MILTON KEYNES | Projects and Construction

[MK Tom]

I don't really see any need to close off a major artery and demolish what was at the time the largest concrete pour in Britain to create yet more retail space. Part of this plan is moving the market to a smaller site which would be a very bad thing for the city centre - we have enough chain retail now not to mention the developments in Winterhill and the potential changes at Midsummer and the Point. We don't want to become an endless sea of chain stores. Also, any slight problem on Avebury Boulevard and everything will foul up - that's exactly the sort of thing MK was designed to avoid. We don't want to have Northampton Syndrome where any kind of accident or incident or even roadworks results in a frozen city centre with solid congestion. And traffic levels are only going to rise. The beauty of our city centre is it can handle free-flowing traffic without in any way harming pedestrian movement.

There is far more need in the city centre for a greater variety of shops, especially independent ones, than there is for more cloned chain stores. But even if we do need a second Primark after the one at the stadium, it could easily be accommodated down the south side of John Lewis on land that was always meant to be an extension of the shopping building. There's no need to tear at the heart of what defines the city centre, mess up our unique transport network and downsize the market.

[captainflynn23]

Originally Posted by link_road_17/7

I saw the blimp too on Friday afternoon but didn't get a picture!

A friend of mine text me and told me it was over Wolverton way so I jumped in the car and by the time I got to CMK the airship had left wolverton and was heading CMK way. I missed it over my house a few weeks ago when it was flying over beanhill, but I saw it the same day from Cranfield airport (where I work) so I was determined to get a pic last week when it was over MK again!

I thought that the shopping centre was against having shops like Primark as it wasn't up-market enough for the muppets that are management there? I guess the fact Primark are opening over at Stadium:mk means that the shopping centre may be forced to lower it's standards abit!!!
To be honest with you, I avoid the shopping centre. If it wasn't for my mum working at tie rack, my family would literally visit the shopping centre once a month if that. It's full of the same type of shops, jewellers and too many restaurant/coffee places. I'm sure it's great for people that come from places like Luton, Northampton, Rugby etc but for me, as an MK resident, I only go there if I really have to as it's too busy for my liking.

[captainflynn23]

I also forgot to add a few pics I uploaded recently that may be of interest, taken in September 2011.. All shots apart from the last one were taken at Sunset.

Somewhere over Bletchley, if I remember correctly...



The woburn area, sorry about the reflection/mark on the window..



Junction 13 and Amazon buildings..



This one is wolverton, in 2008, taken on a flight (with a friend) which I used to familiarise myself with the area before flying again without a fellow pilot with local knowledge.

[MK Tom]

Nice pictures! The first one is the top end of the Lakes Estate, heading into Water Eaton.

[captainflynn23]

Ahh yes, that would fit in with letting my mate see his house from the air! I had a feeling that shot was the lakes estate. Thanks for confirming that

[pramzan]

Originally Posted by MK Tom

I don't really see any need to close off a major artery and demolish what was at the time the largest concrete pour in Britain to create yet more retail space. Part of this plan is moving the market to a smaller site which would be a very bad thing for the city centre - we have enough chain retail now not to mention the developments in Winterhill and the potential changes at Midsummer and the Point. We don't want to become an endless sea of chain stores. Also, any slight problem on Avebury Boulevard and everything will foul up - that's exactly the sort of thing MK was designed to avoid. We don't want to have Northampton Syndrome where any kind of accident or incident or even roadworks results in a frozen city centre with solid congestion. And traffic levels are only going to rise. The beauty of our city centre is it can handle free-flowing traffic without in any way harming pedestrian movement.

There is far more need in the city centre for a greater variety of shops, especially independent ones, than there is for more cloned chain stores. But even if we do need a second Primark after the one at the stadium, it could easily be accommodated down the south side of John Lewis on land that was always meant to be an extension of the shopping building. There's no need to tear at the heart of what defines the city centre, mess up our unique transport network and downsize the market.

Out of interest, where would the market be moved to?

Also, I can't help but think you're in the wrong place if you're opposed to chain stores. I can't think of a place I've visited that's worse in that respect.

[MK Tom]

No I'm not opposed to chain stores - the reason for that argument is exactly the point you're making - that MK already has an over the top dominance of them. I'd like us to shift away from that stigma a little.

The market is planned to move to the west slightly onto the site currently occupied by the taxi rank.

[link_road_17/7]

Originally Posted by MK Tom

No I'm not opposed to chain stores - the reason for that argument is exactly the point you're making - that MK already has an over the top dominance of them. I'd like us to shift away from that stigma a little.

The market is planned to move to the west slightly onto the site currently occupied by the taxi rank.

Spot on - a lot of visitors to MK don't even realise there IN CMK, they think they visited an 'out of town' shopping centre. Gaining independants would help shift that stigma. Some MK residents specifically don't shop in CMK because of the purely 'chain' offer.

Another rumour I've heard is moving the market into the (former) Waitrose, by opening up the colonnade running alongside the Midsummer frontage.

[pramzan]

I don't know if I agree that it would prevent more people from thinking it's an out of town shopping centre. That comes about because it just doesn't look like a typical town centre.

[RMB2007]

Ah, so the arena next to the stadium is likely to become a music/corporate venue now:

Back then the plan was for Lions to move into the arena next to stadium:mk after they left the old Bletchley Leisure Centre. However, with the completion of the arena delayed by a couple of years, that will no longer happen, and it will be used for music and corporate events instead.

http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport/...lman-1-4110170

[MK Tom]

First have won West Coast...

Winning bid includes a promise to increase the number of services stopping at Milton Keynes Central.

Full First Group press release here: http://www.firstgroup.com/assets/pdf...ase_150812.pdf

This might piss off a few in Northampton where First have pulled out of the bus operation due to being in a bad financial position. £5.5billion is the number being banded around for First's West Coast bid!! (over the 2012-25 period). Anyway, this is good news for MK in my opinion. Virgin have always treated us as a second-class stop. Hope third class stops Rugby and Watford Junction see improvements too. Fourth class stop Nuneaton is apparently getting additional stops too, as well as reintroduction of direct London trains to Blackpool, Telford/Shrewsbury and Bolton.

[trevor_b]

image hosted on flickr

Just saying hi. I'm a new member and Milton Keynes resident. No prizes for guessing where this is. A building very familiar to me.

[MK Tom]

Wow! Hello and welcome!

[link_road_17/7]

Welcome trevor_b! I spend 35 hours (or more) a week working in that very building.

[aldredd]

Welcome Trevor_b - nice photo, did you take it yourself?

[captainflynn23]

Very good photo

[MK Tom]

Bloody hell there are five of us!!

[tlr5757]

6! Love the photo and that building:

[MK Tom]

Originally Posted by tlr5757

6!

How did I ever forget??

Plans for the completely unnecessary demolition of Secklow Gate to facilitate a shop that could be built virtually everywhere else can now be seen here: http://publicaccess2.milton-keynes.g...=M8WALFKW0AP00

In case it's not apparent, I'm opposed to demolishing a key section of CMK's transport network

On a brighter note, Winkleface has recently announced plans for a new cinema at the stadium, complete with an Imax.

[trevor_b]

link_road_17/7: I'm walking under your feet a few times a week (although as I work 12 hour shifts maybe before you get in and after you've left).
aldredd: Yes, I did take the picture myself.
tlr5757: Same spot on a very similar evening.