Planning permission has been given to the biggest-ever Build To Rent scheme in Milton Keynes.
A company under the name PLATFORM_ has consent to construct 355 BTR one-, two- and three-bedroom flats along with just over 8,000 square feet of resident amenities, 7,500 square feet of landscaped terraces and a flexible 2,600 square feet commercial offering.
The approval includes an agreement for the BTR firm to make contributions to the council of £5.7m, including an affordable housing contribution of £3.9m to support Milton Keynes City Council’s delivery of its affordable housing targets.
The firm says its BTR flats will combine renewable energy sources, in-home technologies and energy efficient heating and lighting systems, with all units being EPC B or better. This includes the use of air source heat pumps, sustainable urban drainage and solar panels across the development.
There will be electric vehicle car charging points, car club parking spaces and over 500 cycle spaces.
The company also says that an economic impact assessment claims the scheme will generate 190 jobs.
The development will be 20-storeys high and feature a co-working hub, residents’ lounge, games room, cinema room, gym, bar and private dining room plus three outdoor terraces and a so-called “dedicated pet zone”.
A company spokesperson says: “Milton Keynes is at the heart of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and is fast becoming a leading centre and focus of innovation in the UK. We are incredibly pleased to bring our innovative residential model to the city centre, just a five-minute walk from the train station, with a development that prioritises sustainability, wellbeing and resident experience.”