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Taylor Wimpey “unwilling to complete the build of the RSH&P homes”

April 1, 2011

We all knew it, despite claiming to appreciate and understand the residents of their very special development, Taylor Wimpey have confirmed in writing to residents that they are “unwilling to complete the build of the RSH&P homes”.

So then residents, English Partnerships (Homes and Communities Agency), ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), RSH+P (Rogers, Stirk, Harbour + Partners) RIBA, Manser Medal awards panel, Milton Keynes Partnerships, Milton Keynes Council, Innovative Housebuilder of the Year awards panel and everyone else who’s put their faith, their time, their money, their awards into Taylor Wimpey, the Oxley Woods development, the 60k homes (design for manufacture) competition, our community, all that this site apparently stood for. “Screw you”. That certainly appears to be the message from Wimpey. They’re not budging, and they are not willing to carry out the plans we all bought in to.

Dear Mr **********

Thank you for your email and attached letter. I appreciate you taking the time to write on behalf of your neighbours, and for responding within the timescales in my letter.

It was not our intention that only the two representatives would see the three options, I was planning to give the three options to the two representatives to distribute to and discuss with their community and then those two representatives would feed back the views of everyone to enable us to chose together which of the three option, or a combination of the three, would be progressed through planning. It is very difficult to design a site with a large number of people which is why I suggested two representatives.

Taylor Wimpey is unwilling to complete the build of the RSH&P homes for the reasons in my previous letter. We did want input from the existing residents before submitting a planning application. However it is now likely that Taylor Wimpey will choose which of the three designs to proceed with, and you will be able to make representation during the planning application in the usual way.

Regards

Stephanie

By the way, the “reasons stated” I’ll try to dissect at a later date. I believe there are more holes in their arguments than an old pair of fishnet stockings. They just want to maximise profits, and be damned anyone who doesn’t agree.

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Residents respond to Taylor Wimpey

March 31, 2011

Following Taylor Wimpey’s first direct communication regarding their plans to scrap the multi-award winning eco homes development at Oxley Woods, a number of residents held an impromptu meeting to discuss our response. A number of us already making it clear we wish to see the development completed as proposed by Wimpey, as awarded and as highly acclaimed by others.

The letter gained around more than 35 signatories in a number of days, and was emailed to Taylor Wimpey. The following is a word-for-word copy of the combined response to Taylor Wimpey.

Dear Ms Moffat,

RE: Oxley Woods

I write on behalf of the residents named below to provide a formal and collective response to your letter dated 23rd March.

We welcome the fact that your letter provides the first direct communication on the part of Taylor Wimpey regarding the future of the Oxley Woods site, albeit to a limited number of recipients. Please be assured that, as residents of this ‘truly innovative and outstanding development of sustainable homes’, we are keen to be involved in ensuring the successful completion of the site.

Following discussions amongst ourselves, we have however concluded that we cannot agree to your proposal for a two person committee to meet with you to identify a preferred alternative design to be pursued on the remaining undeveloped areas.

Given that the Oxley Woods development is of national significance, and that all of its residents have therefore been pioneers, we must underline that any consultation on the future of the site should be open to all residents. Any proposed changes in the design of the homes still to be built must be carefully considered within the context of the original aims of the project, the existing design and layout, and the overarching concept which residents bought into when they made the decision to live here.

It would therefore be inappropriate on our part for any of us to circumvent a full and proper consideration of the available options, either via an open public consultation or via a formal planning process. As such we will not be nominating representatives, nor seeking to view the revised alternative designs as per your proposal.

While we appreciate that the housing market has been difficult over recent years (indeed it has been a personally painful experience for a number of us), it is our belief that there would be sufficient demand for the remaining houses if they were to be completed as per the original design. Our own anecdotal experience is that, over the last couple of years, inquiries to the Oxley Woods sales office into the likely availability of homes in the undeveloped areas have been rebuffed rather than actively pursued as an indication of customer demand. More positively, we infer from the recent closure of the sales office that the remaining homes on Holden Avenue have now been sold, and understand that this is already the case for the three further homes that will soon be built by Wood Newton.

We must therefore reiterate our previous individual responses in support of the completion of the site as per the original RSH+P proposals, and respectively ask for this option to be reconsidered. If the site were to be completed in line with our original expectations we are confident that residents would be able to play an active role in promoting the site to potential homeowners. We would be pleased to discuss this possibility further.

Yours sincerely,

The undersigned

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Wimpey rule out RSH+P, want “committee of two” to negotiate plans

March 24, 2011

Residents of RSH+P designed multi-award winning development Oxley Woods have today received a staggering letter from house builders Taylor Wimpey, outlining their plan to placate residents and steam-roller through their plans to ditch the much fought for, and highly acclaimed RSH+P eco-homes in favour of CMYK penned alternatives.

The letter, attached below, suggests interested residents elect a committee of two. Those two individuals, sorry, that “committee” will then be privy to three alternative designs by CMYK. Then, they will state a preference, after discussion with residents, to allow Wimpey to put in planning for their choice of homes, and being in a position to claim some sort of “proper consultation” those plans will be viewed favourably by the authorities.

Once again, Wimpey are trying to play the system, and attempting to make it seem that they WILL build what they want, and the only way residents get a say is on Wimpey’s terms.

This isn’t the case. If residents wish to object and reject completely Wimpey’s plans we have every right to so.

Apparently, they’re telling those of us who’ve already bought these homes, people just don’t want to buy them.

Perhaps they should be offering full refunds instead, as we were told they were desirable and special. Or, it would appear, continue to treat their customers like naive fools.

Click here to view the letter sent to Oxley Woods residents.

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A matter of faith, innovation, principles and community

January 14, 2011

The 145 home Oxley Woods housing development has won plaudits, international recognition, and many prizes. Our homes and community have received the following accolades:

  • The Manser Medal for Houses and Housing Award 2008 – awarded during RIBA Stirling Prize
  • Housebuilding Innovation Awards 2007 – Housebuilding Innovator of the Year (large housebuilder) and
    Best Innovation in the Use of Materials and Products
  • Housing Design Awards 2008 – Large House Builder category
  • RICS South East Regional Award 2008 - Sustainability category
  • RIBA South Regional Award 2008
  • Evening Standard New Homes Award 2008
  • RICS National Awards – Sustainability category 2008
  • Building for Life 2008 – Gold Standard.

For us, the most amazing thing this development has achieved, despite being almost 20% short of completion, is a strong sense of community.

That’s right, the residents of this RSH+P designed residential development actually talk to one-another!

Having lived in a various communities, new and young, in and around Milton Keynes, I can honestly say the people here are the most friendly, talkative, and proud bunch of residents I’ve had the pleasure to interact with.  It’s something that’s hard to measure, something you cant put your finger on. But these houses, even for their pitfalls and problems, are unique. And the wide range of people, from probably as diverse backgrounds and communities as you could imagine, have all been drawn here by the unique proposition of purchasing one of these very special homes, of being part of a very special community.

And it isn’t just us who recognise this.

The Homes and Communities Agency (of whom English Partnerships are now part) in their report “Design for Manufacture, Lessons Learnt 2″ make numerous mentions of how succeful Oxley Woods is proving, not only in terms of the technology and building techniques employed, but in the community which is growing up here.

Customer feedback has been very positive. Most occupants would be very happy to recommend the development to their friends and families, and a community spirit is already thriving. DfM Report available to download from the HCA website

The three main partners involved have been Taylor Wimpey, Wood Newton and RSH+P. Each of these partners have been responsible for helping to promote and establish the ethos and attitude behind Oxley Woods. As have the Homes and Communities Agency (formerly English Partnerships), and more locally Milton Keynes Partnership (who have even arranged school trips to show future generations how important Oxley Woods is). All of these organisations, and several others, have gained a range of publicity, money and respect for the ethos and attitude of the Oxley Woods development.

So why do I bring this up now? Because it highlights all the more why it seems obsurd that Taylor Wimpey are planning on scrapping this development, despite being less than 85% complete, in favour of the following, brick built, anonymous housing. If Taylor Wimpey has their way, these properties (shown below), are going to be built on the Oxley Woods site in place of the planned RSH+P eco-homes, at a higher density.

I believe this shows a complete lack of respect. A lack of respect for the neighbourhood. A lack of respect for the residents. A lack of respect for all those people, from school children to upcoming architects, who have been told that Oxley Woods and the RSH+P designed homes point the way forward. A lack of respect to the designers and their vision. A lack of respect to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Design for Manufacture programme. A lack of respect for the efforts of ALL those involved to push through the original, forward thinking, out of the ordinary plans. A lack of respect for themselves, to abondon a flagship development in favour of brick-built mundanety for the sake, it would seem most likely, of higher profit margins.

Yes this project has no doubt been challenging, yes it’s been a steep learning curve. But those awards, and the many residents who will sing to the hills the virtues of our unique, growing community, are testament to the fact that the ideology is right, that those who fought and planned and worked towards achieving this were right, and that to abandon that now, is wrong.

If you are reading this because you care about Oxley Woods, about architecture, about urban design, about the standard of people’s lives, and the values of community, then please, in whatever way you can, support our pleas to the developers to see this thing through, to build the homes they’ve made a commitment to make, that the residents of Oxley Woods have shown faith in. At the very least, try something new, keep moving forward, maybe gain further plaudits, and don’t fragment our community.

Please also see: The Future of Oxley Woods?
And: The Future of Oxley Woods? Part Two.

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The future of Oxley Woods? Part Two.

January 12, 2011

This article is a follow up to the recent post: The future of Oxley Woods?

What’s prompted this?

On Monday, some residents of Oxley Woods received a letter from CMYK (Design and Planning) Limited, proposing dramatic changes to the remaining 16% of the original Oxley Woods development, famously designed by world renowned architecture firm RSH+P.

Letter? Proposed changes? What?

If you were not among the select few to receive this information, you can download PDFs of their proposals here: Proposal PDF and their questionnaire here: Questionnaire PDF.

Confusion, and trying to clear things up.

There has been some confusion and a certain lack of clarity in some fields as to what is being proposed. I just wanted to try and clarify a little in this post, especially for those who have not had the documents, or who struggle to get their heads around the very idea that RSH+P have been replaced by CMYK.

If there are any errors or omissions, or if you can add further to the detail of this post/documentation, then please get in touch or post on the forum and I’ll try to update the data ASAP.

For those who need some clarification, Oxley Woods is a multi-award winning site of 145 homes, designed by RSH+P, and built and sold by Taylor Wimpey (originally George Wimpey). The main sub-contractor building the RSH+P homes is Wood Newton.

What was proposed originally, what’s changed?

Originally Oxley Woods was sold, awarded, shown and promoted as a development of 145 RSH+P designed eco-homes. At the time of writing, it is still being sold as such on the official OxleyWoods.com website.

So far, 119 of those properties have been built. According to word of mouth, three more of those are still to be built as per the original plans and RSH+P design.

That makes 122. 23 to go.

The letter from CMYK (Planning and design) Limited shows proposals to replace those 23 award winning RSH+P designed homes, with 26 brick built homes, very much like those we can see being built by Taylor Wimpey on the other side of the Oxley Park estate.

Let’s illustrate that

Let’s put up some pictures to show what we have, what is planned, and where it is planned. It is being proposed that 16% of the original RSH+P homes proposed for Oxley Woods be replaced with 26 brick built houses. Here’s some illustrations, sourced from a combination of CMYK (Design and Planning) Limited, RSH+P and Taylor Wimpey.

Some of the current housing, on Milland Way, which will be directly opposite the area where the RSH+P homes scrapping is being proposed. Source, RSH+P.

On the other side of the road, on the Oxley Woods site, replacing more RSH+P housing, CMYK are suggesting the following properties.

We’ll let your own eyes decide if they go together gracefully and will help form a cohesive community of eco-housing.

Here are a couple of pictures cobbled together from the official Oxley Woods site, and the letter from CMYK (Design and Planning Limited) to show where the changes are being proposed to take place:

Of the original plans (and those still being shown on the Oxley Woods website) you can see how CMYK are suggesting replacing 23 RSH+P eco-homes, with 26 of their designed properties. The original plots 123 through to 145 being scrapped.

Where things appear to be.

The Parish Council apparently have had no plans submitted yet, rumour suggests that RSHP left the project last summer, and CMYK appear to be going full steam ahead with their plans (on behalf of Taylor Wimpey) to build their brick homes in place of the remainder of the original Oxley Woods plan we bought in to. IF they can get permission to do so.

While the letter they have sent to residents implies this is a formality, I quote “As Outline consent already exists on this land, we are not seeking comments on the principles of development but would appreciate feedback on the appearance of the dwellings” such a dramatic change to the proposed Oxley Woods development, which has been highlighted and promoted so heavily as a wonderful, groundbreaking project, must surely at the very least come under the most severe scrutiny possible?

For now, suggestions and debates are going on in the residents’ forum. Some people have asked for contact details for planning and parish council. The following may be of some use if you wish to find out more about the plans, or raise any concerns or objections. Please contact me if you can help or would like have any details amended or added to this list.

Possibly useful links and contacts.

Residents, please use the forum, or knock on each others doors if you wish to discuss this. If you agree or not with the plans to change the shape of the Oxley Woods development, you cannot deny the change is dramatic and will have an impact on the community.

For planning this appears to be the correct contact:
South Area Development Control Team Leader: Andrew Horner andrew.horner@milton-keynes.gov.uk

Assistant Director of Planning: Nick Fenwick nick.fenwick@milton-keynes.gov.uk

For the Parish Council, there is a contact page on their website:
http://www.shenleychurchend-pc.co.uk/contact.html

Our local MP is Iain Stewart: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/iain_stewart/milton_keynes_south http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/iain-stewart/31728

CMYK (Planning and Design) Limited: http://cmykuk.net/

Homes and Communities agency: http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ContactUs.aspx

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