Another look at £100m Wolverton Works plans

Councillors will re-examine a £100m regeneration masterplan for the Wolverton Works site.
An artists impression of how part of the Wolverton Works regeneration will look if given approval once againAn artists impression of how part of the Wolverton Works regeneration will look if given approval once again
An artists impression of how part of the Wolverton Works regeneration will look if given approval once again

The plans for the site would see the demolition of historic rail buildings to make way for up to 375 new homes, new employment floorspace for operators Knorr-Bremse, a new public square, an Aldi supermarket, and a possible heritage museum.

Although the scheme was given outline planning permission back in November, Milton Keynes Council’s development control committee of is being asked to look at the plans again at a meeting next Thursday.

This is because planning officers felt the “heritage and historic impact of the development had not been sufficiently reported.”

It is also expected that members of the committee will look at the final draft of a Section 106 agreement, which lists the contributions that developers St Modwens will be giving to the local community.

It is expected to include £3m towards education provision - and planning officers have recommended the scheme is given outline planning approval once again.

Gary Morris, senior development manager for the developers St Modwen, had previously told the Citizen the plans would “enhance the unique identity of the town and reflect its much-loved railway heritage.”

He added that it would also encourage “further economic growth and regeneration.”

Building work started last month on the Aldi store as it was a separate application.

The works were opened in 1838 by the London and Birmingham Railway Co.

At first the site was used for maintenance and repair, but soon it became the biggest carriage works in the UK.

It was eventually downgraded to a repairs facility in 1962, and the workforce nearly halved to 2,000.

In 2013, operators Railcare went into administration and made many of the 225 staff redundant. Knorr-Bremse purchased the site shortly afterwards.