New parks for a growing city
The Parks Trust creates and maintains beautiful and inspirational parks, lakes and landscapes that will be loved by the people of Milton Keynes, forever. As Milton Keynes expands we want to ensure all future areas of the city benefit from the same extent and quality of green space as is found in the established areas of the city.
We are proud of our role as steward of much of Milton Keynes’ green infrastructure – a network of strategically planned and sustainably managed parks, lakes, woods and roadside landscapes across the city. This network is recognised as one of the best examples of planned open spaces of its kind in the country. 25% of the new city area in Milton Keynes is green space which is managed by The Parks Trust.
The Parks Trust was established in 1992 as an independent charity to own and manage the open space network in Milton Keynes. The New Town Development Corporation transferred the green infrastructure to The Parks Trust with an endowment. The Trust has invested and grown this endowment to provide a secure source of income to enable it to manage and maintain the green spaces put into its care. As a charity, the Trust’s assets and income can only be used for this purpose.
This remains an exemplar model for the sustainable stewardship of assets that are maintained for the benefit of and enjoyment by the community. It has ensured the network of green space is managed in a coordinated way by a single-purpose, self-financing body that places no ongoing burden on public finances.
Milton Keynes continues to be one of the fastest growing urban areas in the UK. By 2050 Milton Keynes City Council anticipates the city will be home to a population of around 410,000 (from 385,000 in 2021) with perhaps another 100,000 living close by in nearby areas. Read Plan:MK for more details on the proposed plans. Our green infrastructure must grow as the city expands if future generations are going to benefit from green space in the way that we do.
Our vision for the future is based around five key principles:
- The Need for a New Green Infrastructure Strategy
- Landscape-led Planning
- Joining up Open Spaces
- Learn from the Past
- Ensuring Future Stewardship
You can read more details in the document below.
