Central Milton Keynes
Encyclopedia
Central Milton Keynes is the central business district
of Milton Keynes
, Buckinghamshire, England
and a civil parish in its own right.
The district is approximately 2.5 km long by 1 km wide and occupies some of the highest land in Milton Keynes. It contains (behind the Central Library) the site of Secklow Hundred moot hill
, the meeting site of the Anglo-Saxon
settlers in the area. It contains the central retail, business, law enforcement and governmental districts and Milton Keynes Central railway station.
(Campbell Park
, stretching from Marlborough Street
down to the Grand Union Canal
, is sometimes included in mental maps of the centre, though in fact it is part of a separate civil parish).
) to the north, the West Coast Main Line
and A5 to the west, Childs Way (H6) to the south and Marlborough Street (V8, B4034)
to the east. It is crossed from north to south by (in west to east order, major roads only) Grafton Gate (V6)
, Witan Gate, Saxon Gate (V7) and Secklow Gate. It is crossed from west to east (in north to south order, major roads only) by Silbury Boulevard, Avebury Boulevard and Midsummer Boulevard. Avebury is the primary spine.
Secklow Hundredhttp://www.mkweb.co.uk/parks-and-open-space/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=22138 moot mound
(meeting place) just behind the library.
The area is defined by Marlborough Street (V8, B4034)
to the north-east, the Saxon Gate (Saxon Street, V7) to the south-west, Portway (H5, A509
) to the north-west and Childs Way (H6) to the south-east. The core retail district is further delimited by Silbury and Avebury Boulevards, with civic and office developments outside the Boulevards.
The retail district includes thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place (the covered high streets that are the Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre
). The Library, Milton Keynes Borough Council
offices and commercial offices are on the north side of the shops; the theatre, art gallery, cinemas, Xscape snowdome, pubs, sports shops and other leisure facilities are on the south side.
, climbing wall and a multiscreen cinema
, and a number of shops and restaurants.
The 1,400 seat Milton Keynes theatre/concert hall
has an unusual feature: the ceiling can be lowered closing off the third tier (gallery) to create a more intimate space for smaller scale productions.
Milton Keynes Gallery (the municipal art gallery, beside the main theatre) does not have a permanent collection. This allows it to host edgy shows to critical acclaim.
denominations to serve the office workers and the small resident population. (There are many denominational
places of worship throughout the town at large).
's original design for Central Milton Keynes. The work is part of the 'densification' plan that central government, through its agency English Partnerships
, has ordained for Milton Keynes. Its height, also a major departure from the original low-rise design, makes it the third tallest building in Milton Keynes, beaten only by the 14 storey Xscape and the 18 storey Mellish Court in Bletchley.
(and the adjacent A5) to the south-west, Portway (H5, A509
) to the north-west and Childs Way (H6) to the south-east. The core retail district is further delimited by Silbury and Avebury Boulevards, with civic and office developments outside the Boulevards.
The main feature of the district is the Milton Keynes Central railway station
(an inter-city stop on the West Coast Main Line
), one of the five stations serving Milton Keynes. Coach services operate from here as well as from the Milton Keynes coachway
next to junction 14 of the M1 motorway
. Services include the Stagecoach X5
service that replaces the Varsity Line
, which links Milton Keynes with Oxford
in the west (for connections to the west and Wales
) and Cambridge
in the east; and the VT99 service to Luton Airport, operated by Stagecoach on behalf of Virgin Rail. The station building houses commercial office lets and food outlets, and the Station Square development includes further office lets and retail outlets.
The central bus station is located opposite the station. This is used primarily by local services run by Arriva (as Arriva MK Star), but only as a driver rest and change-over point the interchange point is the railway station forecourt. The upstairs level of the bus station accommodates a nightclub. There is a covered "urban" skate-boarding space, SK8MK, beside the bus station.
The National Hockey Stadium
was formerly located to the north of the station, surrounded by a number of important retail units. This site is now being developed as the national headquarters of Network Rail
. To its south there is another leisure and retail area, notably the Planet Ice Arena
(home of Milton Keynes Lightning
) and another ten-pin bowling alley.
, bordering (clockwise from north) Great Linford
, Campbell Park
, Loughton
, and Bradwell
. The parish was created in 2001, and had a population of 1,272 according to the 2001 census.
, but north of the Bletchley urban sub-area (which approximates to the former Bletchley Urban District), south-east of the Wolverton/Stony Stratford urban sub-area (which approximates to the former Wolverton Urban District) and south of the North Milton Keynes
urban sub-area. (The provenance of "North Milton Keynes", and of its boundary with the Central Milton Keynes urban sub-area, are unclear. The Central Milton Keynes and North Milton Keynes urban sub-areas together approximate to that part of the former Newport Pagnell Rural District
that is west of the River Ouzel).
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, Buckinghamshire, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and a civil parish in its own right.
The district is approximately 2.5 km long by 1 km wide and occupies some of the highest land in Milton Keynes. It contains (behind the Central Library) the site of Secklow Hundred moot hill
Moot hill
A moot hill or mons placiti is a hill or mound historically used as an assembly or meeting place. In early medieval Britain, such hills were used for "moots", meetings of local people to settle local business. Among other things, proclamations might be read; decisions might be taken; court cases...
, the meeting site of the Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
settlers in the area. It contains the central retail, business, law enforcement and governmental districts and Milton Keynes Central railway station.
(Campbell Park
Campbell Park
Campbell Park is a district in east-central and south-central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, the central park for Milton Keynes, and a civil parish that includes other districts. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 13,364...
, stretching from Marlborough Street
V8 Marlborough Street
The V8 Marlborough Street is a major local road in Milton Keynes, running for approximately eight miles. Its formal name is simply Marlborough Street; the V8 designation is an urban planning name that indicates that it is the eighth north-south grid road in the Milton Keynes grid road system...
down to the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
, is sometimes included in mental maps of the centre, though in fact it is part of a separate civil parish).
Topology
Occupying 238 hectares (588.1 acre), the area lies between Portway (H5, A509A509 road
The A509 is a short A-class road for north-south journeys in south central England, forming the route from Kettering in Northamptonshire to the M1 and A5 in Milton Keynes....
) to the north, the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
and A5 to the west, Childs Way (H6) to the south and Marlborough Street (V8, B4034)
V8 Marlborough Street
The V8 Marlborough Street is a major local road in Milton Keynes, running for approximately eight miles. Its formal name is simply Marlborough Street; the V8 designation is an urban planning name that indicates that it is the eighth north-south grid road in the Milton Keynes grid road system...
to the east. It is crossed from north to south by (in west to east order, major roads only) Grafton Gate (V6)
V6 Grafton Street
The V6 Grafton Street is a major local road in Milton Keynes. Its formal name is simply "Grafton Street": the "V6" designation is an urban planning name that indicates that it is the sixth north-south grid road in the Milton Keynes grid road system....
, Witan Gate, Saxon Gate (V7) and Secklow Gate. It is crossed from west to east (in north to south order, major roads only) by Silbury Boulevard, Avebury Boulevard and Midsummer Boulevard. Avebury is the primary spine.
East of Saxon Gate: the main retail/service/entertainment district
This area is almost the highest point of Milton Keynes and has the site of the Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
Secklow Hundredhttp://www.mkweb.co.uk/parks-and-open-space/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=22138 moot mound
Moot hill
A moot hill or mons placiti is a hill or mound historically used as an assembly or meeting place. In early medieval Britain, such hills were used for "moots", meetings of local people to settle local business. Among other things, proclamations might be read; decisions might be taken; court cases...
(meeting place) just behind the library.
The area is defined by Marlborough Street (V8, B4034)
V8 Marlborough Street
The V8 Marlborough Street is a major local road in Milton Keynes, running for approximately eight miles. Its formal name is simply Marlborough Street; the V8 designation is an urban planning name that indicates that it is the eighth north-south grid road in the Milton Keynes grid road system...
to the north-east, the Saxon Gate (Saxon Street, V7) to the south-west, Portway (H5, A509
A509 road
The A509 is a short A-class road for north-south journeys in south central England, forming the route from Kettering in Northamptonshire to the M1 and A5 in Milton Keynes....
) to the north-west and Childs Way (H6) to the south-east. The core retail district is further delimited by Silbury and Avebury Boulevards, with civic and office developments outside the Boulevards.
The retail district includes thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place (the covered high streets that are the Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre
Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre
Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre is a regional shopping centre located in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England which is about 50 miles north-west of London. It is managed in two separate parts, thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place...
). The Library, Milton Keynes Borough Council
Milton Keynes (borough)
The Borough of Milton Keynes is a unitary authority and borough in south central England, at the northern tip of the South East England Region. For ceremonial purposes, it is in the county of Buckinghamshire...
offices and commercial offices are on the north side of the shops; the theatre, art gallery, cinemas, Xscape snowdome, pubs, sports shops and other leisure facilities are on the south side.
Xscape
Xscape is the main leisure complex in Central Milton Keynes, consisting of a real snow indoor ski slopeIndoor ski slope
Indoor ski slopes are found in several countries, proving a climate controlled environment can be maintained in which snow can be manufactured using a snow cannon, enabling skiing and snowboarding to take place year-round.-Notable mentions:...
, climbing wall and a multiscreen cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, and a number of shops and restaurants.
Milton Keynes Theatre and Gallery
Milton Keynes Theatre
Milton Keynes Theatre is a large theatre in Milton Keynes . It opened on 4 October 1999, 25 years after the campaign for a new theatre first started....
has an unusual feature: the ceiling can be lowered closing off the third tier (gallery) to create a more intimate space for smaller scale productions.
Milton Keynes Gallery (the municipal art gallery, beside the main theatre) does not have a permanent collection. This allows it to host edgy shows to critical acclaim.
West of Saxon Gate, east of Grafton Gate: the main business district
This area is also delimited by Portway and Childs Way. Saxon Gate separates it from the north-east area and Grafton Gate (Grafton Street, V7) marks its south-western edge. The domed Church of Christ the Cornerstone, law courts and police station are in the business district, which has a number of notable buildings including CBX, The Hub:MK and the remarkable purpose-built Indian restaurant beside the small linear park that provides its core. The restaurant claims to be the largest purpose-built Indian restaurant in Europe.Ecumenical Church of Christ the Cornerstone
This ecumenical church, the first such in the United Kingdom, is shared by the major ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
denominations to serve the office workers and the small resident population. (There are many denominational
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
places of worship throughout the town at large).
The Hub:MK
The Hub:MK is a 13 storey development between the station and the church. The complex includes two high-rise hotels and a number of residential and office towers. The site controversially involves the closure of one of the original pedestrian underpasses and is built right up to the edge of the adjacent boulevard, the first of several proposals that will change the unique character of Milton Keynes Development CorporationMilton Keynes Development Corporation
Milton Keynes Development Corporation was established on 23 January 1967 to provide the vision and execution of a "new city", Milton Keynes, that would be the modern interpretation of the Garden city movement concepts first expressed by Ebenezer Howard 60 years earlier...
's original design for Central Milton Keynes. The work is part of the 'densification' plan that central government, through its agency English Partnerships
English Partnerships
English Partnerships was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by Regional Development Agencies on a regional level...
, has ordained for Milton Keynes. Its height, also a major departure from the original low-rise design, makes it the third tallest building in Milton Keynes, beaten only by the 14 storey Xscape and the 18 storey Mellish Court in Bletchley.
West of Grafton Gate: the station district
This district is defined by Saxon Gate (Saxon Street, V7) to the north-east, the West Coast Main LineWest Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
(and the adjacent A5) to the south-west, Portway (H5, A509
A509 road
The A509 is a short A-class road for north-south journeys in south central England, forming the route from Kettering in Northamptonshire to the M1 and A5 in Milton Keynes....
) to the north-west and Childs Way (H6) to the south-east. The core retail district is further delimited by Silbury and Avebury Boulevards, with civic and office developments outside the Boulevards.
The main feature of the district is the Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
(an inter-city stop on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
), one of the five stations serving Milton Keynes. Coach services operate from here as well as from the Milton Keynes coachway
Milton Keynes Coachway
The Milton Keynes Coachway is situated on the A509 road close to Junction 14 of the M1 Motorway on the eastern edge of Milton Keynes, north Buckinghamshire, England offering coach services to cities, towns and airports on the M1 corridor and on into Scotland, to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, the...
next to junction 14 of the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
. Services include the Stagecoach X5
Stagecoach bus route X5
Stagecoach bus route X5 is an inter-urban bus service linking Oxford and Cambridge via Bicester, Buckingham, Milton Keynes, Bedford and St Neots. The route started in 1995 with an hourly service which was increased to half-hourly in 2005 and new vehicles were introduced in 2009. It has since won...
service that replaces the Varsity Line
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
, which links Milton Keynes with Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in the west (for connections to the west and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
in the east; and the VT99 service to Luton Airport, operated by Stagecoach on behalf of Virgin Rail. The station building houses commercial office lets and food outlets, and the Station Square development includes further office lets and retail outlets.
The central bus station is located opposite the station. This is used primarily by local services run by Arriva (as Arriva MK Star), but only as a driver rest and change-over point the interchange point is the railway station forecourt. The upstairs level of the bus station accommodates a nightclub. There is a covered "urban" skate-boarding space, SK8MK, beside the bus station.
The National Hockey Stadium
National Hockey Stadium
The National Hockey Stadium was a sports stadium in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, with a nominal capacity of around 4,000 seats . It was used by England Hockey as their national stadium from 1995 to 2003 and as a professional football stadium from 2003 to 2007...
was formerly located to the north of the station, surrounded by a number of important retail units. This site is now being developed as the national headquarters of Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
. To its south there is another leisure and retail area, notably the Planet Ice Arena
Planet Ice Milton Keynes
Planet Ice Milton Keynes is a 2,200-capacity multi-purpose ice rink/hockey rink in Milton Keynes, England, near the Central station. It was built in 1991 . It is one of several ice skating arenas in the UK operated by the Planet Ice Arenas company...
(home of Milton Keynes Lightning
Milton Keynes Lightning
The Milton Keynes Lightning is an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, England, currently playing in the semi-professional English Premier Ice Hockey League...
) and another ten-pin bowling alley.
Civil parish
Central Milton Keynes is a civil parishCivil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
, bordering (clockwise from north) Great Linford
Great Linford
Great Linford is a historic village, district and civil parish in the northern part of Milton Keynes, England, between Wolverton and Newport Pagnell.-Great Linford village:...
, Campbell Park
Campbell Park
Campbell Park is a district in east-central and south-central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England, the central park for Milton Keynes, and a civil parish that includes other districts. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 13,364...
, Loughton
Loughton, Milton Keynes
Loughton is an ancient village, modern district and civil parish in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The village spreads between Watling Street and the modern A5 road, to the west of, and about 1 mile from, the city centre....
, and Bradwell
Bradwell, Milton Keynes
Bradwell is an ancient village and modern civil parish that is part of Milton Keynes . For a time, although it predates it, Bradwell was the supporting village for Bradwell Abbey, a Benedictine priory, founded in 1155 and dissolved in about 1540.The village name is an Old English language word...
. The parish was created in 2001, and had a population of 1,272 according to the 2001 census.
ONS Urban sub-area
The Office of National Statistics designated urban sub-area (map) called "Central Milton Keynes" is far bigger than either the district or the parish. It consists of that part of Milton Keynes that is west of the River OuzelRiver Ouzel
The River Ouzel , also known as the River Lovat, is a river in England, and a tributary of the River Great Ouse. It rises in the Chiltern Hills and flows 20 miles north to join the Ouse at Newport Pagnell....
, but north of the Bletchley urban sub-area (which approximates to the former Bletchley Urban District), south-east of the Wolverton/Stony Stratford urban sub-area (which approximates to the former Wolverton Urban District) and south of the North Milton Keynes
North Milton Keynes
North Milton Keynes is an Office of National Statistics designated urban sub-area .The Central Milton Keynes urban sub-area and the North Milton Keynes urban sub-area together approximate to that part of the former Newport Pagnell Rural District that is west of the River Ouzel.The provenance of...
urban sub-area. (The provenance of "North Milton Keynes", and of its boundary with the Central Milton Keynes urban sub-area, are unclear. The Central Milton Keynes and North Milton Keynes urban sub-areas together approximate to that part of the former Newport Pagnell Rural District
Newport Pagnell Rural District
Newport Pagnell was a rural district in the administrative county of Buckinghamshire, England, from 1894 to 1974. The rural district took over the responsibilities of the disbanded Newport Pagnell Rural Sanitary District...
that is west of the River Ouzel).
Media
Locations around Central Milton Keynes were used for the movie Superman IV, where it played the part of the United Nations building. Recognisable locations include Milton Keynes Central, CBX and the Argos building.See also
- Milton KeynesMilton KeynesMilton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
for a more general description of the amenities of the wider area. - Central Milton Keynes Shopping CentreCentral Milton Keynes Shopping CentreCentral Milton Keynes Shopping Centre is a regional shopping centre located in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England which is about 50 miles north-west of London. It is managed in two separate parts, thecentre:mk and Midsummer Place...
- Milton Keynes Central railway stationMilton Keynes Central railway stationMilton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
- Milton Keynes VillageMiddleton, Milton KeynesMiddleton is a district in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, England. The district is centred on Milton Keynes Village, the village that gave its name to the 'New City' of Milton Keynes, which began to be developed during the late 1960s...