Huge new 6-storey warehouse breached planning requirement, Milton Keynes councillors rule

The 17.9 metre tall building was built for Shurgard, the largest owner and operator of self-storage facilities in Europe, on the former Evans Halshaw site on Watling Street at Crownhill.

But now, following MK City’s Council’s refusal of a retrospective planning application, the warehouse is stuck in limbo.

It was granted planning permission by a single MK City Council officer under delegrated powers in December 2024 with certain planning conditions – one of which was that landscaping and noise buffer plans should be submitted for approval once the structural building was underway.

This was of particular interest to residents on Great Holm, whose houses are just 60 metres away from the new warehouse.

However, the building reached above slab level without getting these plans approved. As a result, officers opened an enforcement investigation and Shurgard submitted a new and retrospective application for the landscaping conditions.

The new plan immediately caused a protest on Great Holm. For the orginal 10.5 metre noise buffer was more than halved, with proposals to plant 390 trees and shrubs instead of the original 1,631 - a 76% cut.

"Rather than submit the landscaping scheme required before construction, the developer built the entire structure first and has now applied retrospectively for approval of a dramatically reduced planting plan,” calimed a spokesperson for the Great Holm residents.

Last week councillors refused the new application on the grounds that landscaping on the Watling Street frontage was "insufficient in the context of the site and the character and appearance of the area." It requires more trees and shrubs, including evergreens, along the northern boundary facing homes, they said.

The officers’ report also stated that there were "inconsistencies shown on the submitted plans when compared to the original application."

The refusal came after objections from dozens of residents as well as Loughton and Great Holm Parish Council and even the council's own landscape architect, ecology team and highways team.

It means the self-stroage building cannot be lawfully be occupied until a compliant landscaping scheme is approved. The developer has six months to appeal or can submit a revised scheme.

Meanwhile, one resident has made a formal complaint about why the orginal planning application was approved under delegrated powers by just one person when it had prompted objections from two parish councils, a ward councillor, the flood authority and multiple council specialists. The complaint has now been moved to Stage 2.

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