MILTON KEYNES | Projects and Construction

[flange]

John Lewis are opening London 2012 shops inside all their Department Stores and At Homes stores in the UK now.

@johnlewisretail

We’re excited to announce we’ll now have official @London2012 shops in all our full line dept stores & dedicated space in our at home shops!

The Milton Keynes London 2012 shop opens on Thursday 12th April on the Ground Floor at John Lewis. http://www.johnlewis.com/Shops/DSEve...?Type=DSS&Id=3

[aldredd]

xScape confirmed as location for new Casino!

Whilst having the investment is always great, I still think it was the worst of the 3 options by far!

http://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/l...lers-1-3718343

As it's sitting within City Limit, suspect it'll be upstairs, replacing the restaurant and function rooms up there.
Just feels like such an un-glamorous location for it. Disappointed

[aldredd]

Originally Posted by link_road_17/7

Oakridge Park (Health Centre and newbuild housing):

Find it a little odd that they called it 'Oakridge Park Medical Centre'
I was one of the first living on Oakridge Park (not there anymore though). It was MKC's intention to have the development continue to be called Stantonbury. A group of up filled a petition of sorts to have it kept a Oakridge Park (or similar) given that it's a seperate estate to Stantonbury. It was heard in one of the council meetings, but was rejected - so unless something has changed, it's still officially Stantonbury. So to refuse a request to keep it as Oakridge Park, and then name the medical centre to that, seems odd.

[MK Tom]

Originally Posted by aldredd

Find it a little odd that they called it 'Oakridge Park Medical Centre'
I was one of the first living on Oakridge Park (not there anymore though). It was MKC's intention to have the development continue to be called Stantonbury. A group of up filled a petition of sorts to have it kept a Oakridge Park (or similar) given that it's a seperate estate to Stantonbury. It was heard in one of the council meetings, but was rejected - so unless something has changed, it's still officially Stantonbury. So to refuse a request to keep it as Oakridge Park, and then name the medical centre to that, seems odd.

The estate's name throughout planning was 'Stantonbury Park Farm' rather than just Stantonbury. Bit like how you have Willen and Willen Park etc. Likewise what's now called 'Redhouse Park' is actually called 'Linford Park'. It's terribly confusing. Don't get me started on whatever happened to Whitney.

Photo update coming shortly btw.

[aldredd]

Originally Posted by MK Tom

The estate's name throughout planning was 'Stantonbury Park Farm' rather than just Stantonbury.

Try telling MKC or Royal Mail that! Swear they'd refuse to deliver if you put anything other than 'Stantonbury'. Plus, because MKC would register you to vote on just 'Stantonbury', and this goes on your credit file, you had to keep your mailing address for everything else the same (ok, may not make a difference if post code and house no. match, but I took no chances!)

Originally Posted by MK Tom

Photo update coming shortly btw.

Fab, looking forward to it - I'm out the country again for a year, so relying on you guys

[MK Tom]

OK, here's a quick photo update!

Starting with Network Rail, which is coming along very nicely. Some views of the car parking which now bears their logo. Also the 89 is in the fifth picture, linking back into the Stagecoach discussion we were having a couple of weeks ago. The temporary footbridge has been removed.







Station Square, finished except for bus shelters and furnishings. The bus lanes have been widened - according to MK News this is a 'futureproofing measure to allow for future service increases' and the Council still protests that the lanes were wide enough before.



The new extension to the shopping building on Silbury Arcade. This, due to the listing, is being done in identical style to the original 1977 build, much as the 1993 extension at the western end was.




OAKGROVE HAS BEEN STARTED! Finally, a start on site on the former 'millennium community'. There's a clue in that name on when building was supposed to start. This project was the centre of major controversy surrounding plans to divert the V10 through it and turn it into a 30mph residential street. The current plan is a vast leap from that - after listening to public wishes the plans were changed and they now include a new underpass under the grid road to link the school to the estate. People power can win sometimes.




The next one is from the underpass between Monkston Park and Oakgrove. The one after that is some very posh new housing going up in Monkston Park.




Lastly, not really new but two pics from Midsummer Boulevard, the first showing the 2007-built apartment tower and the second showing an unusual snippet of MK's buses - Arriva's last remaining all-Leyand Olympian on the 5 and Centrebus cleverly disguised as not Centrebus running the 90 on behalf of Northamptonshire County Council.

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Thanks, always nice to see changes in the city I grew up in.

[link_road_17/7]

The Oakridge Park/Stantonbury Fields thing confused me too. At first I thought Oakridge Park was just the marketing spiel, but then noticed that Redway signs point towards it, and MKC Passenger Transport regard it as a distinct area.

Regards the Silbury Arcade extension - this is a enlargement to have an extra 20,000 sq. ft. The extension along the John Lewis flank on Silbury arcade will provide Next with additional storage and office facilities allowing them to use the full upper level of their existing store, for retail. Next will have a full refurbishment, and a further three new retail units will open, facing onto Silbury Arcade.

Am attending the CMK Town Council meeting Thursday evening, so will report anything interesting back.

[link_road_17/7]

Originally Posted by link_road_17/7

Am attending the CMK Town Council meeting Thursday evening, so will report anything interesting back.

Owners of Midsummer Place are seeking permission to remove the covenant that allows Midsummer Boulevard to be reinstated, as they wish to build a more permanent structure. MKC are said to be minded to approve their wishes.

Network Rail Community Sports Facility - as part of The Quadrant development, £1.5m was secured for a full-size football pitch, as a 'replacement' for the loss of the National Hockey Stadium. NR now wish to create just a 'five-a-side' type venue, with the rest of the funding going elsewhere. Justification is that stadium:mk provides a suitable existing community alternative, no need for duplication.

[MK Tom]

Originally Posted by link_road_17/7

Owners of Midsummer Place are seeking permission to remove the covenant that allows Midsummer Boulevard to be reinstated, as they wish to build a more permanent structure. MKC are said to be minded to approve their wishes.

Network Rail Community Sports Facility - as part of The Quadrant development, £1.5m was secured for a full-size football pitch, as a 'replacement' for the loss of the National Hockey Stadium. NR now wish to create just a 'five-a-side' type venue, with the rest of the funding going elsewhere. Justification is that stadium:mk provides a suitable existing community alternative, no need for duplication.

The idea was to have a future mass transit system stop inside Midsummer Place... it's sad that vision has been lost.

Any good news?

[MK Tom]

Quick skyline picture if anyone fancies one...

[tlr5757]

Great skyline shot, where was it taken from? Would definitely enjoy more clustering around The Hub end of CMK, such as with the Westside development. Anyone know of any progress for that project?

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Should submit that as a banner for Skyscrapercity.

[MK Tom]

Thanks! West End One is going ahead on the plot closest to Sainsbury's only, and it still suffers from too close to the road syndome. The rest of that site is earmarked for a university campus. Where I think something tall should go is on the car park to the east of the Pinnacle. That'd really plug the gap between it and the Hub (not to mention partially obscure the Hub with something a little better designed).

IBEH: I didn't think it was good enough to submit? I'm not the fancy photographer that some on here are!

[Irish Blood English Heart]

Looks plenty good enough to me! Would be good to see MK on the banner for the whole World to see.

[tlr5757]

More development news for retailing in CMK!

http://www.midsummerplace.co.uk/index.php/future

[SteveAWOL]

At long last

Company wins Milton Keynes casino contract | Anglia - ITV News

BBC News - Milton Keynes casino operator announced

[aldredd]

Originally Posted by SteveAWOL

At long last

Company wins Milton Keynes casino contract | Anglia - ITV News

BBC News - Milton Keynes casino operator announced

That's old news - posted about that over a week ago

still disappointed with the choice of location though.

[aldredd]

Originally Posted by tlr5757

More development news for retailing in CMK!

http://www.midsummerplace.co.uk/index.php/future

such a shame that it rules out the option of tram line coming up and through midsummer place.
Odd that the website asks for your opinions on the plans, yet give nothing other than that 1 image to go on!

[SteveAWOL]

Originally Posted by aldredd

That's old news - posted about that over a week ago

still disappointed with the choice of location though.

Apologies, I missed that post in amongst all the photos!

I am also disappointed that they went with that location as that area is congested enough most evenings as it is and don't really want loads of drunks from the Theatre District and Xscape rolling into the casino just because it's the only bar still open