Making a ruin into something habitable.

[IMM]

You are telling porkies! MK does nor consist of concrete. Very green.

To a Sarf Landaner, I suppose it would be.

Have a look at MK.........as you obviously never been there.

- More than 20 per cent of the land area of Milton Keynes is devoted to public open space, including three ancient woodlands and 400 acres of lakes.

- There are 4,000 acres of parks and 20 million trees, including a cathedral of trees based on the layout of Norwich Cathedral.

The Blue Lagoon in the south of the city has at least 28 species of butterfly as well as being the site of rare British Orchids.

- Milton Keynes boasts 15 lakes and 11 miles of canals.

- Milton Keynes has over 180 miles of dedicated bridleways, footpaths and cycletracks.

- Milton Keynes has a specially designed network of landscaped, traffic free paths, called redways and bridleways which enable horse riding enthusiasts, cyclists and ramblers to go from one side of the town to the other without seeing a car.

- All new homes in Milton Keynes are built to energy specifications which are well in excess of national building regulations requirements.

- Approximately 1,600 houses have been built each year in Milton Keynes since

1998 all with an energy efficiency rating of 9 (out of a maximum of 10).

- In October 1999, English Partnerships announced that all new houses built in Milton Keynes must have an energy efficiency rating of 10 out of 10 compared to the national average of 4.3 out of 10.

- Housing is kept away from the road networks to provide a safe, unpolluted environment.

- The country`s first energy park was opened in Milton Keynes in 1986. It was split into two sections: Knowlhill for commercial development and Shenley Lodge for residential.

- The UK`s first active solar house was built in Bradville in Milton Keynes in 1972.

- Milton Keynes Council was the first council to introduce a borough wide kerbside collection recycling scheme - the country`s first purpose designed materials recycling factory is now a regional resource.

- Development is low density with very few buildings topping the height of the trees.

- The National Energy Foundation has its headquarters in Milton Keynes.

I am not dogmatic.

Did this overlap Picaso's blue period.

You did.

Not on your cloud I suppose.

We don't have an aristocracy? We don't have a class system? Get real me boiy.

A Little Middle Englander spouts again.

You have not. You are a Walter Mitty type.

And this one said Milton Keynes was full of concrete.

[IMM]

So it was under water a lot of the time and is not now? I think buying land there ids a good investments the south east will have to move there eventually.

[Nick Finnigan]

I don't know, that is why I was asking you to look at your

20 year old map and tell me where the river Dee used to be.

[jerrybuilt]

If you'd been there, you'd know. You do not seem to have been there, though. I've a friend who lives there, & from what I've seen, it's not bad at all.

Oh - P.S: Why don't you two love-birds knock it off for a bit, eh?

[parish]

Got to admit that I shared the "concrete jungle" opinion of it, based on my one visit there, but following IMM's post with the long list of green and blue features it prompted me to do some research. Found MK's own website

and especially the aerial photograph of the whole place that you can pan around, and I have to agree, there really is an awful lot of greenery and water around there, although it appears that if you are in some of the built-up areas that you wouldn't see any of it, giving the impression of a concrete jungle.

IMM: Why didn't you post the link to this photo with "see for yourself"?

[IMM]

The only real built up area is the centre, and that is spread out. All else has large green parts, lakes, woods etc. Why people think it is a concrete jungle is beyond me. It is the greenest city I have ever been too.

[Owain]

"Andy Hall" wrote | >Milton Keynes is a great success | Both are concrete, soulless places, completely lacking in character.

MK's identibrick housing, rather than concrete.

Owain

[Owain]

"IMM" wrote | "Owain" wrote | > "Andy Hall" wrote | > | >Milton Keynes is a great success | > | Both are concrete, soulless places, completely lacking in character. | > MK's identibrick housing, rather than concrete. | Obviously never been there.

I have been there, I have visited people in their homes.

| There is a full design mix of homes.

All built in identibrick.

Owain

[Tony Bryer]

Many years ago (late 1970's IIRC) I had a friend who lived in Bean Hill, MK. He lived in a MKDC 'house' with black corrugated metal walls and a flat roof. Perhaps they've already been demolished?

[IMM]

I don't believe you.

once again, I don't believe you.

[IMM]

May have been the temp house for the construction workers.

[jerrybuilt]

What's "identibrick"?

Low-cost housing. Unattractive to many people's eyes, tends to attract the wrong sort of neighbour (low-cost housing...). Areas include Netherfield etc. These areas are not typical, from what I've seen. A quick look at the on-line Estate Agents will show you the variation, which is wide. There

*are* nice places in Milton Keynes, cheap ones, nasty ones, expensive and nice ones, and all sorts in between.

[Stephen Gower]

So, the only person to take up my challenge and claim to get what IMM is saying, hasn't got a clue. IMM, have you ever considered that the reason that no-one comprehends you, is not that everyone on this newsgroup is stupid, but that your postings are incomprehensible?

[IMM]

When I say "You haven't a clue", it is not a derogatory comment. It is true.