Councillor Alison Andrew, Conservative Councillor for Hanslope Ward, has called for Milton Keynes City Council to formally withdraw any support for the proposed inclusion of Milton Keynes North in the Government’s New Towns Programme. She’s asking that a common-sense approach and support for the motion will avoid serious environmental, infrastructure and democratic concerns.
The motion, on behalf of the Conservative Group, will be heard on 17th June at Full Council. It highlights that Milton Keynes is already delivering significant housing growth, with around 60,000 planned, raising questions about why it’s necessary to expand into rural areas.
Cllr Shazna Muzammil, Conservative Group Leader, said, "The Council has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with developers and publicly welcomed plans for a New Town in MK. The city has already exceeded national housing targets for years. Any further growth must be properly supported by the infrastructure and services people need. Decisions of this magnitude cannot be made without genuinely hearing from the communities they will affect. The public will lose confidence in the Council."
Cllr Andrew added: “Milton Keynes already plays a big role in meeting the country’s housing needs. However, where and how we build matters. MK North is simply the wrong location—environmental damage, lack of infrastructure, and not aligned with existing planning policies. Any development would see loss of agricultural land, adding to food insecurity and the loss of countryside. Flooding is already a big issue across the North – just look at Tathall End, Newport Pagnell, Stoke Goldington. Pouring concrete on thousands of acres of grass will only make things worse for all residents. I am asking all Councillors to support common sense in how we look after the future of Milton Keynes.”
Environmental and Infrastructure Concerns
The motion raises concerns about increasing strain on already stretched local services, including GP and hospital access, traffic congestion and highways, water supply and wastewater systems, education and social care provision. Increased flood risks, loss of agricultural land and important wildlife areas are also highlighted.
Lack of Public Consultation
A key issue raised is the lack of resident input. The MK North proposal was previously rejected from the MK City Plan. Despite this, a memorandum of understanding with developers was agreed in November 2025 by the Labour led council without any public support or consultation. A public petition to support the motion has been opened to address this and show the level of public anger. Anyone can take part at StopMKNorth.
“Residents have a right to be consulted fairly on proposals of this scale,” Cllr Andrew said. “That has not happened, so the area should be withdrawn. Residents have been ignored by this council. The Govt’s New Towns consultation was ridiculously complicated and not publicised by the council or other official bodies or persons. I have a complaint lodged on the lack of transparency and overly difficult process at government level – but at least we can stop this madness at council level”.
Conflict with Planning Policy
The technical aspect of the motion argues that the proposal conflicts with adopted and emerging planning guidelines, that prioritise protecting rural character, maintaining settlement separation and safeguarding the Ouse Valley. It also challenges alignment with national policy, particularly the Government’s “brownfield first” approach, noting that MK North consists of greenfield land, including high-quality agricultural areas.
Call for Alternative Solutions
Cllr Andrew urges a focus on the delivery of homes already approved, using brownfield sites, and making better use of empty homes across the country.
She said: “I understand that we need to build housing. Nationally, more than a million homes already have permission but remain unbuilt, why not tackle that first? We have hundreds of thousands of empty homes across the country – why not focus on that too rather than rip up countryside? Let’s fix the basics rather than be led by developers and private finance interests”.
Next Steps
If approved, the motion would see the Council:
- Formally withdraw support for MK North’s inclusion in the New Towns Programme
- Write to the Secretary of State outlining its opposition
- Advocate for more sustainable, plan-led housing solutions
Cllr Andrew concluded:
“Good design cannot fix a poor choice of location. We must do right by Milton Keynes and deliver the right homes in the right places. And tackle the issues of why so many houses remain unbuilt and so many homes stand empty.”
The motion will be heard at Full Council in the Chamber at Milton Keynes Council Offices on 17th June at 7.30pm. Residents are free to attend in person or watch the live stream on You Tube.
