Council recruits private consultants to review thousands of new homes in Milton Keynes

They will pay experts at Design South East around £6,000 a day to provide independent advice for major development proposals to ensure the new schemes are “well-designed, sustainable and fit for the future”.

The cash will come from developers' pre-application fees, at no additional cost to the council.

Major development proposals will be reviewed by an independent panel before formal planning applications are submitted, giving developers access to expert advice at an early stage.

Design South East is an independent not-for-profit organisation operating specialised local authority design panels, including panels set up specifically to evaluate high-density, tall building developments.

The organisation has worked closely with several large cities. These including Woking, where it supported the borough in its ambition to ‘go tall’ and create a high-density hub in the city centre, and Kingston-upon-Thames, where it reviewed high-density residential redevelopments of historic pubs, hospitals and even the conversion of a multi-story car-park to part residential use.

Currently huge numbers of new apartments are planned for Central Milton Keynes. The largest of these is the MK Gateway development at the former Saxon Court site, which will feature a landmark 33-storey residential tower block.

An MKCC spokesperson said this week: “With thousands of new homes, employment spaces and infrastructure projects being delivered across MK, the city council is strengthening the way it works with developers to raise design standards and create places that people will be proud to live, work and spend time in for generations to come.”

The South East Design panel brings together specialists in architecture, urban design, landscape, sustainability, heritage, transport, regeneration, public health, community engagement, planning and inclusive design. The members have extensive experience of Milton Keynes and an understanding of the qualities that make the city unique, says the council.

“As one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, maintaining high standards of design is increasingly important. The panel will help ensure new development complements Milton Keynes' distinctive character while supporting greener neighbourhoods, enhancing biodiversity, encouraging sustainable travel and creating attractive, healthy places for communities. It will also help ensure that new developments are designed around the needs of the people who live there, creating neighbourhoods that are easy to get around, well connected to services and support a high quality of life,” stated the spokesperson.

MK’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Placemaking, Cllr Jenny Wilson-Marklew, said: "Milton Keynes continues to grow at a remarkable pace, with new homes, businesses and infrastructure helping to support our thriving city. As that growth continues, it's important that developments are designed to a high standard and contribute positively to the environment and local communities.

"This independent panel will provide valuable expertise at an early stage, helping developers create better proposals that are sustainable, well-connected and fit for the future. Good design is about much more than how a place looks. It's about creating neighbourhoods where people can live well, with access to green spaces, services and amenities, and where communities can thrive.

"It is another way we are supporting growth while protecting the qualities that make Milton Keynes special."