A planning application that would see around 203 dwellings imposed in the Woburn Sands and Wavendon area will be paused and reviewed following a campaign by residents, Councillors and the local MP.
The decision on whether or not the Wavendon Properties development would be granted planning permission was due last week. But, following an intervention by Milton Keynes South MP Iain Stewart and representations made by Milton Keynes Council officers it was confirmed that the final decision would be 'called-in' and decided by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.
Serious concerns had been raised that if the Wavendon Properties development had been given the thumbs up then the flood gates would open and unwanted and unplanned housing would blight communities across MK.
Councils keep control over their future housing plans through a model called the 'five year land supply,' the developers attempting to get through the Wavendon Properties had argued that the Council was unable to build enough housing therefore failing to meet their 'five year land supply.' On the other hand the Council and campaigners argued Milton Keynes was meeting its targets and building plenty of new homes.
Iain Stewart MP who wrote a letter to the Secretary of State requesting the 'call-in' said: "This is an extremely important time for Milton Keynes. As we look beyond our 50th year we need to make sure that we continue to keep our housing development well planned and infrastructure led. We are well beyond our originally planned size both in terms of population and footprint. Residents are not against continuing that growth but it is important it is planned and communities have buy in. This development risks that at this time."
Danesborough and Walton Councillor Victoria Hopkins added: "I would like to thank Iain, residents and Council officers for their hard work campaigning against this development. Wavendon already has taken a significant amount of new housing as has Woburn Sands. There is a real danger that we put significant strain on our infrastructure and services. I welcome the decision and hope the Secretary of State has an opportunity to review all of the arguments I and others made against this development and will choose David over Goliath on this occasion."
It is understood that part of the decision to 'call-in' the development was that it may fail to meet the Government's objective to secure a better balance between housing demand and supply and create high quality, sustainable, mixed and inclusive communities.
