Residents move in as estate regeneration continues

Residents have been moving into new houses on an estate as part of a multi-million pound regeneration.

About 200 homes have been built to replace the ageing Serpentine Court area of The Lakes in Bletchley, which Milton Keynes City Council hopes will be demolished later this year.

Four new children's play parks have been constructed, while funding has been agreed for a health hub in early 2027 and there are plans for a community cafe that would also sell groceries.

Planning permission was approved in 2020 and work began two years ago with almost £70m of city council investment supported by £15m from Homes England.

The Lakes and Fullers Slade were among seven areas of Milton Keynes included as part of a £1bn regeneration scheme launched in 2017.

That was later scaled back, with the remaining council estate stock earmarked for upgrades instead, and redevelopment of Fullers Slade has been paused.

However, on The Lakes, 93% of residents taking part in a community ballot in 2018 supported the demolition of Serpentine Court and full redevelopment of the estate.

All council tenants have now been moved out of Serpentine Court and the authority is working with remaining leaseholders there to secure accommodation elsewhere.

Labour councillor Ed Hume, who holds the housing portfolio at the authority, said: "One of the things that brings me joy is seeing the difference it makes to people's lives in terms of where they were before to where they are now in these new spacious homes."

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