Category Archives: corporate greed

Fresh workshop on The Point after MK Council raps developer for lack of vision

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A fresh public workshop will take place on June 6th 2018 after Hammerson’s, one of UK’s biggest retail groups, failed to get their design guidelines for the new ‘Point’ approved by Councillors – despite the planning department urging its speedy approval.

new-point-image-00475511

‘Quality landmark’ to replace The Point?

Xplain, MK Forum and CMK Town Council waited three hours to make the case against approval at a late-night meeting of the Development Control Committee (DCC).

Xplain flatly contradicted Hammerson’s claims that they had fulfilled the Council’s requirement to produce a very high quality design in conjunction with local citizens. Linda Inoki, chair of Xplain, described how the applicant, “in total isolation from the community” produced their own Design Code which was designed to deliver the same, “garish retail shed” that triggered the condition in the first place.  Continue reading →

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What’s ‘The Point’ of having teeth if Milton Keynes Council doesn’t dare use them?

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Britain’s first purpose-built multiplex cinema (c) Mark Coster

Back in 2014 there were so many objections to Hammerson’s sketchy plans to replace The Point with a giant exploding Toblerone (ok, a glorified retail shed) that, although they won outline planning permission, it came with conditions.The retail giant was told it had to listen to local people and produce an approved Design Code before filing the final, detailed plans. MK Council used this condition to ensure that local people had a real say in designing a decent replacement for this much-loved building in Central Milton Keynes.

But Hammerson did nothing of the sort. In fact, they did nothing for 3 long years while The Point crumbled away. Then, with their outline consent about to expire, the giant woke up. Arguing that this condition ‘artificially shortened’ the 3-year deadline to submit final plans they asked if they could put the cart before the horse. In other words, they wanted to file detailed plans first and the design code sometime thereafter. And instead of letting the application lapse, as it otherwise would, officers agreed.

So now Hammerson has up to two more years to sit on their assets which are obviously worth far more with planning permission than without.

Certainly, we can expect them to file a detailed ‘reserved matters’ application by the deadline of 17th Feb (their architects must be on overtime). But once filed, is it really likely they’ll listen to local people who might want a very different design code?

To Xplain, it looks as if MK Council has shown its teeth – only to hide them behind a wobbly smile.

Published 29 Jan 2018

 

Milton Keynes’ most important nature reserve threatened by land speculators

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11 Aug 2017 

Linford Lakes Nature Reserve is a peaceful refuge for all sorts of wildlife, from otters to owls, but nature-lovers are in great alarm over plans to build 250 houses in the adjoining countryside. Although MK Council refused an identical planning application only this March there is a now a real chance that a repeat application will be approved.

Great Crested Grebes at Linford Lakes, by Tony Bedford.

“If this goes ahead, there will be enormous and irreversible damage to this very important ecological site and the surrounding landscape”, says Martin Kincaid, vice-president of the MK Natural History Society. He adds “We can think of nowhere in Milton Keynes less suitable for housing than here.”

What can you do? Read on…

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“What butchers!” The Milton Keynes Car-buncle moves closer to reality.

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While the fresh green landscape of Milton Keynes is full of hope and life there is one part of the city centre which is anything but! Here, at ‘the John Lewis end’ of the Grade ll-listed Shopping Building, almost all the trees and shrubs have been cut down to make way for a controversial multi-storey car park.

A landscape tragedy, CMK

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‘Places for People’ face outrage over destroyed trees in Milton Keynes

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7 March 2017. Places for People are facing serious questions over the way dozens of mature trees were cut down in Milton Keynes today without warning, and without planning permission.

Budding horse chestnuts – axed!

Remarkably, this was just hours after their spokesmen had assured residents at a parish council meeting that they would conduct a proper tree survey as part of upcoming plans for a new housing development. The site, next to Broughton Manor School, has had outline planning approval for some years which is due to expire. PFP are looking to renew it and to file detailed plans thereafter.

Ward councillor Catriona Morris told Xplain that she has asked MK Council enforcement officers to investigate. “It’s the most extraordinary sight,” she says, “The whole field is covered in dead trees. I don’t know if any had tree protection orders on them or not but it’s too late to save them now!”

Paul, a nearby resident, says “During the presentation by the architects for PFP I specifically asked about the established trees and was told that they were currently being assessed and the reports had not yet been completed to decide on their future. Roll on 16 hours and I come home to find that all of the trees have already been cleared by a large JCB!”

Scene of devastation at Broughton Manor Farm

Cutting down perfectly good trees that could have added to the quality of life for new and existing residents, as well as wildlife, is not only a travesty of planning but also goes against the original ethos of Milton Keynes – the City of Trees.

Who gave the orders to chop them down and why? Places for People have got some explaining to do.

 

 

 

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Intu tries to stop Guardian journalist in Milton Keynes. Could you be next?

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Did you know that retail giant Intu can stop you using the public concourse in Midsummer Place? Reasons include: wearing a hood, having a dog, sitting on something, shouting or anything else they decide is “inappropriate behaviour”.

your pavement - or theirs?

your pavement – or theirs?

Now the same business is preparing to privatise even more public space in the heart of Milton Keynes.
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The Midsummer Oak, Milton Keynes: dead but not forgotten!

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The people of Milton Keynes are unlikely to forgive or forget the sad fate of the Midsummer Oak, in Central Milton Keynes, which retail giants Intu finally carted away on 25 April 2016.

When the new city centre was laid out in the 1970’s the architects took great care to preserve this flourishing oak tree. In the 1990’s local people campaigned to save the oak when a controversial new shopping centre was built, breaking Midsummer Boulevard in two. Artists Boyd & Evans published this image of the oak tree surrounded by new shops nine years ago, before it gave up the ghost.The famous Midsummer Oak in 2007 (c) Boyd & Evans

The famous Midsummer Oak, in 2007 (c) Boyd & Evans

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