Construction of the new Milton Keynes College buildings on their site in Sherwood Drive is completed. The application for development was approved by the Milton Keynes Council Development Control Committee after resolving certain issues concerning traffic, public access to sports facilities etc. The new college was planned to take the form of a rectangular three-storey glass blocks clad in larch (Yes 'Something completely different') on the site of the former cricket pitch. A second building will provide facilities for engineering and construction faculties. It will now be surrounded by lawns and parkland rather than a large paved area. The architects are Allies and Morrison. Work started on the 13 million pound development in July 2001 . Students are expected to transferred in this Autumn term of 2002.
It is proposed to redevelop the site of the existing college (formerly Bletchley Grammar School) as housing and as a commercial development immediately fronting the station. Tree preservation orders have been placed on twelve trees and on seven groups of trees on the site. However, it was stated that "it may be necessary to remove some (of these) trees if the value of the development warrants it"
An application for development of the former college site has now been made. This consists of an office development of three to four stories opposite the station in Sherwood Drive with parking. Behind this is housing consisting mainly of apartments with 153 units at a density of 88 to the hectare. The first block behind the offices will be affordable housing consisting of 20% of the total. The last block will consist of town houses backing on to Wilton Avenue. Thehousing will also be three to four storeys. The Application Number is 02/01507/RCM. A Public Meeting organised by Bletchley Park Residents Association was held on 15 th. October 2002 in Bletchley Park Mansion.
The central objection of residents was based on concern that the density of the new housing development of 88 units per acre was unrelated to the character, appearance and density of the surrounding area contrary to the provisions of the local plan. The density of housing in the Church Green area is at most 20 houses per hectare. The planning officer stated that the minimum density that is required by planning guidance is 30 per acre. The proposal in the new unadopted local plan is a minimum of 40 per acre.
The officer also stated that the planning department would have more regard to the nature of the design than the density. The design of the housing involves a parapet instead of the pitched roofing, which is common locally. It was not clear why the developer should prefer higher densities for private housing on this site. The impact on Bletchley Park as a conservation area, tourist attraction and potential innovation park was raised.
There was criticism that there were extensive three storey blocks with sections at four storeys in an area of largely two storey building. There was particular concern by residents of Wilton Avenue that the balconies on three storey houses would overlook their gardens.
The current local plan allows planning permission for a higher density than the surrounding area in order to meet the housing needs identified in PH5 of the local plan. The development does not meet the needs of Policy PH5 requiring 30% of housing to fall into the priority housing category. It had apparently already been agreed that priority housing need only be 20% of the total.The nature of the development and its location would be an undesirable environment and create difficulties for some elderly people. The accommodation is unlikely to appeal to 'priority workers.
The site is some distance from schools with spare capacity. The lack of capacity at Lord Grey school in particular was raised. The accommodation would probably be unsuitable for families with older children both in size and open space to play. Although planning gain for a children's playground had been agreed, there was currently no plan as to where this would be.
The traffic analysis was hard to examine closely in the reference copy,
because some pages were bound upside down. The conclusion that there will
be limited traffic impact is based on traffic information, which would
seem to be out of date. It also seems to take no account of increases due
to the inclusion of extra traffic generated by
a) the college faculties previously located at Wolverton & Bletchley
Park.
b) other housing development on the Bletchley Park Site.
c) the proposed innovation park.
d) recent proposals to develop the site off Wilton Avenue.
e) he increased use of the station due to the predicted cross rail
link.
The interpretation of the model in terms of the congestion created
is open to question. The assumption that the Sherwood Drive/Buckingham
Road junction would continue to operate below capacity is unsupported by
local experience.
The application referred to a number of bus services in Sherwood Drive when there are none. It is thought that these were services along Buckingham Road. There was some concern at the limited number of parking spaces allocated to each dwelling. It was thought unlikely that residents would rely on public transport to the extent envisaged. In practice they would find it difficult to travel to work or to shop relying on public transport. Central Bletchley is near as the crow flies but due to roads and crossings difficult to access as a pedestrian. The result would be severe local planning problem. There is planning gain for refurbishing the footpath alongside Bletchley Park as a redway. It was suggested that far from the design of the site discouraging crime, the blocks facing the path would be vulnerable to vandalism.
There was also some concern with the parking problems arising from the impact of surplus college parking, that for the commercial development when combined with that of casual rail users.