JUDICIAL REVIEW OF WOLVERTON DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

Published at 10:00 on Monday 22nd January 2018
Tags: Wolverton Works, Knorr-Bremise, St Modwen, Planning Application, Heritage, Heritage England

Improvements to track within Wolverton Works were underway just before Christmas, on a section of the internal railway that is understood not to have been used for several years. Phil Marsh

Wolverton Works, the world's oldest operational railway workshops, may yet live to fight another day!


Readers will recall that the owners of the site, St. Modwen, had proposed the demolition of the current works, the redevelopment into housing and the construction of a new, smaller, but more modern facility for Knorr Bremise in one corner of site. While official sources would not comment, there is also speculation that such a plan would also result in a move for the Royal Train which is based at Wolverton.

Having been granted planning permission by the local council for their proposals, a move that ignored the voice of the local people and the County's local development plan, it looked like the end was in sight for the works.

However, Heritage England has confirmed that it has initiated a 'Judicial Review of Milton Keynes Council's decision-making process' as part of its efforts to "prevent the wholesale and unjustified demolition of the railway works buildings within the Wolverton Conservation Area." The first step in this process is to advise both the Council and St. Modwen of the intention, the next move will be to seek leave for the matter to be heard in the High Court, unless both parties indicate that they will not oppose the quashing of planning permisision.

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