2050 Growth Study for Milton Keynes

This week sees the publication of DLA’s MK2050 Milton Keynes Strategic Growth Study, undertaken as background evidence for Milton Keynes Council’s Strategy for 2050, out for public engagement until April 2020.

Back in 2017, as preparation for the new city of Milton Keynes reaching its half century, the Milton Keynes Futures 2050 Commission produced a series of reports entitled Milton Keynes: Making a Great City Greater, in order to re-ignite bold ambitions for the future of the city.

Our Growth Study takes forward the growth ambitions expressed through both the Futures work and the Council Plan 2016-22 – the latter of which anticipates continued growth of Milton Keynes to a population of 500,000 people by 2050 – to analyse how this level and type of growth might manifest itself spatially and over time.

The Brief for the Study was to determine what scale and pace of population and economic growth might be possible and desirable within the Milton Keynes area to around the year 2050, and to establish the likely capacity within the existing city to accommodate additional growth. In addition, the Study has examined how future growth beyond the designated area of the New Town – including cross boundary growth – might achieve sustainable patterns of mobility and development and deliver real and sustained benefits back to the existing population of Milton Keynes.

Heather Pugh, Planning Partner commented that “Long term spatial planning based on ‘good geography’ which secures benefits for infrastructure and the environment as well as local communities is something we strongly believe in. As a practice residing in the heart of Milton Keynes, being asked to prepare a Growth Study which we hope will help shape the future of our ‘home patch’ was a privilege. The Council have taken a bold and innovative approach to unlock conversations about planning for long term growth, specifically designed to engage those sectors of the population who find it harder to have a voice about planning issues but whose lives are often impacted by a failure to plan”.

The Growth Study can be found at: https://www.mkfutures2050.com/evidence-for-the-strategy-for-2050

For further information, contact Heather Pugh, Partner. T:01908 666276