PARISH COUNCIL NEWS FROM THE FEBRUARY 2024 MEETING 
 
NEW CITY PLAN – At the meeting at the Olney Centre on the 13th February, Andrew Turner, MKCC's Planning Policy Manager, took the attendees through the options MKCC had for producing c 33,000 housing units to 2050. This is to meet a target population of 410,000 in the Milton Keynes area by 2050, 25% on top of identified need, a target set in MK's Future 2050 which is an MKCC policy document only, not a statutory development plan. 
 
The slides, which can be found here, showed various blobs on the map representing the larger possible sites for the 33,000. In our area, these blobs were: a huge expansion to MK East; 800 to 1,000 new dwellings on the west side of the A509 at Chicheley Hill coming towards Sherington; and 800 to 1,100 dwellings on the west side of Olney. The meeting heard that so far c 600 sites have been submitted by developers for consideration in the New City Plan process and about half of these have already been rejected as unsuitable. Andrew Turner emphasised though that at this stage the c 300 remaining sites are still only submissions from the developers, not yet allocations chosen by MKCC for the consultation. We expect to learn about the sites in more detail this March. Andrew Turner did say that the allocations should avoid green spaces identified in neighbourhood plans and should also avoid quality agricultural land, which is increasingly protected under the National Planning Policy Framework. 
 
Apparently, developers have put forward three sites at Emberton with the potential to provide a total of 55 to 80 dwellings. Again, at this stage, these are only submissions. It is not known yet whether Emberton could have any of these specific sites allocated in the New City Plan, or minimum numbers of dwellings to supply through the neighbourhood plan process, or even if there could be only a nominal housing figure, as currently. 
 
From a carbon perspective under the Arup climate change carbon study there are four different options: 
(1) densification of the existing city (2) strategic expansion areas (3) a new settlement (4) densification of the rural villages - the first option would be the best from the carbon perspective, the middle two options similar to each other, and the fourth option would be the worst. 
 
The possibility of a new major settlement was discussed - apparently developers have suggested a potential site for this around Hanslope, Haversham and Castlethorpe. 
 
Andrew Turner acknowledged that the 1,100 houses at Olney would need a bypass, but that this number of dwellings would not be enough to finance a bypass. So, unless there was some other source of funding for a bypass, Olney could be looking at a lower housing allocation without a bypass or other major road improvements. There was a heated discussion about s106 contributions not being fit for purpose to provide the necessary additional infrastructure by way of roads, schools, and GPs. 
 
The slides for this presentation are available to view on the Emberton Parish Council website embertonparishcouncil.co.uk under New City Plan. 
 
MKCC are inviting all residents to participate in the various ongoing consultations which will be used to justify the New City Plan, using their dedicated website mknewcityplan.commonplace.is These New City Plan consultations are an ongoing item on the agenda for our monthly EPC meetings and we would welcome your feedback to help us reply to these. 
 
Further information 
 
 
 
ANNUAL ASSEMBLY – MONDAY 18TH MARCH, 7PM AT THE PAVILION – The format this year for the Annual Assembly will be slightly different in that the parish council will not be making a presentation. The meeting, which is open to all, will be resident led with a question-and-answer session and refreshments. It is anticipated that the Olney Ward Councillors and Thames Valley Police will be present. Your views are important to us, so do please attend if you wish to discuss any local issues you feel should be raised. 
 
RESIDENTS PARKING SCHEME – The parish council continues to request MKCC to enforce the residents parking scheme in Hulton Drive and Olney Road; the last enforcement was undertaken on Saturday 13th January with 3 vehicles receiving Fixed Penalty Notices. 
 
SPEEDWATCH – The Emberton Speedwatch group are seeking volunteers. If you feel you may be able to help, please contact the clerk. The commitment would amount to 4 hours per month between Spring and Autumn. 
 
HANGING BASKETS – Many of you will agree that the hanging baskets on the street columns around the clock make a welcoming addition to the village. With a very tight budget for 2024/2025, the parish council would like to explore the opportunity of businesses or residents sponsoring a basket. If you are interested, please contact the clerk. 
The parish council would like to take the opportunity of thanking Claire Noone for providing the hanging baskets for the stone bus shelter. 
 
OPEN GARDENS – Following on from the success of other villages in hosting Open Gardens, the parish council would like to explore the same opportunity for Emberton. If you are interested in either hosting an Open Garden or willing to help with setting up a scheme, please contact the clerk. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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