MK City Council announce support for plans to convert unwanted garages into upgraded facilities

Milton Keynes City Council has announced support for plans to strengthen its garage portfolio, invest in retained sites, cut long-term costs, generate funds from selected sales, and transform surplus land into upgraded facilities.

The City Council said the plans would allow for sites to be converted into housing, parking, EV charging and other beneficial uses for residents.

MK City Council declared their new five-year Garages Asset Management Strategy looks to set out how the city council will manage its portfolio of more than 2,000 garages and carports.

The City Council said that under the plans, they will continue investing in garages that are valued by residents, but it will bring unwanted – and sometimes derelict and vandalised – sites back into use in ways that better meet the needs of local people.

Over time, the city council will manage a smaller, more highly used and better maintained portfolio of garages, which is a ‘win win’ for it and for local people; long-term maintenance costs will be lower and better value for taxpayers, and residents living next to former garage sites will have useful facilities in their community rather than run down sites that attract vandalism.

Work to implement the strategy will begin immediately, including restarting garage lettings, reviewing priority sites and developing proposals for locations identified for alternative uses. Residents will be consulted as specific projects come forward.

Deputy Leader of Milton Keynes City Council, Cllr Lauren Townsend, said, “This strategy is about making better use of land that has the potential to deliver real benefits for local people. By investing in garages that residents want to use and reimagining sites that aren’t wanted, we can create more parking options, unlock spaces for new homes and improve neighbourhoods. We’re taking a long-term approach to make council-owned assets work harder for our communities, whether that’s through extra parking, new homes, greener infrastructure or other local improvements.”