Planning Policy

This part of the Council prepares local planning policies against which most planning applications are judged, including those made and determined by the Milton Keynes Partnership. Planning policies are contained in a folder of documents known as the Local Development Framework. The preparation of these documents is project managed according to the Local Development Scheme, which sets out when the various documents will be prepared over the next 3 years. Eventually they will replace the Local Plan, which was adopted on 21 December 2005 and the Minerals Local Plan. Until then the policies in the Local Plans will remain the basis for day-to-day decisions on planning applications.

In addition to the Local Plan there are a number of supplementary planning guidance/documents.

Whilst we produce most of these documents, other Council departments and partners lead on producing additional documents.

We also work closely with Milton Keynes Partnerships who are the agency who have been set up to deliver growth in Milton Keynes.

The Council has produced a draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for Transport Obligations as part of its Local Development Framework. Comments are being sought on the draft document by 31st July 2008.

Click here to see more.

A new, independent, report has been published looking at the possible number of houses in new development areas south east and south west of Milton Keynes. The report, by planning consultants GVA Grimley, is published a few months before the Government revisits the South East Plan, the regional plan for the whole of SE England, which would bring over 50,000 new homes to Milton Keynes and surrounding areas in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire by 2026.
Click here for more information.

Cabinet on 15 July will consider the results of the consultation on the Core Strategy Preferred Options document and agree the next stages and timetable for producing the Submission version of the Core Strategy. Cabinet report

The Core Strategy will set out the Council's position on the vision, objectives and overreaching strategy for the development of the city to 2026 and beyond.
Click here for more details and key dates.

The old planning system of Regional Planning Guidance, Structure Plans and Local Plans has been replaced and there are now two levels of plan making - Regional and Local. Regional plan making.

The Council has now adopted the Waste Development Plan Document.

More details of the document can be found here.

The Council has submitted it's 2006/07 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) to the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) setting out progress against the Local Development Scheme and the extent to which policies in the Local Plan are being achieved. See the report here.

The Development Plans team has introduded a new system to make it easier for consultation responses to be made online. Limehouse was used for the first time to consult on the Core Strategy Preferred Options and will be used to produce and consult all future planning policy publications.

Click here for an introduction to the Limehouse system.

The Council has adopted the Milton Keynes Urban Development Area Tariff Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The document explains the planning policy context for the Urban Development Area Tariff. Click here to read more.

Milton Keynes Council has produced a Sustainable Construction Guide Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to assist in the delivery of Sustainable Construction Policy D4 of the Local Plan. Cabinet resolved to adopt the document as SPD on 10th April 2007.

You can view the adopted version of the SPD and supporting documents by clicking on the link below.
Sustainable Construction SPD

The Council issued a draft version of the Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for public consultation from 4th January to 15 February 2007. Officers carefully considered the comments received and these were reported to Cabinet on the 5th June 2007, along with officer responses and recommended changes to the document. The Cabinet resolved to adopt the document. However, the document was 'called in' and assessed at the Executive Scrutiny Panel on the 27th June 2007. The Panel recommended that the item be referred back to Cabinet. Cabinet reviewed the request on the 17th July 2007 and decided to confirm the adoption of the SPD. More Information

Outline planning consent has been granted for the potential redevelopment of land on the north side of Tickford Street, currently owned by Aston Martin.

Milton Keynes Council began production of an Area Action Plan for Wolverton town centre in 2005. However, the decision has recently been taken to withdraw the document from the Local Development Scheme. Click below for more details of the reasons behind this decision.
Wolverton Area Action Plan.

The council's Statement of Community Involvement sets out guidelines for involving people in the planning system. View the council's adopted Statement of Community Involvement here.