180 council flats to be demolished in Milton Keynes - because they're not viable to repair

The 18 blocks of affected flats are all in Bletchley and built in the 1960s with a specific type of prefabricated reinforced panels of concrete mixed with chemicals.

But over the years, the concrete has deteriorated and fallen in chunks from the four-storey buildings.

In 2023, the Citizen reported how REEMA residents were living in fear of lumps of concrete falling on their heads.

Afterwards, MK City Council worked with industry experts to carry out detailed assessments of the blocks – and decided they would be inviable to repair and make safe.

"Unfortunately, treating the concrete issues is uneconomical and unaffordable for the Council and is a nationwide issue for this type of historic building material,” said a council spokesperson.

"While the flats are safe to live in, buildings constructed this way become more susceptible to the weather over time, and the surface of the concrete can become loose. Following the assessments, it was clear that the type and cost of repairs required to keep these old buildings to an expected standard would become unmanageable,” they added.

A decision was made to bulldoze all the flats in a phased programme to be completed by the end of 2028 – which means new homes must be found for the hundreds of tenants and leaseholders.

This week 46 households living in Argyll House, Stirling House, Edinburgh House and Sawley House are all in their new homes and the four blocks are now vacant and ready to be demolished. It is expected that new housing will be build on the sites.

“Each tenant has been supported by a dedicated council colleague who has worked closely with them, meeting them individually to understand their needs and helping them move into a home that better suits their needs,” said the spokesperson.

"The city council is now preparing for the future of the sites and is looking to begin the search for a contractor to carry out the demolition of the empty buildings. This will allow options to be explored about what can replace them, the funding available and enable conversations to take place with the local community.”

The procurement search for a demolition contractor will begin shortly..

Council colleagues recently visited Barry (pictured), one of the tenants who has been rehoused in a bungalow to remove the challenge of stairs.

Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Ed Hume, said: “We’re pleased to have supported our tenants into new homes and we’ll continue working with residents in the remaining two phases. This goes beyond just moving people – it’s about giving families somewhere decent to live and a fresh start. With Phase 1 complete, we can also start looking ahead and begin shaping the future of these sites, which includes looking for ways to secure funding and build new council homes.”

Meanwhile, fencing remains around some areas of the blocks to protect residents from loose concrete. Scaffolding is also in place to allow ongoing monitoring and any surface repairs needed.

“This challenge is not unique to Milton Keynes, with councils across the country dealing with similar issues, such as in Leeds, where two 10-storey blocks are being decommissioned,” said the spokesperson.