Mixed-use developer Socius and investors Patron Capital, the team behind the exciting new sustainable MK Gateway development, are delighted to hear the news that Milton Keynes has been awarded official city status as part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
It is particularly befitting that the announcement has been made in the week Socius has been showcasing Milton Keynes as a ‘city for the future’, in partnership with Milton Keynes Council, Invest in MK and MKDP, at this week’s inaugural UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum. They were joined by the Department for International Trade, investors and prominent national figures such as Lord Kerslake, who were excited to hear of the new city’s aspirations.
It was the recognition of Milton Keynes’ ambition for the future, and of its status as one of the UK’s fastest growing cities, which initially attracted Socius.
“The City of Milton Keynes is live, it’s in progress and it’s happening today,” comments Barry Jessup, Managing Director of Socius. “We are proud to have played a part in this journey so far and delighted that what we saw when we first looked to invest within Milton Keynes has been recognised at such a prestigious level. We are excited to be actively investing in one of the UKs newest and most innovative cities.”
MK Gateway will see the redevelopment of Saxon Court, the iconic former council building which played a pivotal role in the early days of the new town of Milton Keynes.
The regeneration of this site into a sustainable mixed-use development will underpin the future of the city and set new standards. While the height of the Village, the third building in the MK Gateway development, will cement its flagship status, the creation of unique vertical villages, which is a UK first, is testament to the innovative and forward thinking nature of MK Council who approved the plans for the site at the end of last year.
“Situated at the heart of the Oxford to Cambridge Arc growth corridor, Milton Keynes was already a magnet for growth through its willingness to try new things and be a test for bed for technology and innovation,” Barry concludes. “Achieving city status is set to further ignite and influence investment within Milton Keynes, and we are delighted, through MK Gateway, to be playing a role in the future of this great city.”
