MPs protest about plans to double the population of Milton Keynes

Iain Stewart and Ben Everitt are responding to the council's plan to double MK's population to 500,000 over the next 30 years and expand city boundaries to reach neighbouring Buckingham, Leighton Buzzard and Northampton .

The MPs say they are supportive of new housing to meet local demand, but claim the plans have not been properly thought through and will place too great a strain on local services and infrastructure.

They also say the expansion will damage the environment and undermine the basic structure of Milton Keynes .

And they are urging the council to regenerate existing rundown estates before the city is expanded.

Iain Stewart, MP for Milton Keynes South, said: “Any plans for new housing must be thought-through carefully and be made in conjunction with our neighbours as part of a wider Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge corridor. We have over 20,000 unbuilt new houses already agreed. Why are we not concentrating on building those, and then taking time to think about what additional housing might be needed in the long-term? New homes should be built to support economic growth and not be simply to meet an artificial number.”

Ben Everitt, MP for Milton Keynes North, said:“Labour-run MK Council’s plans to expand recklessly without the proper planning will be disastrous for Milton Keynes. We need to protect our green spaces and ensure that local transport and public services are able to cope with extra demand.

"Iain and I will be working with our Conservative colleagues on MK Council to oppose these plans and we will be campaigning hard to elect a Conservative Council in May."

Alex Walker, leader of MK Conservative councillors, said: “The extent of Labour-led MK Council’s expansion plans are reckless and will destroy all we love about Milton Keynes.”

Residents can comment on the plans here