Milton Keynes City Council has set out how it could create up to 600 new council homes with the backing of funding from the Government’s new £39bn, 10-year Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
Already the city’s biggest landlord with more than 11,000 properties, last year Milton Keynes City Council built 183 council homes in Bletchley as part of wider regeneration work at The Lakes Estate, bought 21 new flats in Fairfields, and began building 66 homes in Netherfield which will be ready for tenants next year.
This week it shared its ambitions with Government for affordable housing in the city; building up to 570 new council homes and buying around 30 more, which would help to reduce the number of families at risk of homelessness or using temporary accommodation.
The Government has committed £39bn over ten years for councils that can demonstrate they can build quality and affordable council homes.
Milton Keynes City Council is in a strong position with a pipeline of council-owned sites that could be developed by 2035, subject to planning, funding and future approvals, including those at Mellish Court and its outdated REEMA blocks in Bletchley, and The Gables in Wolverton. The former tower blocks at Mellish Court and The Gables were demolished in 2023 in order to be fit for future development.
“Everyone deserves a safe, secure and affordable home. That's why we’re continuing to invest in council housing and planning for the future.
“Our ambition is to create up to 600 council homes by 2035.
“Milton Keynes has already demonstrated that it can deliver high-quality new council homes. We have sites, we have experience and we have a strong team in place.
"What we have set out to Government is what more could be achieved if councils are given the financial tools to build at greater pace and scale, helping them to overcome barriers such as borrowing costs.
"We are ready to do even more to provide genuinely affordable homes, reduce pressure on temporary accommodation and help meet the needs of local families.”
The city council also plans to invest £80m in existing council homes between now and 2030 to continue its work making improvements and increasing energy efficiency, which lowers fuel bills for tenants.