The Labour administration of Milton Keynes City Council has pushed through their vision for two new household waste centres in Tattenhoe and Wolverton, disregarding the concerns of hundreds of residents.
Despite overwhelming opposition at a packed public meeting with over 100 residents in attendance and passionate speeches against the proposal from both Tattenhoe and Wolverton residents, the Labour-controlled sub-committee-backed by the Liberal Democrat committee member- refused to reconsider their deeply flawed plans.
This refusal to review allows the council to move forward with acquiring the land for the proposed site in Snelshall.
Tattenhoe Ward Conservative Councillors Shazna Muzammil and Manish Verma have slammed the decision, condemning the Labour-controlled sub-committee for ignoring the voices of nearly 1,400 petitioners and six community groups, including four resident representatives and two Conservative ward councillor groups.
Cllr Shazna Muzammil said: "This was a disgraceful show of arrogance from Labour and the Liberal Democrats. Residents turned up in huge numbers, they spoke passionately, they laid out the facts—and yet their voices were disregarded. This council is pushing a so-called ‘vision’ based on a proposal that is full of holes and assumptions”
"People spent their life savings on homes in Tattenhoe, never knowing a waste site would be built just metres away. Why? Because the council never told them. No developer, no business, no resident was properly informed—because this Labour-led administration didn’t think they needed to be."
"This isn’t about NIMBYism—it’s about the council’s blatant disregard for those who elected them. Families were kept in the dark, and now they face the prospect of a massive waste facility on their doorstep. This decision was made without their knowledge or consent."
The Tattenhoe residents’ call-in party urged the committee to consider the impact of the proposed site on the local wildlife corridor directly adjacent to the site and the risk of contamination to the nearby brook. They raised concerns on the increased noise and air pollution from a site operating in a residential area, the flood risk considering half the site sits within a flood zone 3 and the impact of increased traffic congestion in an area already struggling with road capacity from residential and HGV traffic.
Cllr Manish Verma added:
"Labour’s refusal to reconsider the Snelshall site shows how little they care about protecting our green spaces or respecting residents. Their claim of public support for this plan is based on a sham consultation from 2020—ignoring the ever-changing demographics of Tattenhoe, and the massive opposition that has emerged. If Labour and the Liberal Democrats truly cared, they would stop this deeply flawed proposal now and actually listen to the people they claim to represent."
At the conclusion of the over four-hour meeting, the Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors dismissed their concerns outright.
Cllr Muzammil and Verma have said their residents feel patronised and ignored by both the Labour and Liberal Democrat Committee members and the Labour Cabinet Member.
Cllr Shazna Muzammil concluded: "I am deeply disappointed for our residents. They showed up, they spoke, and yet they were patronised and ignored. How can this council forget that we are elected to serve our residents and make decisions in their best interest?" "There is no justification for rushing through these new sites when we already have three fully operational waste facilities that can continue running for the next three years at a cost of £2.1 million—compared to the £10 million+ price tag for these new sites. This is a reckless use of public money." "Even worse, Conservative councillors have been accused of ‘misleading’ the public and spreading disinformation—as if to suggest residents aren’t smart enough to do their own reading and research. This level of disrespect and condescension from the Labour administration is beyond belief. But let me be clear: we will continue to stand by our residents and fight for them every step of the way."
