Milton Keynes City Council has published the next stage of its long-term vision for growth, the Milton Keynes City Plan 2050.
The MK City Plan is intended to set out how Milton Keynes can deliver new homes, attract investment, and create well-connected communities with access to schools, health services, shops, and green spaces, while protecting the environment and ensuring infrastructure is in place from the start.
Publication of the plan follows thousands of comments from residents, businesses and community groups that have helped shape the plan so far following a 2 year consultation.
Since 2023, the city council has run a wide-ranging engagement programme, including in-person events and an online campaign, which attracted around 7,000 comments. This stage allowed people to share views on how the city should grow, and their feedback has been instrumental in shaping the policies now included in the plan.
The process is now moving into a formal and technical stage. Before the plan is submitted to government for independent examination, MK City Council have said that they are inviting comments specifically on whether it is legally sound, based on robust evidence, and consistent with national planning policy. Anyone who wishes to comment on these aspects or suggest changes to ensure compliance with national requirements can do so by 22 December (5:30pm).
People who wish to comment can do so via the Milton Keynes City Council website.
Cllr Shanika Mahendran, Cabinet Member for Planning and Placemaking, said, “Thousands of voices have helped shape this plan and we’re grateful to everyone who took the time to share their views. Milton Keynes is growing, and this plan is about making sure that growth works for everyone, delivering homes, jobs, and infrastructure in a way that protects our environment and strengthens our communities.”
French DJ and producer David Guetta has been confirmed as performing at Silverstone as part of the 2026 British Grand Prix weekend.
With Silverstone putting on a range of concerts as part of the F1 race weekend at the British track, the first confirmed name for 2026 will see Guetta perform on Thursday July 2 as the opening night concert, with Silverstone confirming the performance will be a UK exclusive on his upcoming Monolith world tour.
In his career, Guetta has sold over 10 million albums and 65 million singles globally, while songs involving him have been streamed over 40 billion times on streaming music sites. His work has seen him work with artists such as Sia, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Becky Hill, Akon, Kid Cudi, Nicki Minaj and Usher.
Guetta said on the Silverstone website that he was excited to perform as part of the weekend.
He said, “I’ve played some incredible shows around the world, but performing at Silverstone during the British Grand Prix is going to be something truly special.
“I’ve always been drawn to Formula 1 – the atmosphere, the adrenaline, the passion – it’s everything I love. I even made a music video inspired by F1 years ago. I can’t wait to bring my energy to the main stage and make it an unforgettable night.”
Further names are expected at Silverstone on the remaining three days, with the circuit saying that fans can expect news soon.
Silverstone have announced the return of their Christmas Lap of Lights event, which will take place over this festive season.
The event sees the home of British motorsport decorated into a glittering festive wonderland, where visitors drive their own cars around the legendary track, guided by a dazzling trail featuring ten immersive light installations, 35 lasers, and over 7,000 LED panels over the track used for the British Grand Prix F1 race among other motorsports events.
Silverstone will host its Lap of Lights events from 12 December 2025 to 3 January 2026.
After finishing the lap, visitors can continue their visit at Silverstone if they so wish with a glide around the Ice Trak rink, weaving through the iconic F1 garages before heading to Silverstone’s festive food and drink garage. Here, guests can savour such yuletide favourites such as German sausages, mince pies, mulled wine, hot chocolate and assorted sweet treats.
New for this year is Santa’s Garage in partnership with LEGO, where attendees can visit Father Christmas’s high-octane workshop to see an exclusive LEGO F1 car and trophy, get up close to real F1 cars and meet Santa and his team of mischievous elf technicians as they prepare his sleigh. It’s a festive pit stop that combines the magic of Christmas with the thrill of motorsport, creating memories to treasure.
And for those looking to tick off their Christmas list, Lap of Lights also offers the perfect opportunity to shop Silverstone’s official merchandise, ideal for finding unique stocking fillers and gifts for motorsport fans of all ages.
Route highlights include:
- Glittering Gateway through the iconic Copse Corner
- Sledspeed Straight charging through Maggots and Becketts
- Fastest Lapland finale down the legendary Hamilton Straight
Spaces are filling fast for the event. One ticket covers everyone. Secure your place from just £50 per car.
Tickets for Santa’s Garage are now on sale, with prices starting from £18.
Top up your Lap of Lights experience with an unforgettable skating session at the Ice Trak. Prices start from £8.45 per person.
The EFL have confirmed that Sky Sports have picked four MK Dons games for broadcast and will have new kick-offs.
Away matches against Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Walsall and Cambridge United were chosen as per Sky’s TV picks published earlier today (07/11) covering matches being played in January and February 2026.
The first moved is the Dons’ trip to Kent, which will remain on January 10th 2026 but will now be a 12:30pm kick-off.
This date is provisional, with the game subject to a further date change if MK Dons qualify for the Third Round of the FA Cup, which takes place on the same weekend. The Dons play Oldham Athletic in the Second Round early in December, while Gillingham are out of the competition after a defeat to Newport County.
The Dons’ trip to Grimsby Town will remain on January 31st 2026 but will now take place as a 12:30pm kick-off.
MK Dons’ match at Walsall was also chosen, but will now take place as a Monday night encounter. The game has been moved to an 8pm kick-off on Monday February 23rd 2026.
This means the Dons will have back-to-back games on Sky, as their match at Cambridge the following Saturday will also be broadcast. The match on Saturday February 28th will have a 12:30pm start.
No home match was chosen for broadcast in a weekend slot, although in keeping with Sky’s policy of televising all midweek League Two games, the Dons’ matches at home to Bristol Rovers and Crawley Town on January 27th and February 17th respectively will also be broadcast.
Midsummer Place shopping centre in Milton Keynes have launched new Sensory Bags, specially designed to support shoppers with additional needs and sensory sensitivities.
Launched on Purple Tuesday (4 November), the initiative forms part of the centre’s commitment to making shopping a more inclusive and comfortable experience for everyone.
Sensory Bags provided by the shopping centre are free to use and can be borrowed during a visit to the centre by asking a member of the team or calling 01908 557000. Each bag contains a variety of items such as fidget toys, noise-cancelling ear defenders, and sensory aids that help to create a calmer, more manageable environment for users who may find busy shopping spaces overwhelming.
Purple Tuesday is a global movement dedicated to improving the customer experience for disabled people and promoting accessibility and inclusion across all sectors. By introducing the sensory bags, Midsummer Place is proudly aligning itself with the campaign’s mission to make everyday activities – like shopping – more welcoming and accessible to all.
Simon Martin, General Manager at Midsummer Place, said, “We’re committed to ensuring that everyone feels comfortable and included when visiting Midsummer Place. Launching our sensory bags on Purple Tuesday is an important step in helping to make our centre a more supportive space for shoppers with additional needs. This initiative reflects our ongoing effort to create an environment where everyone can enjoy their visit with confidence and ease.”
The sensory bags are available to use from Tuesday 4 November and can be collected by contacting the number provided on signage throughout the centre or by speaking to a member of the Midsummer Place team.
A deposit will be required to borrow the sensory bag, which is fully returned when the bag is returned also.
