Linda Inoki – Founder

Linda has worked in advertising, corporate communications and journalism.  In London she was public relations officer for the Leukaemia Research Fund. In Tokyo she was arts and nature columnist for the Japan Times, broadcast regularly for the BBC World Service and published in the Financial Times. On returning to Milton Keynes she was alarmed about the erosion of the original ethos of this ambitious, master-planned city of trees, and co-founded Xplain, an independent, grass-roots campaign for better architecture in MK. Since then Xplain has won the support of hundreds of citizens who care passionately about the city’s future and unique heritage. Notable successes include mobilizing public support for Listing the MK Shopping Building (2010), exposing the scandal of Secklow Gate Bridge (2011-2012), and leading the biggest public outcry in MK’s history over plans to demolish Secklow Gate Bridge and Market Square. This led to the collapse of a £30m planning application by Hermes and Prudential asset managers (2013), which would have broken the grid road system, wiped out the market, and seriously damaged one of the most important Modernist buildings in Britain. Linda has also been elected onto CMK Town Council as a parish councillor. Xplain is now a popular source of information about development in Central Milton Keynes, and takes part in official consultations relating to policy as well as responding to specific planning applications.