Environment Agency agrees to clean up river 'full of weeds' in Milton Keynes town

Ben Everitt, the MP for Milton Keynes North, echoed residents’ concerns that the clogged river was increasing the flood risk for the town.

Severe flooding happened in December 2020, with damaged caused to a string of homes.

The river Great Ouse, running through the town and under the famous Iron Bridge is “visibly full of weeds”, he said and this could be exacerbating the problem.

Ben raised the issue a number of times with Environment Minister Rebecca Pow, and she arranged a meeting between the Environment Agency and Ben.

As a result, the agency agreed to clear vegetation and weeds from the river later this year.

Ben said: “I’ve been working with a number of local residents on this issue for over a year now and I’m delighted the Environment Agency has agreed to clear the river in Newport Pagnell.”

He added: “Flooding remains a big worry for Newport Pagnell residents and I’m glad we’ve been able to convince the Environment Agency to take action and I want to thank Rebecca Pow for her support on this.”

At the meeting with the Minister and Environment Agency Ben also raised concerns he has received from residents about MK Council’s plan to build thousands of new houses to the east of the M1 at Newport Pagnell.

The development is on productive agricultural land and this could add to the flooding problems already being experienced in Newport Pagnell and surrounding villages, he said.

Called MK East, the project would consist of a “new neighbourhood” of 5,000 new homes on a triangular plot of land west of Moulsoe and to the south of Newport Pagnell.

The development would include four new primary schools and a large secondary school to serve the new residents, along with a community health hub, a sports pavilion and a "district scale" children’s play space and visitor centre.

It will also include a massive new employment zone new bridge and a new bridge over the motorway, linking it to the city centre.