Nearly £1m is set to be spent on environmental improvements to the Lakes Estate in Bletchley as the council seeks to prove its commitment to residents of a doomed block of flats.
Residents at Serpentine Court voted overwhelmingly at the end of 2018 to demolish their decrepit housing, but more than two years later they are still waiting for the bulldozers to move in.
“It is understandable that stakeholders, especially Serpentine Court residents, may feel somewhat disappointed about the current pace towards achieving a start-on-site with the housing project,” says a report to a Milton Keynes Council meeting tomorrow (Tuesday).
Rahul Mundray, MKC development manager, adds: “It is therefore important that MKC works to reassure Serpentine Court residents that, despite challenges such as covid-19 and Brexit, progress is being made.”
The report, to ward councillor Cllr Emily Darlington (Lab, Bletchley East), the cabinet member for public realm and housing services, says that the council believes it is “important to effectively communicate the message that, although unavoidable delays in commencing the main works project
are occurring, the council is carrying out steps to initiate activities.”
Now the council has worked up a £960,000 plan to bring forward some of the environmental work that the Lakes redevelopment plan has promised.
A planning application for 589 homes was resoundingly approved by the council’s development control committee in October 2020. Elements of the plan are going through the council’s procurement process.
The report to Cllr Darlington says while the process is ongoing “MKC would like to demonstrate its commitment to the Lakes regeneration process by carrying out environmental improvement work on the estate”.
Officers say they want to start the work as soon as possible after a period of “detailed consultation with Lakes residents”.
Cllr Darlington will, tomorrow, be asked to approve spending £675,000 on play areas, £160,000 on courtyard improvements and £125,000 a new redway route between Drayton Road and the Blue Lagoon.
The new redway has already been given £225,000 of Government funding but the report pointed out that the council got its sums wrong and it needs a £125,000 top up.
“Further analysis of initial cost estimates has indicated this amount might be insufficient to carry out the works required,” it says.
“Therefore, further funding of up to £125,000 is now requested.”
The report adds that the £225,000 from the Government needs to be spent by the end of March this year, and that council officers are working to “facilitate delivery of the leisure route upgrade within this time-frame.”
