Milton Keynes City Development Atlas is a document based GIS characterisation study of the new Town providing core historical data on developments occurring between 1900 & 2005.

Stantonbury 6 estate built in the 1970’s by Milton Keynes Development Corporation to the designs of Gillespie Kidd & Coia at a density of 47 dwellings per hectare.

In 2007 Milton Keynes Council Archaeology Section undertook a 9 month document based characterisation of Milton Keynes New Town to create a GIS City Development Atlas. Although primarily to enhance the Historic Environment Record, the project was also to provide data useful to other departments and the general public.  To be included were details of the developer, architect, housing density, planning reference, building regulation reference and date of each significant development. In reality there were limitations on the extent of data that could be obtained as information within individual files could not be readily accessed. Only partial coverage of building regulation references was possible.

Particularly useful data sources for creating estate polygons were ‘postal numbering plans’. These are produced by the council when estate roads are named and the housing numbered.  Usually the plans were dated and many had useful data appended such as developer; architect, number of dwellings and building regulation reference.  

Much of the development of the New Town was undertaken by Milton Keynes Development Corporation, which had planning powers. Drawings and details of these schemes were forwarded to the Council and these comprise a rich archive of development information. Also available were the Council’s digitised planning application plotting sheets and microfiche of applications up until the 1980’s.  These proved difficult to use as many applications were for abortive or partially completed schemes.  The lack of road names or good site plans often made establishing their location an intellectual exercise.  It was constantly necessary to check the scheme drawings against modern maps to establish whether or not they were the final scheme. Pevsner’s “Buckinghamshire” proved very useful in filling in missing architects names and scheme completion dates. Also helpful were the annually produced Milton Keynes City atlases, particularly for dating employment schemes.

For pre-1950 development there was a collection of about 200 urban and rural district bye-law applications which showed that most early housing estates comprised serviced plots sold piecemeal to local builders rather than individuals.  An existing GIS layer of council deeds provided the dates of purchase of land for early council housing and an indication of construction date.  Although greater coverage of the pre 1950 could be obtained this would involve a considerable amount of research which was not feasible within the time restraints.  

The completed City Development Atlas comprises over 2500 polygons providing approximately 90% area coverage.  It helps put the large number of excavations carried out during the development of the Milton Keynes into context and will inform reviews of the 11 Conservation Areas within its boundaries.  The Atlas is already being used by the Council’s Development Plans team in respect of the Regional Growth Agenda and being well-referenced should be robust enough to withstand scrutiny.  

The City Development Atlas will be available online via the mapping module at www.mkiobservatory.org.uk at the beginning of April and it is hoped it will be useful to professionals and students wanting basic background data on the town and residents wanting to find out about their estates. 

Brian L Giggins

Senior Archaeological Officer

Milton Keynes Council

February 2008