Cllr David Hopkins has called for the Leader of MKCC (who also is the Cabinet member for Strategic Planning) to reinstate the protective status Area of Attractive Landscape (AAL) for the Greensand Ridge areas and its surrounds on and adjoining Bow Brickhill, Little Brickhill and Woburn Sands.
Cllr Hopkins hopes that this Status, or an even stronger set of powers, can be reinstated as part of the current review of the New City Local Plan, which will dictate planning in Milton Keynes until 2050.
Historically, Milton Keynes enjoyed the relative protection for the environment provided by two Areas of Attractive Landscape one for the Brickhill’s and one for the Ouse Valley but the last AAL designation for both areas appeared in the 2005 Local Plan (the Local Plan to 2015). The current Local Plan, Plan:MK 2050, has no designated AAL’s as MKCC moved into a criteria-based approach for landscape protection in its most recent and current Plan: MK.
Within the 2005 Local Plan, the AAL area covered the countryside south of Station Road Bow Brickhill and Woburn Sands Road, and areas within the Ouse Valley. Settlements such as Bow Brickhill village and Woburn Sands were not at that time include in the protected area.
Cllr Hopkins is lobbying to see a return to, and an extension of, the 2005 policy to protect the integrity and visual importance of the ridge together with land that immediately surrounds it. He is seeking to strengthen such a designation under a review and renewal of what is known as Policy S11 by returning to and extending the scope of the protection via changes to the new Plan for MK.
Cllr Hopkins notes that MKCC has quietly commissioned a study which is currently being carried out for the New City Plan (NCP) by Land Use Consultants. This study is considering refreshing landscape designations in the new plan and will report back on the opportunities to consider designating new or refined AALs, having first considered the Landscape Character Types identified in the MKCC commissioned Landscape Character Study of 2022.
Cllr Hopkins is calling for the extension of a planned series of workshops to involve the local community at large in this debate and to provide detail to the background and aims of the study and provide guidance to local residents and environmental groups as to just how to submit views regarding the protection of much loved naturally landscape areas, including the Greensand Ridge as it passes through MK. Cllr Hopkins asks just what people need to do to ensure areas such as the Brickhill’s are seriously considered for this highest level of designation.
Cllr Hopkins will lastly ask whether the designation could be strengthened to a SANGs (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace) to provide more resilience and commitment to the natural environment, or might it be even better to go for Special Area of Conservation (SAC) status?
