Thousands sign petition to save The Point from demolition in Central Milton Keynes

More than 6,417 people have signed a petition urging the council not to allow the city’s centre’s iconic Point building to be bulldozed.

The Citizen reported earlier this week how developers GHL (Galliard Holdings Ltd) have submitted a planning application to demolish the famous red pyramid and build 487 new flats, up to 21 storeys tall, in its place.

The move led to a public outcry on social media, with people saying the city centre does not need more flats and the building should be preserved for community use.

A petition to Milton Keynes City Council and English Heritage has been launched by Simon Stevens from the Save The Point group and thousands have rushed to sign it.

You can view the petition, called ‘There Is A Point To Saving The Point’, here.

It states: “Prevent the demolishing of this iconic building and rather invest money renovating it so that it survives. Whilst it may not meet all criterion set by English Heritage currently, The Point should be Grade II Listed - just like the shopping centre MK.

"The Point 10 is an iconic building built in Central Milton Keynes. Apart from its interesting architectural design, it was the first of its kind in the UK...Its image lit with four red lines was used on much of the marketing collateral of Milton Keynes as it evolved and developed through the 80's and 90's and took centre stage across the horizon as you drove past or through this growing city.

"The Point is an important piece of MK's DNA and its recent history. Please help us to save it by signing this petition.”

But even thousands of signatures may not be enough to sway council officers and councillors, who will soon make the decision on whether or not to grant planning permission.

They set a precedent several years ago by granting similar consent to The Point’s former owners Hammerson’s, who also wanted to demolish it and build hundreds of flats.

But this planning permission expired before Hammerson’s could start work and the site was subsequently sold to GHL.

The new application would encompass The Point car park and would include retail units, a cinema, bar, outdoor sports area and landscaped public space

It would have a Gross Development Value (GDV) of up to £150 million, say Galliard.

Campaigners have previously tried to get The Point a Grade II listed status to preserve it, but Historic England refused their bid on the grounds that it “lacked architectural merit”.

The protesters believe the building should still be preserved and used for disadvantaged young people and a centre for information, guidance and advocacy.

The £7.5 million building opened in1985 as the very first leisure destination for the new town and was home to one of the UK’s first multiplex cinemas, along with a games arcade, bingo hall and nightclub.

With its famous red pyramid of light visible from miles around, it was described as a 'beacon of the future' of MK,

However, after nearly 30 years, the building became outdated and the cinema was struggling to compete with the16 screen multiplex in nearby Xscape. The Point cinema finally closed in February 2015.

You can view GHL’s application here.