Two ‘transformative’ new neighbourhoods set for Milton Keynes as part of Bletchley town centre regeneration
The City Council has appointed a national placemaker to deliver two new neighbourhoods in Milton Keynes, building on a £22 million investment for Bletchley train station.
Placemaking company, Muse, has been appointed to deliver a masterplan for two large sites on the east and west of Bletchley station. It will work closely with the council, Milton Keynes Development Partnership (MKDP) and the local community to shape a vision for the area's future. The plans will deliver a range of new homes, including affordable housing, build-to-rent and open market sale, alongside new retail space, active ground-floor uses and community facilities.
The partnership builds on a £22 million investment going towards a new eastern entrance to Bletchley train station. The investment is made up of £17 million from the government’s Growth Mission Fund, and a further £5 million pledged by Milton Keynes City Council.
The new entrance will create a direct link between the station and Queensway, Bletchley’s main high street, with an aim of increasing footfall into the town centre and benefiting local businesses. Both projects aim to deliver a more vibrant high street, a welcoming arrival to the town centre and greener, safer and inclusive neighbourhoods for local people.
MKDP will lead on placemaking on behalf of MKCC, working to ensure developments are high quality and meet the needs of local people. The plans will act as a catalyst for wider regeneration and support the council’s big growth ambitions for Bletchley and Milton Keynes.
The town centre regeneration plans will maximise the wider benefits of the new East West Rail link which is planned to connect Oxford to Cambridge via Bletchley, cementing Bletchley’s position as a key destination in the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor. The improved links will create new opportunities for jobs, education and growth, helping attract more visitors and further investment.
Muse has delivered complex regeneration projects across London and the South, including over 4,400 homes, more than 800 affordable homes and over 2,600 build-to-rent homes.
Andy Howell, Development Director at Muse, said: “Bletchley has the connectivity, the ambition and the civic backing to become a success story in the region.
“Station-led transformation such as this, is exactly the kind of community creation that Muse specialises in – enhanced connectivity and placemaking, complex partnerships delivering meaningful change, and a long-term brief to transform a town centre, not just a site.
Cabinet Member responsible for the Town Deal at MK City Council, Cllr Ed Hume said: "This project is a major milestone in our vision for Bletchley and demonstrates our commitment to creating a thriving town centre that people are proud to live, work and spend time in.
“By bringing new homes, improved public spaces, community facilities and better connections around the station, we are creating the conditions for long-term growth and investment.