Retirement homes plan for former petrol station site in Milton Keynes countryside refused

Planning officers have turned down an application to build a block of 34 retirement homes on a former petrol station at a village in Milton Keynes.
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Despite the site being derelict and vacant, planners at Milton Keynes Council say the McCarthy & Stone Retirement Lifestyles plan would go against national policies that seek to “protect the intrinsic beauty of the open countryside.”

They are also unhappy with proposed access arrangements, and flood risks at the site near the river Great Ouse, off the Northampton Road, in Lathbury, near Newport Pagnell.

Plans to build a new petrol station, museum, cafe and housing on the site were permitted in 2015. But that was not carried out in time.

The former petrol station site in Northampton Road, Lathwell (Google)The former petrol station site in Northampton Road, Lathwell (Google)
The former petrol station site in Northampton Road, Lathwell (Google)

And since then, the council has adopted a new set of policies that rule the area out for new housing.

“Plan:MK sets out a clear strategy for meeting the objectively assessed needs for housing within Milton Keynes which does not draw on unallocated land outside of settlement boundaries and within open countryside,” the officers say in their report.

Agent Richard Butler, of the Planning Bureau had put an opposing point of view in a supporting statement.

He said it complies with policies in favour of sustainable development.

In the statement he said: “The scheme itself has been designed following engagement from the local community and incorporating pre-application advice from the council which has resulted in a high-quality design in keeping with the surrounding area.”

The developers have been told that they can appeal to the Government to contest the decision.

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