Fury over plans to build a '˜mini Milton Keynes'

The proposal from developer Gallagher Estates to build thousands of new homes around Little Linford, Haversham and Castlethorpe would destroy the rural area and generate “enormous” amounts of traffic, noise and pollution, say protesters, who include Tory councillor Andrew Geary.

“Even more concerning is that the proposal is likely to require the construction of a new junction on the M1 about a mile north of the Newport Pagnell Services and close to the Little Linford Wood nature reserve,” said a spokesman for the newly-formed residents’ action group.

“The cost of this junction could be up to £100 million and would feed two new dual carriageways crossing the development to join the grid roads around Wolverton, New Bradwell, and Stantonbury.

“The junction would result in major congestion right across Milton Keynes,” he added.

The homes are proposed for inclusion in the new draft MK Local Plan for 2018 to 2031. This plan will be discussed by the council in February.

Protesters say the cost of infrastructure would be huge and it would be far cheaper to build in the south of the borough as part of the Oxford and Cambridge “corridor” proposed by the Government.

“Central MK could also accommodate more homes helping to make public transport viable and getting people out of their cars and into buses,” said the spokesman.”

Gallagher Estates already owns or has options on around 900 acres of the massive site. This would form around 85 per cent of the proposed satellite development.