Planning appeal to build brand new estate in Milton Keynes should be withdrawn, say councillors

Cllr Elaine Wales says the developer should withdraw their current planning appeal over the contentious Salden Chase application for land between Bletchley and Newton Longville.

The Bletchley councillor has led a vociferous campaign against the development due to concerns over bad design, pressure on MK services and traffic issues.

Some of the homes would fall in Milton Keynes and the others in Aylesbury Vale council area. MK Council refused the application on the Milton Keynes side of the border but councillors in Buckinghamshire have approved the

plans.

The developers, called the South West Milton Keynes Consortium, appealed to the planning inspector about MK's refusal.

"However at the last moment before the hearing the developer submitted over 1400 new pages of evidence. The hearing was postponed until February," said Cllr Wales.

She said the new evidence included "significant" changes to the road and roundabout designs. For this reason the appeal should be withdrawn and the plans resubmitted to the council for consideration, she said.

She added: “Salden Chase would be a blot on the edge of Milton Keynes. I’ve always opposed it and was happy

when Milton Keynes Council stopped it, despite Bucks Conservatives pushing for it and approving it.”

“I’m now calling for the appeal to be withdrawn or kicked out. A new application should be submitted and we can make our points again that Buckinghamshire Conservatives should not be dumping their housing on Milton Keynes border.”

The proposed site for Salden Chase is to the south west of Milton Keynes between the A421, Whaddon Road and the former Oxford to Bletchley railway line.

The South West Milton Keynes Consortium, which consists of five big-name developers, say their plan would provide a "logical new neighbourhood" for Milton Keynes, and complementing the existing communities at Tattenhoe Park, Kingsmead and Far Bletchley.

They want to build up to 1,855 homes, 30 per cent of which will be affordable housing, as well as a grid road reserve to provide a route for a Bletchley Southern Bypass.

The development would also include a neighbourhood centre, community hall, shops and eventually a GP surgery, as well as a primary school with early years provision. There is also site for a secondary school in the future.

You can read more about the consortium here .