Developer's bid to build hundreds of new homes next to Milton Keynes nature reserve fails after second appeal

It would be too harmful to the ecology and open countryside, ruled the appeal
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A bid to build hundreds of homes alongside the city’s most biodiverse nature reserve has once again been thwarted following another costly appeal.

This was the second appeal in an eight year battle by developers Templeview, who are striving for permission to build on land at Linford Lakes, next to the nature reserve and near Great Linford.

They want to build 196 homes, 277 extra care apartments, 41 retirement bungalows and a care home with up to 70 bedrooms on the land, which forms part of the Ouse Valley Linear Park.

Linford Lakes Nature reserve is a  permit only siteLinford Lakes Nature reserve is a  permit only site
Linford Lakes Nature reserve is a permit only site

The rest of the site, which emcompasses the nine Linford fishing lakes, would then be handed over to The Parks Trust to beome linear parkland, say Templeview.

Milton Keynes City Council has twice refused the company’s applications on the grounds that they fail to comply with Plan:MK and the homes would intrude into the open countryside and the “valued landscape of high quality.”

The proposed site, which a flood risk area, stretches from the nature reserve and around the back of Redhouse Park and north of Wolverton Road up to the boundary of Oakridge Park.

The development would mean the building of a new new access road to the Linford Lakes Study Centre, the stopping up of the public road in Stanton Low and the demolition of the Marle Inn.

The first application came in 2016 and was for 250 units of housing. This appeal was lost in 2019. Another application was submitted in 2021 – but this time with more than double the number of housing units. This was again refused by the council and an appeal, in the form of a public inquiry through the Planning Inspectorate, was held last month.

Today (Thursday) the appeal results have been published and it has been dismissed on the grounds that the developement would be against the council’s Local Plan and would impact on the countryside, landscape and ecology..

Though there would be benefits in the much-needed extra homes for the elderly and the extra linear parkland, these bonuses would be outweighed by the disadvantages, said the Inspector.

"Notwithstanding the policy support and benefits arising from the linear park element of the scheme, I consider that the appeal proposal would conflict with the development plan when taken as a whole. That conflict would be substantial,” his report states.

Protestors are now hoping this will be the end of the matter and the appeal decision will set a good precedent for any future applications in this area.

Linford Lakes Nature Reserve was once gravel pits and was established as a wildfowl research centre in 1970. Used as a base for environmental education, it is widely regarded as the most biodiverse site in Milton Keynes and contains a variety of habitats including lakes, grazing land, wetland margins, scrub and trees.

The 37 hectare site consists of a large lake, reedbeds, wet woodland and small meadows interlaced with a smaller lakes and ponds. There are bird watching hides all around it.

However, it is a permit holder only site rather than a public park. Annual permits can be purchased through The Parks Trust here and cost £20 per adult or £25 per family.

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