of existing and future residents; achieves a net gain in biodiversity; and improves the management of flood risk.
Development will protect and enhance the condition and strength of character of the different landscapes of the Borough and respect their local and Borough-wide significance as identified in a Landscape Character Assessment.
The Council will protect and enhance the hierarchy of national, regional and local sites within the Borough as well as BAP Priority Habitats and species, with the highest level of protection given to nationally designated sites and statutorily protected species. Damage to the biodiversity and geological resource of the Borough will be avoided wherever possible. Where unavoidable it will be minimised through mitigation or compensation. Habitat enhancement and creation will help wildlife adapt to the impact of climate change. Opportunities will be sought for habitat protection, restoration and creation to meet the objectives of the UK and Bucks & Milton Keynes Biodiversity Action Plan.
Delivery
13.11 A comprehensive update of Conservation Area Character Appraisals and management plans is underway to ensure the Council is aware of the key features within conservation areas that need to be protected.
13.12 The Council will produce a document identifying buildings at risk within the Borough and set out an inspection regime. An assessment of 20th century New Town features will be undertaken to identify the most important elements.
13.13 Policy CS 11 . Ensuring High Quality, Well Designed Places . provides the context for improving the strategic approach to urban design, ensuring greater consideration is given to the character and appearance of new developments.
13.14 The Development Management DPD will develop additional detailed policies regarding heritage protection to guide the Development Control process. The Development Management DPD will also develop 96 policies on landscape and nature conservation and standards of open space provision, based on the findings of the Open Space Strategy, Green Infrastructure Plan, the Landscape Character Assessment, Bucks & Milton Keynes Biodiversity Action Plan and other related strategies. The management and delivery of projects contributing to BAP targets in the Opportunity Areas will be overseen by working groups co-ordinated by the Bucks and MK Biodiversity Partnership.
13.15 Key stakeholders, including Sport England and the Milton Keynes Green Infrastructure Group will be engaged in the process of developing policies on the standards of provision.
(99) 13 . The Natural and Historic Environment
13.16 The Green Infrastructure Plan identifies areas of opportunity to be taken into account in the SDA development frameworks, enabling the identification of suitable areas for green buffers around the city and adjacent settlements. Where possible, in line with Policy CS 18 .The Natural and Historic Environment. green buffers will be provided through the extension of the city’s existing linear parks, in order to prevent coalescence and at the same time meet a range of recreational, flood mitigation and aesthetic functions. The Council will work with adjacent local planning authorities and partners including Milton Keynes Parks Trust, Internal Drainage Board and the Environment Agency to plan for and deliver the green infrastructure
Waste and Minerals Core Strategy: Submission Version Waste
13.17 In February 2008, the Council adopted a Waste DPD (80), which sets out the approach to meeting the waste management requirements of the Borough up to 2026. The document incorporates the waste Core Strategy, Site Allocations and Development Management DPDs into one document. The strategy looks at managing the increased level of waste associated with growth, encouraging minimisation and reduction of waste production and increasing recycling. Milton Keynes Council Minerals
13.18 Minerals are a finite resource and can only be worked where they naturally occur. Sand, gravel and limestone for aggregates (used in the construction industry), found primarily to the north of the city in the Ouse Valley area, plus building stone and brick clay, found primarily to the south, are all present in Milton Keynes. The Ouse Valley contains some of the most attractive landscape in the Borough, therefore a balance must be made between meeting our mineral extraction requirements and conserving the natural environment.
13.19 The existing Minerals Local Plan was adopted in April 2006, and policies in that plan have been extended beyond April 2009 (81). The Minerals Local Plan sets out detailed land use policies and proposals for all mineral development, including safeguarding of deposits and rail depots, and requirements for restoration and aftercare. The Minerals Local Plan will be replaced by a Minerals Core Strategy and a Minerals Sites and Policies DPD. The timescales and management arrangements for preparing these minerals DPDs is included in the Local Development Scheme.
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80 http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/planning%2Dpolicy/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=61257 81 http://www.miltonkeynes.gov.uk/planning%2Dpolicy/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=61489
(100) 14 . Delivering Infrastructure Milton Keynes Council 14 Delivering Infrastructure
14.1 The aspirations for growth in Milton Keynes to 2026 and beyond will require that all development proposals are supported by the timely delivery of an appropriate range and location of supporting infrastructure and a management regime to maintain and protect that infrastructure. Infrastructure includes elements such as physical infrastructure (such as transport, energy, water and drainage, waste and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT)) green infrastructure (such as open space, linear parks, rivers and landscapes), and social and Core Strategy: Submission Version community infrastructure (such as affordable housing, education, children's services, health, libraries, emergency services, places of worship, culture and leisure).
14.2 The development of the city is inevitably a long term and complex process. The co-ordination and delivery of necessary infrastructure alongside (and often in advance) of new development is crucial, if a high standard and quality of development is to be achieved. Good communication, co-ordination, flexibility and partnership working between all key stakeholders both within Milton Keynes and beyond will be essential to successfully deliver the Core Strategy through their policies, actions and investments. Much work has been undertaken to build partnerships to ensure that this is achieved as effectively as possible.
The Milton Keynes Infrastructure Schedule
14.3 To provide for the infrastructure required to accommodate growth in Milton Keynes, a new approach to infrastructure delivery has been pioneered. The infrastructure outputs are based on the integration of the current objectives of the Sustainable Community Strategy, the Long Term Economic Vision, the Local Transport Plan, the Local Plan, Supplementary Planning Guidance, the Milton Keynes South-Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy and this Core Strategy.
14.4 By bringing together local agencies responsible for delivering infrastructure and services it has been possible to itemise and cost the infrastructure requirements to meet future population growth. The jointly agreed Milton Keynes Tariff, a fixed, standard and index linked contribution towards a range of strategic and local infrastructure, has been produced which applies to all housing and employment development in the areas planned to accommodate growth in Milton Keynes, covered by the UDA. MKP acts as the banker, forward funding infrastructure ahead of receiving Tariff payments from developers. The Tariff will not meet the full cost of the required infrastructure and government and other funding will have to be secured to meet the remaining outstanding costs.
14.5 The Tariff is due to be reviewed in 2010. Notwithstanding the future introduction of the Community Infrastructure Levy, due to its effectiveness, it is likely that the Tariff will remain unchanged.
14.6 The Tariff approach has been instrumental in bringing together and integrating various different organisations to agree priorities and to deliver against targets. To this end and following a holistic approach, MKP and the Council work with these organisations to produce and promote the joint programme of work outlined in the MKP Business Plan. The MKP Business Plan is a 5-year infrastructure forward plan that is reviewed and updated annually and will apply until 2026 and beyond.
14.7 The MKP Business Plan and its associated Delivery Plans is used as the Milton Keynes Infrastructure Schedule model for infrastructure delivery, which identifies the type, amount and cost of infrastructure required, the anticipated timing of its delivery, its funding sources and the institutions involved in its delivery. Infrastructure 98 requirements are related to predicted housing and employment land development and are updated annually.
14.8 Previous Chapters have identified relevant policies for the implementation of the Core Strategy and any growth area infrastructure required to deliver such policies. All the main elements of the growth area infrastructure required to deliver the Core Strategy are outlined in the MKP Business Plan.
(101) 14 . Delivering Infrastructure
Funding Infrastructure
14.9 The Milton Keynes Tariff is the main source to fund growth in Milton Keynes. In addition to the Milton Keynes Tariff, Milton Keynes Council has a variety of Supplementary Planning Documents setting out the requirements for planning obligations for the delivery of infrastructure outside of the urban development area. These cover different areas including social infrastructure and leisure and recreation facilities. Overall, contributions to infrastructure will be provided from sources such as delivery agency capital programmes; Section 106 Tariff contributions; other Section 106 Agreements; Government funding streams; other external sources; and direct works; controlled through the imposition of conditions on planning permissions or the use of legal agreements.
14.10 As an identified growth point for the UK, the Council will continue to lobby the Government for adequate Core Strategy: Submission Version ring-fenced resources to ensure the delivery of necessary infrastructure within the city. Other possible funding sources include the Planning Delivery Grant, the Regional Infrastructure Fund, Regional Funding Allocation, the Community Infrastructure Fund, Growth Area Fund and the Local Transport Plan Fund.
14.11 Prior to expansion occurring outside the Borough boundary and MKP’s Urban Development Area boundary, there will need to be close working with, and agreement on, the approach to infrastructure delivery with the adjoining authorities (Aylesbury Vale District Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Buckinghamshire County Milton Keynes Council Council). This agreement would apply to a common set of principles similar to the Milton Keynes Tariff and which would consequently be included into the MKP Business Plan.
Securing Infrastructure
14.12 Project delivery in relation to infrastructure delivery in the MKP Business Plan is owned and managed by Joint Delivery Teams (JDTs). Management of the programmes has been assigned to the Teams as follows:
Joint Housing Delivery Team (JHDT): housing, planning, development control, forecasts and statistics and affordable housing Joint Transport Delivery Team (JTDT): transport, Junction 14, CMK parking, the coachway, East West rail and station improvements, East West bus, growth areas and travel planning Joint Community Infrastructure Delivery Team (JCIDT): schools and education, higher and further education, healthcare, social care facilities, leisure and community facilities, libraries and lifelong learning, crematoria and burial grounds, cultural facilities, voluntary sector, emergency services, waste facilities (social elements) Joint Utilities Strategic Delivery Team (JUSDT): water supply and sewerage, energy, telecommunications, emergency services, gas and ICT Strategy Joint Environment Team (JET): carbon offset, landscape and open space, flooding and drainage, waste and recycling, environmental standards and green frame Joint Economic Growth Team (JEGT): long-term economic strategy, inward investment, employment sites and survey, innovation, sports and Olympics and Destination MK MKP Inward Investment Team: inward investment and employment.
14.13 The JDTs are key decision makers, providing project management functions such as:
Taking ownership of and driving forward project delivery timetables; Prioritising projects; Overseeing project briefs and businesses cases; 99 Coherent project organisation structure; Monitoring and controlling project progress; Developing a project risk register, tracking and managing risk as effectively as possible; Providing direction, management and accountability for project success; and Ensuring adequate resources are available and regularly reviewing and reporting back on progress.
(102) 14 . Delivering Infrastructure Milton Keynes Council 14.14 JDTs are made up of representatives from across a wide range of organisations and bodies. The membership of each has been developed to ensure they contain appropriate knowledge and expertise to steer projects in their particular area of responsibility. Meeting on a regular basis the JDTs facilitate the effective and timely delivery and implementation of the infrastructure needed to support growth.
14.15 The majority of projects currently listed in the Milton Keynes Business Partnership Plan are to be delivered by delivery agencies, such as Milton Keynes Council, MK General Hospital NHS Trust, Milton Keynes Primary Care Core Strategy: Submission Version Trust, and the voluntary and higher/further education sectors.
Policy CS 19
Delivering Infrastructure
All new development that generates a demand for infrastructure will only be permitted if the necessary on and off-site infrastructure required to support and mitigate the impact of that development is either already in place or there is reliable mechanism in place to ensure that it will be delivered the time and in the location where it is required.
Standard charges and/or standard formulae will be imposed for the payment of financial contributions for such infrastructure.
Where appropriate, rather than the payment of financial contributions, the actual provision of such infrastructure may be provided as part of the development proposals.
Delivery
14.16 A schedule will be prepared containing details of the major infrastructure required up to 2026 and the need for appropriate levels of physical, green, social and community infrastructure required in conjunction with new development.
14.17 An extension of the existing tariff agreement will be developed to ensure that the required funding to deliver infrastructure needed to support growth is delivered in an effective and timely manner.
14.18 As above, the preparation of an infrastructure Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) setting out the standards and costs of the provision of all infrastructure anticipated in conjunction with new development in Milton Keynes is to be prepared by through a review of all existing Planning Obligation SPDs. This will apply to all developments outside the existing UDA boundary and any area covered by a future
14.19 Partnership working by Milton Keynes Council and Milton Keynes Partnership, other key stakeholders, organisations and individuals by the creation of administrative, delivery management and other structures and the production of a Business Plan/s to facilitate the delivery of new development and infrastructure.
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(103) 15 . Monitoring and Review
15 Monitoring and Review
15.1 Monitoring, as part of the plan, monitor, manage approach, is an essential phase in the plan process. It measures the effectiveness of a strategy in meeting the vision and objectives. Not only can the progress towards to the intended policy effects be identified but also the potential unintended and unforeseen consequences. Table 15.1 .Core Strategy Critical Success Factors and Monitoring Indicators. below sets out what are the critical success factors for delivering the 16 objectives of the Core Strategy. These targets need to be delivered for the Core Strategy to be successful. Some of the success factors overlap multiple objectives as they are considered vital to many aspects of the strategy. The table also identifies key contextual and sustainability indicators related
to each objective and the related delivery policies. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be collected to Core Strategy: Submission Version evaluate the strategy, policies and objectives. If the desired effects are not being achieved then monitoring prompts corrective action to be taken or the strategy to be reviewed.
15.2 An Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) is required by the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004. The AMR contains information on various indicators reflecting national, regional and local policies, objectives and associated targets. It will identify where the objectives and targets are not being met and identify action to rectify the situation. The AMR also assists in the continual updating of data about the evolving Milton Keynes Council situation in Milton Keynes. This is key for the preparation of further Local Development Documents.
15.3 If the Core Strategy objectives are not being realised, there are a number of actions that could be taken. These could be:
a re-prioritising of documents in the LDS; creation of further LDDs; altering land supply; ensuring delivery of infrastructure to enable development; or in extreme circumstances, a review of the Core Strategy.
15.4 Milton Keynes Council are not the sole implementer of the Core Strategy and it's spatial vision. The strength of the Core Strategy lies in the additional benefits gained from the interrelationships with other plans, policies and programs created and delivered by various public, private and third sector partners. This is one of the main pillars of spatial planning. Action plans to assist meeting Core Strategy targets will be drawn up with these partners to ensure realisation of the vision.
15.5 Joint delivery teams are an essential component of delivery in Milton Keynes. Due to their wide range of members they are able to spot delivery problems at an early stage and take action to resolve them. Joint delivery teams are discussed in depth in Chapter 17. The impacts and effects of multiple plans and policies, often delivered by different partners, can make it challenging, to identify which particular policy or policies that should be altered to achieve the desired effect. There is also a need for understanding and patience as it can be some time before policies begin to have effects or those effects appear in monitoring data. For example it can take long time to turn round long standing deprivation.
15.6 There is also need for working with other partners outside the Local Authority boundaries to collect and share monitoring information. This is particularly important for Milton Keynes given the level of housing and jobs needed as set out in the SEP for the Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Vale Growth Area within the MKSM sub-region. Monitoring the delivery of this growth will enhance our already strong joint working relationship with Aylesbury 101 Vale DC and other surrounding authorities whose plans and policies will have significant effects on Milton Keynes. Monitoring will not just focus on the city and growth area but also the rural towns and villages. Indicators will developed to assess the impacts of the policies and objectives and to ensure sustainable development of these areas.
(104) 15 . Monitoring and Review Milton Keynes Council 15.7 As the Core Strategy is the spatial expression of Community Strategy, many of the monitoring indicators and targets will be taken from that and the Local Area Agreement (LAA). In order to ensure that growth and development in Milton Keynes Borough is sustainable, many of the indicators will be drawn from those identified in the Sustainability Appraisal. Other indicators will be informed from the 2005 Local Plan indicators to ensure a level of continuity and indicators required at national and regional levels to meet accordance with higher spatial level policies. However, it is anticipated that over the 20 year lifespan of the Core Strategy, indicators may change due to unavailable data, alterations to the LAA and changes in Government policy. It is also likely that further Core Strategy: Submission Version monitoring indicators will be measured to achieve a higher level detail on the the impacts of the plan. The monitoring framework has to be flexible to accommodate these changes.
15.8 Many of the monitoring indicators listed below were included and consulted upon in the Preferred Options and Preferred Options Sustainability Appraisal documents. However, some were not carried over and new indicators have been used instead. The reasons behind this are:
the availability of data has made indicators unmeasureable; consultation responses suggested different indicators; the refresh of the Community Strategy and LAA; Best Value Performance indicators were replaced by National Indicators; technical studies suggested possible targets and indicators; and the Core Output Indicators, reported in the AMR, were changed in 2008.
15.9 Monitoring the delivery of key infrastructure to support the growth of Milton Keynes, will be reported on the AMR. A traffic lights system will be used to identify if infrastructure projects are on track compared to housing and employment delivery.
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(105) Table 15.1 Core Strategy Critical Success Factors and Monitoring Indicators
Objective Critical Success Factors Indicators Key Delivery Policies All Objectives Local Area Agreement (LAA) target for overall Local satisfaction survey satisfaction with the local area
A Deliver 41,360 dwellings by 2026 within Milton Net additional dwellings split by area Keynes Borough Projected net additional dwellings Deliver 2,400 dwellings in the rural area by 2026 Housing trajectory Adoption of an SPD for the South East SDA by Population growth 2011 Adoption of the Site Allocations DPD by 2012
B Adoption of an SPD for the South East SDA by Net additional dwellings in Milton 2011 Keynes Growth Area
C Deliver a minimum of 41,360 net additional jobs Net additional full time equivalent (49,950 in Milton Keynes Growth Area) by 2026 jobs per annum Realise aspiration of 1.4 to 1.5 net additional jobs Completed employment floorspace per new dwelling by use class LAA target of VAT registered businesses showing Total employment land available for growth development Employment land job densities Loss of employment land to other uses Vacant employment space Overall employment rate Number of people claiming job MonitoringandReview 15 . seekers allowance VAT registration rate VAT registered businesses showing growth GVA per capita Gross earnings Impact of direct economic investment (106) D Complete 12,000m2 of office floorspace in CMK Office development completed in per annum CMK 103 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core 5.MonitoringandReview 15 . Objective Critical Success Factors Indicators Key Delivery Policies Completed 6,000 new dwellings in CMK by 2026 Net additional dwellings Majority of retail and leisure development to be Vacant office space within CMK located within CMK Gross additional retail and leisure Adoption of 3 additional design and layout SPDs floorspace within town centres for CMK by 2011
E No significant loss of services and facilities in rural Facilities and services audit of rural areas towns and villages All new residential developments to be within Households within 30 minutes of a walking distance of key services and facilities hospital by public transport All new dwellings to be within walking distance New dwellings within walking of a bus stop distance of key facilities, services and Adoption of an SPD for the South East SDA by public transport 2011 Air quality
F No new residential development in areas prone Planning applications approved to flooding contrary to advice from the Environment Agency on flooding and water quality grounds Air quality Development of previously developed land
G Adoption of an SPD for the South East SDA by New dwellings built to Lifetime Homes 2011 standards Adoption of the residential design guide SPD by Building for Life scores 2010 Density of residential development Building for Life score for new developments (target yet to be developed
H All new developments to deliver a minimum of Percentage of energy in new
(107) 10% of their energy requirements from developments from renewable renewable sources sources Objective Critical Success Factors Indicators Key Delivery Policies All new residential developments to achieve a Amount of renewable energy minimum of level 4 Code for Sustainable Homes provided from strategic energy (CSH) rating developments Meeting LAA targets for CO2 emissions per capita New dwellings achieving CSH level 4 reductions New developments over 200 dwellings with a community energy network CO2 emissions within Milton Keynes Borough
I 30% of new dwellings on qualifying sites to be Affordable housing completions split affordable (unless revised in a subsequent DPD) by type - social rent/intermediate Deliver the additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches Type and size of households as required by the partial review of the South completed East Plan Affordable housing completions in the Deliver the additional Travelling Showpeople rural area plots as required by the partial review of the Dwellings meeting Lifetime Homes South East Plan standards Adoption of an Affordable Housing SPD by 2012 House prices Adoption of a Houses in Multiple Occupation Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling (HiMO) SPD by 2010 Showpeople pitches Adoption of the Development Management DPD HiMO application decisions and by 2012 locations
J Development of a traditional campus university Working age population qualification MonitoringandReview 15 . by 2026 levels Development of the Science and Innovation Socio-economic groupings of working Habitat at Walton age population Increase in proportion of net additional jobs in GVA per capita knowledge based industries Gross earnings LAA target for increasing working age population Impact of direct economic investment with NVQ4 and above LAA target for increasing working age population (108) with NVQ2 and above 105 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core 5.MonitoringandReview 15 . Objective Critical Success Factors Indicators Key Delivery Policies K Develop Neighbourhood Action Plans for Index of Multiple Deprivation targeted estates Standardised mortality ratio LAA target for percentage of 16 to 18 year olds Life expectancy not in employment, education and training Ethnicity Index of Multiple Deprivation ratings for targeted Unemployment estates Crime rates Working age population qualification levels Gross earnings Tenure
L Production of a Secure by Design SPD Specific crime rates LAA target for assault with injury rate per 1000 Fear of crime surveys people Overall crime rates LAA target for serious acquisitive crime rate per 1000 people
M All 27 conservation areas to have an up to date Conservation Area Character Assessment by 2012 No "at risk" listed buildings on the English Heritage register
N LAA target for adult participation in sport Change in overall area of priority Delivery of linear park extensions, including 52ha habitats in the South East SDA Change in overall area of MK and Local Adoption of an SPD for the South East SDA by Wildlife sites 2011 Provision of open space in new No net loss of recognised biodiversity habitats developments No worsening of condition of SSSIs Loss of open space for development
O All new residential development is within 400m Journeys on local bus services (109) of a bus stop Access to a hospital by public Local Transport Plan 2(LTP2) target for local bus transport with 30 minutes passenger journeys Passengers using community Adoption of Local Transport Plan 3 by 2011 transport Objective Critical Success Factors Indicators Key Delivery Policies Assist in delivering East West Rail services to Bus satisfaction surveys Oxford and Aylesbury by 2013 Bus punctuality LTP2 target for modal share of school journeys Cycle journeys to CMK All new residential developments to be within Cars entering CMK in peak hours walking distance of key services and facilities Congestion Reduce congestion growth (target being Air quality developed in LTP2) No air quality management areas
P On time delivery of infrastructure set out in the Monitoring progress of major works MKP Business Plan set out in the MKP Business Plan On time delivery of new schools against agreed timescales Adoption of a Planning Obligations SPD by 2012 Dualling of the A421 from M1 J13 to Kingston by 2015 Creation of a tariff framework for the South East SDA
Table 15.1 Risk Analysis
Risk Key Effects Mitigation Measures Continued economic Economy The Joint Economic Delivery team is in place to assess problems associated with lack of investment
slowdown and to develop appropriate local responses to the slowdown. MonitoringandReview 15 . Poor level of investment in new jobs MKP (through Invest MK) provide a valuable resource by promoting Milton Keynes as an investment location, helping to ensure continued inward investment. Increasing unemployment Support for the new University for Milton Keynes is one response to ‘up skilling’ the local population to enable them maximum opportunities to enter the job market.
Housing Work with partners, including MKP to assess opportunities for innovative housing solutions to
(110) maintain supply. Completions fall below planned level of growth 107 Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core 5.MonitoringandReview 15 . Risk Key Effects Mitigation Measures There are possibilities to review the Core Strategy and reassess the suitability of sites if land supply is holding back development.
Lack of funding for Appropriate facilities and The Business Plan is in place to identify key projects and sources of funding. This includes priority infrastructure services not provided in line projects and delivery mechanisms covering current areas of expansion It is planned to role out delivery with growth the Business Plan to cover the Strategic Development Areas.
The Council has an extensive set of planning obligation SPDs (and the tariff) in place to ensure funding is in place to supply facilities alongside housing growth.
The Joint Delivery Teams are in place to monitor projects and identify any delivery problems at an early stage to allow effective action to be taken.
Within the existing urban area the Council’s Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy provides a mechanism by which gaps in services provision can be identified and solutions found.
Lack of investment in Increasing polarisation of The Neighbourhood regeneration Strategy has a rolling programme of action to tackle the areas existing areas best and worst performing most in need across the city. It provides a mechanism to identify specific problems and seek estates priorities for investment.
Loss of key rural facilities The settlement hierarchy seeks to protect the role of the 3 most sustainable rural settlements to support key rural facilities. Where failings are identified, consideration will be given to any Core Strategy policy revisions that could help to mitigate losses. (111) Appendix A . Glossary and Abbreviations
Appendix A Glossary and Abbreviations
Affordable Housing - housing provided by means of subsidy that enables the asking price or rent to be lower than the prevailing market prices or rents in the borough. It includes tenures such as social rent, intermediate rent, shared ownership and discount market sale properties.
Area Action Plans – a Development Plan Document that guides areas where significant change is likely to happen.
Areas of Attractive Landscape – a local (Buckinghamshire) landscape designation that recognises the Core Strategy: Submission Version particular characteristics of certain parts of the open countryside in the borough.
Biodiversity – the variety of life in all forms (e.g. wildlife, plants, etc).
Biomass – the biodegradable element of products, waste and residues from agriculture (including plant and animal substances), forestry and related industries, as well as the biodegradable element of industrial and municipal waste. Milton Keynes Council Brownfield Land – Land which has been previously developed.
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Rural Strategy – is a countywide rural policy framework for the period 2008-2012, which provides an overview of the state of rural affairs within the county, whilst identifying the most pertinent issues for future attention.
Carbon emissions/ CO2 – common terms for carbon dioxide, the main “greenhouse gas” linked to global warming.
Carbon footprint – a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.
Carbon offset – increased carbon dioxide emissions from a new development are balanced by savings in carbon dioxide elsewhere, by making payments into a carbon offset fund.
Carbon zero/ Carbon neutral – no net increase in carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the energy used in occupying building, including space heating, hot water, cooking, lights and appliances.
Coalescence – where towns and villages grow into each other.
Co-location – where services and facilities share a location in order to deliver services (for example adult education being provided in schools or libraries).
Community Energy Networks - a system by which electricity is generated locally and the waste heat is distributed to local homes and buildings through a network, meaning energy is provided more efficiently.
Criteria-based policies – policies that contain several ‘tests’, which development proposals are assessed against. 109 Decent Homes standard – a Government initiative that by 2010 all social housing will be brought into decent condition, with most of the improvement taking place in deprived areas, and to increase the proportion of private housing in decent condition occupied by vulnerable groups.
Density – a measurement of how intensively land is occupied by built development.
(112) Appendix A . Glossary and Abbreviations Milton Keynes Council Design code – a document that sets out the detailed design principles for a particular development.
Development brief – a document that sets out detailed development principles for a development site.
Development Framework – a document that sets out the key strategic principles for the development of a whole area.
Core Strategy: Submission Version Development Management DPD – previously known as the Development Control Policies DPD, this is a Development Plan Document that contains the most commonly used policies to assess planning applications against, such as policies relating to the design of new development.
Development Plan Documents – these documents carry the most weight in a Local Development Framework. Once they have been prepared they have to be submitted to the Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government. They are then examined by an independent planning Inspector to make sure that they meet certain tests.
Dwelling – a residential property, such as a house or a flat.
East-West Rail – East West Rail aims to restore passenger train services linking Bristol, Swindon and Oxford via Milton Keynes and Bedford, to Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich.
Economies of scale – where costs fall as output is increased.
Examination in Public – an examination of a Development Plan Document, carried out by an independent Planning Inspector (appointed from the national Planning Inspectorate), which can be observed by members of the public.
Future-proofing – an assessment of the ability of a development to adapt to changing future requirements.
Green Belt – land that is specifically designated to be kept as open land in order to prevent urban sprawl. There is no designated Green Belt in Milton Keynes.
Greenfield Land – land which has not been previously developed.
Green Infrastructure – is the planned network of multi-functional and inter-connecting links of green open space, woodlands, wildlife habitats, parks and other natural areas that contribute to the high quality natural and built environment.
Ha – abbreviation for hectare.
Heat Island Effect – also known as urban heat island, an area of warmer temperatures associated with urban development.
Houses in multiple occupation – homes occupied by separate households (usually single people or couples) who share facilities or living space such kitchens, bathrooms and sitting rooms.
110 Housing completions – the number of new houses that are built and ready for occupation.
Job Density - the number of filled jobs in an area divided by the number of people of working age resident in that area.
Key Settlement – A village of town that the local planning authority has chosen for expansion.
(113) Appendix A . Glossary and Abbreviations
Knowledge based industries - there is no specific definition of knowledge-based industries or a knowledge based economy but the term can apply to technology based industries, research and development, creative industries and businesses where workers require a high level of skills.
Local Development Scheme – this is a work programme for producing document in the Local Development Framework. It sets a work programme for the council for 3 years. It has to be submitted to and approved by the Government Office for the South East.
Local Housing Assessment - A comprehensive study of current and future housing requirements and need. The latest one for Milton Keynes was completed in November 2006. Core Strategy: Submission Version
Local Development Framework – this is the collection of documents that set the spatial planning policies for the borough. It includes Development Plan Documents, Supplementary Planning Documents and the Local Development Scheme.
Local Plan – this is the main planning policy document for the borough at the moment. It contains strategic policies, detailed policies to guide the location and nature of development, and it includes policies and proposals for specific sites. Milton Keynes Council
Local Strategic Partnership – Brings together the local authority, all service providers, local businesses, community groups and the voluntary sector to develop a Community Strategy to cover the local authority area.
Milton Keynes Partnership – this is the organisation responsible for delivering the growth of Milton Keynes. It is responsible for making decisions on planning applications in certain parts of Milton Keynes.
Milton Keynes Tariff – an initiative that ensures for every property built within the defined Urban Development Area, the developer will pay £18,500 per residential dwelling and £260,000 per hectare of employment space which will be used to help fund community facilities and infrastructure.
MK2031 Strategy for Growth – prepared by Milton Keynes Partnership, this document provides a long term vision for Milton Keynes which will help to guide the development and growth of the new city through to 2031.
Modal shift – used to describe the change in the way people travel, from one mode (e.g. the car), to another mode (e.g. public transport).
Neighbourhood Action Plan - An Action Plan uses integrated community, social, economic and physical programmes to address the needs of the local neighbourhood aimed at securing real and measurable change.
Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy – is a five year rolling programme which concentrates on the most deprived communities within Milton Keynes working to implement Neighbourhood Action Plans developed with the local communities.
Oxford to Cambridge Arc (O2C Arc) - Milton Keynes sits in the centre of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc. The Arc promotes the set of educational, research, business, commercial and governmental resources that exist 111 in the area between Oxford and Cambridge.
Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 - An Act to make provision relating to spatial development and town and country planning; and the compulsory acquisition of land.
Primary aggregates – aggregate that has come straight from its original source (e.g. building stone from a quarry).
(114) Appendix A . Glossary and Abbreviations Milton Keynes Council Public realm – space that is meant to be used by the public in general, whether it is publicly or privately owned.
Quality Bus Initiative – four key bus routes in Milton Keynes where high frequency and high quality services are being developed as a priority.
Regeneration – replacing the term Urban Renewal, the term has become associated with wholesale clearance Core Strategy: Submission Version and comprehensive redevelopment.
Regional Spatial Strategy - Prepared by a regional planning body, setting out policies relating to land use and development.
Ring-fenced – relates to money that has been set aside and must be used for a certain purpose.
Section 106/ S106 Agreement – a legal contract under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 between the local authority and named parties stating the terms of planning obligations imposed by the local planning authority in relation to a planning application. Planning permission is not granted until the Section 106 Agreement has been completed.
Site Allocations DPD – a Development Plan Document that allocates land for development.
Social and Community Infrastructure- to be added
Spatial Vision – is a brief description of how an area will have changed at the end at the end of a plan period.
Sterilisation – where mineral deposits cannot be worked because development has been permitted on the site of deposits or very close to it.
Supplementary Planning Documents/ Supplementary Planning Guidance – these documents provide additional detail to supplement policies in Development Plan documents.
Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environment Assessment – the process by which social, environmental and economic issues are integrated into the production of Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents. The process is iterative and takes place alongside the production of the documents, informing any decisions made.
Sustainable Communities Strategy – sets out the community’s blueprint for the future development of Milton Keynes.
Sustainable Urban Extensions – new areas to be developed on the edge of the city, which will provide an appropriate level of local facilities and services, high environmental standards, and which will be well connected by public transport, cycling and walking routes.
Techno pole – refers to a geographic area of intense high-technology innovation activity such as Cambridge in the UK.
112 Tenure – relates to the conditions under which a property is occupied (i.e. if it is rented or owned).
Urban Development Area – areas east and west of Milton Keynes where Milton Keynes Partnership is the Development Control Authority. The UDA was designated under the Milton Keynes (Urban Area and Planning Functions) Order 2004.
Urban Grain – The pattern of the arrangement and size of buildings and their plots in a settlement.
(115) Appendix A . Glossary and Abbreviations
Urban Renaissance – phrase coined to describe what has previously been called urban regeneration and urban renewal.
Urban Structure – the framework of routes and spaces that connect locally and more widely, and the way developments, routes and open spaces relate to one another.
Water Neutrality – a development is deemed ‘water neutral’ if the total demand for water is the same after new development is built, as it was before. That is, the new demand for water should be offset in the existing community by making existing homes and buildings in the area more water efficient. Core Strategy: Submission Version Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used throughout this document:
AAP - Area Action Plan
ACTVaR GTAA - The Association of Councils in the Thames Valley Region Gypsies and Travellers Accommodation Milton Keynes Council Assessment
AMR - Annual Monitoring Report
AVDC - Aylesbury Vale District Council
BREEAM - BRE Environmental Assessment Method
CBC - Central Bedfordshire Council
CMK - Central Milton Keynes
DPD - Development Plan Document
EEP - East of England Plan
GOSE - Government Office for the South East
HCA - Homes and Communities Agency
JCIDT - Joint Community Infrastructure Delivery Team
JDTs - Joint Delivery Teams
JHDT - Joint Housing Development Team
JTDT - Joint Transport Delivery Team
JUSTDG - Joint Utilities Strategic Delivery Group
LAA - Local Area Agreement 113
LDD - Local Development Document
LDF - Local Development Framework
LDS - Local Development Scheme
(116) Appendix A . Glossary and Abbreviations Milton Keynes Council LSP - Local Strategic Partnership
MBDC - Mid Bedfordshire District Council
MK - Milton Keynes
MKC - Milton Keynes Council Core Strategy: Submission Version MKP - Milton Keynes Partnership
MKPC - Milton Keynes Partnership Committee
NAPs - Neighbourhood Action Plans
PPS - Planning Policy Statement
RPB - Regional Planning Board
RSS - Regional Spatial Strategy
SA - Sustainability Appraisal
SCI - Statement of Community Involvement
SDA - Strategic Development area
SEA - Strategic Environmental Assessment
SEERA - South East England Regional Assembly
SEP - South East Plan
SHLAA - Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment
SHMA - Strategic Housing Market Assessment
SPD - Supplementary Planning Document
SPG - Supplementary Planning Guidance
SoS - Secretary of State
SRS - Sub-Regional Strategy (Milton Keynes and South Midlands)
UDA - Urban Development Area
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(117) Appendix B . Bibliography and relevant documents
Appendix B Bibliography and relevant documents
European and National Guidance and Publications
EU Directive 2001/42/EC - The Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment [The Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive] (European Parliament and Council, 2001) Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (HMSO, 2004) Countryside and Rights of Way Act (HMSO, 2000) Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (HMSO, 2006)
Heritage Protection for the 21st Century [Heritage White Paper] (Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Core Strategy: Submission Version 2007). Meeting the Energy Challenge – A White Paper on Energy (Department of Trade and Industry, 2007) Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005) Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change - Supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 (Department of Communities and Local Government, 2007) Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (Communities and Local Government, 2006) Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005) Milton Keynes Council Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004) Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005) Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning (Department for Communities and Local Government, 2008) Planning Policy Guidance note 13: Transport (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2001) Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004) Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk (Communities and Local Government, 2006) Draft Planning Policy Statement: Eco-Towns - Consultation (Department of Communities and Local Government, 2008) Circular 05/2005 - Planning Obligations (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005) Sustainable communities: building for the future (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2003) Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2005) Code for Sustainable Homes (Communities and Local Government, 2006) Indices of Multiple Deprivation (Office for National Statistics, 2004) South East Climate Change Partnerships Emissions Monitoring Calculator (SECCP, 2006) Accessible natural greenspace in towns and cities (English Nature, 1995) Policies for Spatial Plans: A guide to writing the policy content of Local Development Documents (Planning Officers Society, 2005)
Please use the following link to view these publications: http://www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planning/ Regional Guidance and Publications 115 Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) (Government Office for the South East, Government Office for East of England, Government Office for London, 2001) Milton Keynes & South Midlands Sub-Regional Strategy – Alterations to the Regional Spatial Strategies cover the East of England, the East Midlands and South East of England (Government Offices for the South East, East Midlands, East of England, 2005)
(118) Appendix B . Bibliography and relevant documents Milton Keynes Council Harnessing the Elements – Supporting Statement to the Proposed Alterations to Regional Planning Guidance, South East – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (SEERA, 2003) Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) – Waste and Minerals (Government Office for the South East, 2006) A Clear Vision for the South East: The South East Plan Core Document – draft for Submission to Government (South East England Regional Assembly, 2006) Regional Economic Strategy 2006–2016 – A Framework for Sustainable Prosperity (South East England Core Strategy: Submission Version Development Agency) Planning Sustainable Communities – A Green Infrastructure Guide for Milton Keynes & the South Midlands (Milton Keynes and South Midlands Environment & Quality of Life sub-group, 2005) Healthy Sustainable Communities: A Spatial Planning Checklist (Milton Keynes South Midlands Health and Social Care Group, 2004)
Please use the following link to view these publications: http://www.gose.gov.uk/
The Milton Keynes Local Development Framework
Milton Keynes Local Plan (Milton Keynes Council, 2005) Milton Keynes Minerals Local Plan 2001-2011 – Second Deposit Version (2004), Proposed Modifications (2005), and Statement of Decisions and Responses to the Consultation on Proposed Modifications Published in November 2005 (2006) (Milton Keynes Council) Milton Keynes Local Development Scheme 2006-2009 (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Local Development Framework Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06 (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Adopted Statement of Community Involvement (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Local Development Framework Core Strategy – A Discussion Paper on the Issues and for the Core Strategy, to support the Growth of Milton Keynes (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Local Development Framework Core Strategy: Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Waste Development Plan Document: Submission 2007-2026 (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Sustainable Construction Guide (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Milton Keynes Drainage Strategy – Development and Flood Risk (Milton Keynes Council, 2004) Central Milton Keynes Development Framework (Milton Keynes Council and English Partnerships, 2001) Planning Obligations for Central Milton Keynes (SPG) (Milton Keynes Council, 2003) Sustainable Residential Quarter (SPG) (Milton Keynes Council, 2003) Campbell Park (SPG) (Milton Keynes Council, 2003) Central Milton Keynes Framework (SPD) (Milton Keynes Council, 2006)
Please use the following link to view these publications: http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/local%5Fplan%5Freview/home.asp
Other Background Material 116 Written Statements in Response to the South East Plan (Milton Keynes Council, 2006 and 2007) Growth in Milton Keynes [full Council motion] (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Milton Keynes Local Transport Plan, 2006-07 to 2010-11 (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Local Transport Plan 2000/1-2005/6 (Milton Keynes Council, 2000) Milton Keynes Local Area Agreement 2007-2010 (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Milton Keynes: Creativity, Excellence and Participation - Cultural Strategy 2006-2012 (Milton Keynes Council, 2006)
(119) Appendix B . Bibliography and relevant documents
Population Projections 2006 - Milton Keynes Borough (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Housing Strategy 2005-2008. (Milton Keynes Council, 2005). Three Year Plan for Adult Education (Milton Keynes Council, 2004) Social Atlas 2006 (Milton Keynes Council and Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, 2006) Milton Keynes Community Strategy – Our Handbook for Change - 2004 - 2034 (Milton Keynes Local Strategic Partnership, 2002) From New Town to International City [Milton Keynes Economic Vision] (Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership and South East England Development Agency, 2004) From New Town to International City – the transformation years: Strategic Plan 2005-2010 (Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership, 2005) Core Strategy: Submission Version Business Plan 2007/08-2011/12 (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2007) Business Plan and Budget 2009/10 (Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership, 2009) The Milton Keynes Tariff (English Partnerships and Milton Keynes Partnership, 2007) MK2031 - The New Plan for Milton Keynes Draft Directions Papers [various] (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2005) MK2031 - A New Plan for Milton Keynes – Options for Growth Technical Report (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2005) Milton Keynes Council MK2031 - Options for Growth – A New Plan for Milton Keynes [Leaflet] (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2005) MK2031 - The New Plan for Milton Keynes - A Strategy for Growth to 2031 (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2006) MK2031 - The New Plan for Milton Keynes - A Strategy for Growth to 2031: Sustainability Appraisal (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2006) Statement from the Peer Review Group on the Draft Growth Strategy for Milton Keynes (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2006) Milton Keynes Long Term Growth Strategy Review (Colin Buchanan and Partners for Buckinghamshire County Council and Aylesbury Vale District Council, 2007) Critique of the Buchanan Study – relating to their review of the Milton Keynes Long Term Growth Strategy (GVA Grimley for Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Milton Keynes Employment Land Study (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2007) Milton Keynes Transport Strategy Review (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2008) Milton Keynes Local Housing Assessment (Opinion Research Services, 2006) Energy Review and Energy Strategy (Milton Keynes Energy Agency, 2002) Bucks and Milton Keynes Biodiversity Action Plan 2000 – 2010 (Bucks County Council, 2004) Environmental Character and Green Infrastructure Suite (River Nene Regional Park) Bedfordshire and Luton Strategic Green Infrastructure Plan (Bedford and Luton Green Infrastructure Consortium, 2007) Improving Lives, Closing the Gap – Milton Keynes Social Inclusion and Health Inequalities Strategy and Action Plan 2006-2009 (Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, Milton Keynes Partnership and Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Community Safety Strategy 2005-2008 – Reducing crime and disorder in Milton Keynes (Milton Keynes Community Safety Partnership, 2005) Tattenhoe Park Development Framework (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2006) Milton Keynes Local Landscape Designations Study (The Landscape Partnership, 2006) Milton Keynes Draft Landscape Character Assessment (The Landscape Partnership, 2007) Core Strategy Preferred Options: Housing Land Supply and Delivery (Milton Keynes City) – Technical 117 Background Paper (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Core Strategy Preferred Options: Rural Area Spatial Options – Technical Background Paper (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Core Strategy Preferred Options: Landscape Character – Technical Background Paper (Milton Keynes Council, 2007)
(120) Appendix B . Bibliography and relevant documents Milton Keynes Council The references listed below have also been used in the preparation of the MK Core Strategy document. The list is not exhaustive.
Milton Keynes Council Plan 2006-2009 (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Local Agenda 21 Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, 2002) Sure Start Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership Plan April 2007-March 2008 (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Children and Young People’s Plan 2006-2009 (Milton Keynes Council, Thames Valley Policy, Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, Milton Keynes General NHS Trust, Milton Keynes Council for Voluntary Youth Services, 2006) Wolverton Regeneration Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, English Partnerships, Wolverton and Greenleys Town Council, SEEDA, 2004) Bletchley Regeneration Study (EDAW, 1999) Central Bletchley Regeneration Framework (EDAW, 2004) Milton Keynes Urban Capacity Study (Entec, 2001) Milton Keynes Retail Needs Assessment 2006 (Milton Keynes Partnership, 2006) A Strategic Plan for the Green Estate (Milton Keynes Parks Trust, 2006) Milton Keynes Basic Command Unit Plan 2005-2006 (Thames Valley Police) Job Centre Plus Business Plan 2005-2007 (Department for Work and Pensions, 2007) Regional Delivery Plan 2006/2007 (Connexions Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, 2006) Milton Keynes and Aylesbury Growth Area Studies (Roger Tym & Partners, 2003) Milton Keynes and South Midlands Study (Roger Tym & Partners, 2002) The Milton Keynes Planning Manual (Milton Keynes Development Corporation, 1992) The Plan for Milton Keynes (Milton Keynes Development Corporation, 1970) Milton Keynes Neighbourhood Regeneration Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Rural Strategy 2008-2012 (Buckinghamshire Rural Action Group, 2008) Milton Keynes Retail and Leisure Study (Draft Report for Consultation) (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Milton Keynes Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2008 (Milton Keynes Council, 2009) Milton Keynes Sustainable Community Strategy, Our Handbook for Change, 2004-2034 (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Planning Obligations for Education Facilities (SPG) (Milton Keynes Council, 2004) Milton Keynes Sports and Leisure Study (Draft Report for Consultation) (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Milton Keynes Bus Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Milton Keynes Parking Strategy (Draft Report for Consultation) (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) Milton Keynes Walking Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, 2003) Milton Keynes Open Space Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, 2007) Milton Keynes Cultural Strategy 2006-2012 (Milton Keynes Council, 2006) Milton Keynes Cultural Strategy 2006-2012, Year 1 Review (Milton Keynes Council, 2008) The Sustainable Integrated Transport Strategy (Milton Keynes Council, 1999) Milton Keynes Long Term Economic Vision - Review of Transformational Projects and Strategic Actions (Milton Keynes Economy and Learning Partnership, 2008) Milton Keynes Economy Review - January 2009 (South East England Development Agency, 2009) 118 Milton Keynes Council Plan 2009-2011 (Milton Keynes Council, 2009)
(121) Appendix C . Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan
Appendix C Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan
This table indicates which Local Plan policies will be deleted from the Development Plan for Milton Keynes when this Core Strategy is adopted. Some Local Plan policies are directly replaced by Core Strategy policies and in these cases, those replacement policies are specifically identified. However, in other cases, Local Plan policies are replaced by the overall principles of this Core Strategy, or a combination of Core Strategy policies.
Further, for the remaining Local Plan policies, the future Development Plan Document which will consider their replacement is identified. This does not necessarily mean a replacement policy will be included in all cases, but
indicates that the issue or site covered by that Local Plan policy will be explored as part of the DPD preparation. Core Strategy: Submission Version
Policy Ref Local Plan Policy Name Replaced in Core Strategy or future DPD S1 General Principles Replaced by Core Strategy S3 City Expansion Areas Replaced by Core Strategy S4 Phasing of the City Expansion Areas Replaced by Core Strategy S5 Central Milton Keynes Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS2 S6 Bletchley Development Management DPD Milton Keynes Council S7 Key Settlements Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS4 S8 Selected Villages Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS4 S9 Other Villages Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS4 S10 Open Countryside Development Management DPD S11 Areas of Attractive Landscape Development Management DPD S12 Linear Parks Development Management DPD S13 Areas Liable to Flooding Deleted 2008 S14 Protection of the Best and Most Versatile AgriculturalDeleted 2008 Land D1 Impact of Development Proposals on Locality Development Management DPD D2a Urban Design Aspects of New Development Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS10 D2 Design of Buildings Development Management DPD D3 Canalside Development Development Management DPD D4 Sustainable Construction Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS11 D5 Renewable Energy Development Management DPD D6 Mains and Telecommunications Services Development Management DPD D7 Telecommunications Masts Development Management DPD D8 Temporary Buildings Development Management DPD HE1 Protection of Archaeological Sites Development Management DPD HE2 Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic InterestDevelopment Management DPD (Listed Buildings) HE3 Demolition of a Listed Building Development Management DPD HE4 Extension or Alteration of a Listed Building Development Management DPD HE5 Development Affecting the Setting of a Listed Development Management DPD Building HE6 Conservation Areas Development Management DPD HE8 Protection of Historic Parks and Gardens Development Management DPD NE1 Nature Conservation Sites Development Management DPD 119 NE2 Protected Species Development Management DPD NE3 Biodiversity and Geological Enhancement Development Management DPD NE4 Conserving and Enhancing Landscape Character Development Management DPD T1 The Transport User Hierarchy Development Management DPD T2 Access for those with Impaired Mobility Development Management DPD
(122) Appendix C . Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan Milton Keynes Council Policy Ref Local Plan Policy Name Replaced in Core Strategy or future DPD T3 Pedestrians and Cyclists Development Management DPD T4 Pedestrians and Cyclists Development Management DPD T5 Public Transport Development Management DPD T6 Transport Interchanges Development Management DPD T7 Park and Ride Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD Core Strategy: Submission Version T8 Rail and Canal Freight Development Management DPD T9 The Road Hierarchy Development Management DPD T10 Traffic Development Management DPD T11 Transport Assessments and Travel Plans Development Management DPD T12 Major Transport Schemes Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD T13 Transport Reservations Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD T14 Roadside Services Development Management DPD T15 Parking Provision Development Management DPD T16 Lorry Parks Development Management DPD T17 Traffic Calming Development Management DPD EA1 Expansion Areas Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD EA2 Expansion Areas Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD EA3 Eastern expansion area (Site MK1) Site Allocations DPD EA4 North of A421, East of Fen Farm Site Allocations DPD EA4a New Strategic Reserves Site Allocations DPD Partly covered by Core Strategy - Policy CS1 (82) EA5 Western Expansion Area (Site MK2) Site Allocations DPD EA6 Northern Expansion Area (Site MK3) Site Allocations DPD EA7 Land at Stantonbury Park Farm (Site MK24) Site Allocations DPD KS1 Newton Leys (Site MK4) Site Allocations DPD KS2 Wavendon Tower (Site MK5) Deleted 2008 KS3 Linford Lakes Area Site Allocations DPD KS4 Ashland (Site MK6) Deleted 2008 KS5 Bletchley Park Area (Site MK7) Deleted 2008 KS6 Wolverton Development Framework Area Site Allocations DPD H1 Land Allocated for Housing Site Allocations DPD H1a Priority Housing Sites Site Allocations DPD H2 Priority Housing Requirements Development Management DPD H3 Affordable Housing: Definition Replaced by Core Strategy H4 Affordable Housing: Target and Site Thresholds Development Management DPD H5 Affordable Housing: Site and Market Conditions Development Management DPD H6 Rural Housing Needs Development Management DPD 120 H7 Housing on Unidentified Sites Development Management DPD H8 Housing Density Development Management DPD H9 Housing Mix Development Management DPD
82 Local Plan Policy EA4a 'New Strategic Reserves' identifies four Strategic Reserves. Three of these are now covered by Core Strategy Policy CS1, however Local Plan Policy EA4a will remain in place for Strategic Reserve SR5 - Tickford Fields Farm and land adjoining, North Crawley Road, Newport Pagnell.
(123) Appendix C . Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan
Policy Ref Local Plan Policy Name Replaced in Core Strategy or future DPD H10 Subdivision of Dwellings and Houses in Multiple Development Management DPD Occupation (HiMOs) H11 Low Impact Dwellings in the Open Countryside Deleted 2008 H12 Sites for Travellers Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD H13 Wintering Quarters for Travelling Showpeople Deleted 2008 Site MK9 Bradville – Althorpe Crescent Deleted 2008 Site MK11 Stantonbury – West of Redbridge Site Allocations DPD
Site MK12 Stony Stratford – London Road Site Allocations DPD Core Strategy: Submission Version Site MK19 Fenny Stratford: Former Reckitt and Coleman Site, Deleted 2008 Watling Street Site MK20 Bletchley: Former Polar Ford Site and Adjoining Land,Deleted 2008 Buckingham Road/Newton Road Site MK21 Fenny Stratford: r/o Penn Road Site Allocations DPD Site MK22 Fenny Stratford: Lathams, Simpson Site Allocations DPD
Site MK23 Stony Stratford: Stratford House Site Allocations DPD Milton Keynes Council Site NP1 Police Station Houses, High Street Site Allocations DPD Site NP2 Former Taylors Mustard Factory, Union Street Site Allocations DPD Site NP4 Former Renny Lodge Hospital, London Road Deleted 2008 Site WS1 Nampak (and adjoining land), Station Road Site Allocations DPD Site OY2 North of Aspreys, Yardley Road Deleted 2008 Site OY4 Land off Austen Avenue Deleted 2008 Site HP1 Cuckoo Hill Farm, Castlethorpe Road Site Allocations DPD Site HP5 Land adjacent Old Vicarage, Park Road Site Allocations DPD Site BB1 Blind Pond Farm, Woburn Sands Road Site Allocations DPD E1 Protection of Existing Employment Land Development Management DPD E2 New Employment Sites in Milton Keynes City Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD E3 New Employment Site in Olney Key Settlement Deleted 2008 E4 Employment Development in the Town, District andDeleted 2008 Local Centres E5 Re-use of Rural Buildings Development Management SPD E6 New Buildings for Employment Uses in the Open Development Management SPD Countryside E7 Retailing on Employment Land Development Management SPD E8 Sites for Bad Neighbour Uses Development Management SPD E9 Controlling the Risk of Pollution Development Management SPD E10 Working From Home Development Management SPD E11 Protection of Small Business Units Development Management SPD E12 Land for Large Footprint Employment Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD E13 Large Footprint Employment Area: Planning Development Management DPD or Site Allocations Requirements DPD 121 E15 Large Footprint Employment: Individual Sites and Development Management DPD or Site Allocations Buildings DPD TC1 Character & Function of the Shopping Hierarchy Development Management SPD VS1 New Village Shops Development Management SPD VS2 Existing Village Shops, Public Houses and Post Development Management SPD Offices
(124) Appendix C . Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan Milton Keynes Council Policy Ref Local Plan Policy Name Replaced in Core Strategy or future DPD LC1 New Local Centres Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD LC2 Non Retail Uses in Local Centres Development Management SPD LC3 New Development in Local Centres Development Management SPD DC1 Kingston District Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD Core Strategy: Submission Version DC2 Westcroft District Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC1 Olney Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC2 Olney Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC3 Stony Stratford Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC4 Stony Stratford Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC5 Woburn Sands Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC6 Woburn Sands Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC7 Newport Pagnell Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC8 Newport Pagnell Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC9 Newport Pagnell Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC10 Newport Pagnell Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC11 Wolverton Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC13 Wolverton Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC14 Bletchley Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC15 Bletchley Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC16 Bletchley Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC17 Bletchley Town Centre Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD TC18 Non-Retail Uses on Ground Floors in Town Centres Development Management DPD TC19 Housing in Town, District and Local Centres Development Management DPD 122 CC1 Shopping Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC2 Shopping Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC3 CMK Development Framework Replaced by Core Strategy - Policy CS2 CC5 Office Development Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC6 Non-Retail Uses in the CMK Shopping Building andDevelopment Management DPD or CMK SPDs Midsummer Place CC7a Key Transport Principles Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs
(125) Appendix C . Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan
Policy Ref Local Plan Policy Name Replaced in Core Strategy or future DPD CC7c Key Principles for Parking Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC8 Design and Layout Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC9 Design of New Buildings Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC10 Planning Obligations Policies in CMK Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC7b City Spine Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC11 Central Business District Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC12 Sustainable Residential Quarter Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC13 City Core Quarter Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs
CC14 Station Square Quarter Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs Core Strategy: Submission Version CC15 Enterprise and Knowledge Quarter Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC16 North West Quarter Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC4 Campbell Park Quarter Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC17 CBX 3 Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC18 Block D4 Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs CC19 Park Gateway Development Management DPD or CMK SPDs R1 Major Retail Proposals Development Management DPD Milton Keynes Council R2 Retail Warehousing Development Management DPD R3 Car-Related Retail Uses Development Management DPD R4 Forecourt Shops at Petrol Filling Stations Development Management DPD R5 Garden Centres Development Management DPD R6 Retail Uses in the Open Countryside Development Management DPD L1 Facilities Acceptable in the Parks System Development Management DPD L2 Protection of Public Open Space and Existing Development Management DPD Facilities L3 Standards of Provision Development Management DPD L4 Sites Allocated for New Facilities Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD L5 Golf Courses Development Management DPD L6 Horse-Related Development Development Management DPD L7 Criteria for the Location of Water Sports Development Management DPD L8 Criteria for the Location of Noisy Sports Development Management DPD L9 Arts, Entertainment and Commercial Leisure FacilitiesDevelopment Management DPD L10 Visitor Accommodation Development Management DPD L11 Camping and Touring Caravans Development Management DPD L12 Milton Keynes Bowl and Elfield Park Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD L13 Multi-Purpose Sports and Spectator Events StadiumDevelopment Management DPD C1 Location of Community Facilities Development Management DPD C2 Loss of Community Facilities Development Management DPD C3 Meeting Halls/Community Centres Development Management DPD C4 Education Development Management DPD C5 Health and Community Care Facilities Development Management DPD C6 Childcare Facilities Development Management DPD 123 C7 Burial and Memorial Grounds Development Management DPD C8 Burial and Memorial Grounds Deleted 2008 C9 Reserve Sites Development Management DPD or Site Allocations DPD C10 Libraries Development Management DPD PO1 General Policies Development Management DPD
(126) Appendix C . Local Plan Policies to be replaced in the Development Plan Milton Keynes Council Policy Ref Local Plan Policy Name Replaced in Core Strategy or future DPD PO2 General Policies Development Management DPD PO3 Provision of Small Business Units Development Management DPD PO4 Percent for Art Development Management DPD Core Strategy: Submission Version
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(127) Appendix D . Housing Trajectory
Appendix D Housing Trajectory
Insert housing trajectory and possibly the technical table minus individual site information.
Mark requested that we add lines/columns to the trajectory showing full/outline/allocate land/dwellings available. - Might this make the graph to cluttered? Core Strategy: Submission Version Milton Keynes Council
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Milton Keynes Council Keynes Milton Core Strategy: Submission Version Submission Strategy: Core pedxD.HousingTrajectory Appendix D. Figure 5 Housing Trajectory (129)