Update - Salden Chase - East West Rail - Newton Leys West - VALP - MK2050
Village Briefing Meetings
The parish council has arranged two virtual public briefing meetings which have been arranged at short notice because of the need to respond quickly to consultation the Milton Keynes Council (MKC) as below. We have arranged a later date of 30th July with MKC for comments to be submitted, so there will still be time to respond after the meetings.
We will also cover other current issues include East West Rail and the proposed Newton Leys South. Each briefing meeting will cover the same topics. You may attend either or both which will be hosted on Zoom. If you have not used Zoom before please download the software before the start of the meeting, see the website Zoom.us for details.
Tuesday 28th July 7 pm
Wednesday 29th July 4 pm
The Zoom connection details for both meetings are: bit.ly/NLPCBriefing if you require assistance to use Zoom please email the parish council office This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at least two hours before the time of the meeting.
Each briefing meeting will give details about the current situation on Salden Chase, East West Rail, "Newton Leys West" (the recent proposals for around 1,100 houses at a site being called "Newton Leys West") as well as brief updates on VALP (Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan which will include "Shenley Park" in Whaddon village, Salden Chase Phase 2 and Eaton Leys) and MK2050 (the Milton Keynes draft strategy for 2050). There will be an opportunity to ask questions which will be answered if possible.
Salden Chase “South West Milton Keynes”
There are a number of different things happening at present about this long running speculative proposal to dump nearly 2000 houses on the green space between Newton Longville and Bletchley. Each of these are explained in more detail below.
Current consultation by Milton Keynes Council 20/01656/CONS
You may have had an email or letter from Milton Keynes Council (MKC) about a consultation they have had from Buckinghamshire Council (previously Aylesbury Vale District Council) with the reference 20/01656/CONS this is not a new application but consultation on an "updated" Environmental Assessment submitted to Buckinghamshire Council.
We have had several requests for advice on how to respond to this. MKC have now agreed to accept comments up until Thursday 30th July rather than earlier dates in their email/letter. The reason for this limited time to reply is due to the limited time MKC were given by Buckinghamshire Council.
The parish council have replied to the consultation by Milton Keynes Council, the text of this is below. We are asking MKC to object to the updated application using similar reason to those they used before in 2016. If you agree with what we have said, then please make a comment to MKC saying “I agree with and endorse the submission by Newton Longville Parish Council and urge Milton Keynes Council to object to the application to Buckinghamshire Council”. If you wish to say anything different then contact MKC with what you wish to say.
How to comment to MKC
If you can please use the MKC website, go to bit.ly/SaldenChaseCONS Note MKC do not use the Comments tab
or you may email comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. please put the reference 20/01656/CONS In the email subject line
or you may write to Planning Department, Milton Keynes Council, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes, MK9 3EJ
If you need any advice about commenting on planning applications, see the advice from MKC on their website at: bit.ly/MKCPlanning
The many documents that make up the “updated” Environmental Statement” and “Transport Assessment” may be downloaded from either the MKC website at bit.ly/SaldenChaseCONS or the Buckinghamshire Council website at bit.ly/SaldenChase - however the documents are not easy to follow on either website and by the end of July we hope to be able to make a more easy to access listing available from the parish council website.
Response by Newton Longville Parish Council to Milton Keynes Council
Milton Keynes Council reference: 20/01656/CONS
Buckinghamshire Council reference: 15/00314/AOP
"Thank you for your request for comments on the consultation you have had from Buckinghamshire Council on the updated application they have had for Salden Chase (“South West Milton Keynes”). We appreciate the ongoing opposition of Milton Keynes Council (MKC) to this attempt to build houses on the edge of Milton Keynes as if part of Milton Keynes but whose residents will not be in Milton Keynes.
On the basis the MKC decision to object then we believe the decision to object is one that may be made by a delegated decision.
Buckinghamshire Council should be asked to confirm they will not make any decision on the application until a decision is made on the appeal against the refusal of the application to MKC.
We urge MKC to object to this current consultation for the same sort of robust reasons as resolved by the Development Control Committee (DCC) on 17th November 2016 as expressed in the earlier letter from MKC to AVDC that: “The application fails to take account of the level of services and facilities required to meet the day-to-day needs of its future residents and fails to make proportionate contributions towards an increase in the capacity of existing facilities within Milton Keynes to satisfy these increased demands and to mitigate the impact of the proposed development on existing services and infrastructure in Milton Keynes.”
Little of substance has changed since then apart from a significant reduction in the amount of employment proposed and the addition of a 60 bed care home and a 6 GP surgery (neither of which presumably are guaranteed - funding, etc. having been arranged). This can be compared with Newton Leys where there was meant to be a GP surgery but so far nothing has been built. Whilst there have been some minor improvements in the Section 106 funding proposed towards the cost of infrastructure in Milton Keynes, it is still wholly inadequate.
In addition, account should be taken of the reasons for refusal of the identical application 15/00619/FUL made to MKC and refused by DCC on 7th November 2019, which is now subject to appeal.
The major differences we have so far identified between the most recent update and the application made in January 2015 are:
- Main access is now via Buckingham Road and will require signalisation of the current roundabouts on the H8 Standing Way at Tattenhoe roundabout and at the Buckingham Road/Sherwood Drive/Water Eaton Road roundabout in Bletchley.
- Includes preliminary plans for developments at Salden Chase Phase 2 and at “Shenley Park” (in Whaddon village) which it is claimed will reduce the traffic as a new grid road will help alleviate the traffic (except we believe it will make using Newton Longville as a bypass even more attractive).
- Around 200 vehicles per peak hours will still use the Whaddon Road access and use the village as a bypass. This is an increase of 50% of the current traffic on Whaddon Road.
- A detailed consideration in conjuction with the MK CCG of the need and justification for a 6 GP surgery and 60 bed care home and how each will be funded.
- The long queues of cars to get out of, or into the development is very likely to cause harmful air pollution.
Appeal against refusal by Milton Keynes Council of application
Background to the refusal by MKC and the appeal may be read at: https://newton-longville.com/2-general/22-salden-chase-appeal this page will be updated in the next few days with more information.
Working with West Bletchley Council the parish council have engaged specialist lawyers and highways consultants to defend the refusal by MKC. We have indentified multiple errors in the "revised" Transport Statement submitted as part of the appeal.
Salden Chase - outstanding application to Buckinghamshire Council (previously AVDC)
The planning reference for the application is 15/00314/AOP details of the application may be viewed at bit.ly/SaldenChase or on the Aylesbury Vale Planning area part of the Buckinghamshire Council website by searching for the application number.
Even though the planning application was made to Aylesbury Vale DIstrict Council (AVDC, now Buckinghamshire Council) in January 2015, they have still not made a decision on the application. This page will be updated in the next few days with more information.
You may have had a letter or email from BUckinghamshire Council about their consultation with a date of 5th August to reply by. We have pointed out to them that by law that as this is an application under the Environmental Impact Regulations they must consult for at least 21 days. So far Buckinghamshire Council have failed to reply to us about this.
East West Rail
For more details of the current situation, see the parish council website at newton-longville.com/2-general/29-road-and-rights-of-way-closures-east-west-rail following action by our local MP Greg Smith we have a meeting early next week with the government minister responsible for East West Rail - we hope to be able to give an update at the briefing meetings.
Unfortunately EWR/NR have been very poor at communiticating which is one of the main issues we will be discussing with the government minister. EWR/NR seem to make promises they then fail to keep to and act as if the TWAO (Transport and Works Act Order) allows them and their contractors to do what they want, when they want, without giving anyone any notice. We have robustly pointed out at a senior level to both Buckinghamshire Council and EWR/NR that is not what the law allows. So far Buckinghamshire Council have failed to use the enforcement powers available to them. This is also something we will be raising with the government minister. If you wish to pass on any view on EWR/NR please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Currently Whaddon Road is due to re-open to through traffic on Monday 27th July and once it is re-opened Bletchley Road/Newton Road will close overnight from 8:30 pm to 6 am at the rail bridge. There are also issues with noise from the works causing problems to residents near the rail bridge and Compound B6 at the old brickworks site.
VALP Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan
It appears work on VALP has been delayed, partly as a result of COVID-19 and it is not expected there will be any update until at least September. More information is available on the VALP enquiry website www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/valp-main-modifications-consultation
"Newton Leys West"
Along with neighbouring parish and town councils, we have recently been approached by developers Willis Dawson Ltd about their plans for what they call "Newton Leys West" to build around 1,100 houses, a new Primary School and Local Centre on land on the edge of Newton Longville and Stoke Hammond parishes to the west of the existing Newton Leys. Details of their proposal may be seen on their website NewtonLeysWest.co.uk Their proposal is not promoted within either the current Milton Keynes Local Plan Plan:MK, VALP or the Main Modifications to VALP. We are in discussions with the developers and aim to hold a public meeting specifically about this proposal in early September.
MK2050 - MK Futures 2050 - the Milton Keynes Strategy for 2050
See website for more details. MKC have published some thoughts and questions that they believe need to be considered in relation to Covid-19, and they say they would love to hear views on these issues, and what adaptations may be appropriate to include in the Strategy. They are reviewing the feedback they have had as well as from Covid-19 discussions. They intend to publish a revised Strategy for 2050 in Autumn 2020 as an opportunity for feedback on the changes made, before a final Strategy is considered by the MKC Cabinet and Council for adoption early in 2021.
Newton Longville Parish Council 26th July 2020.
