Insider Media Limited

The Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM) economic growth area remains a potential threat to business in parts of the West Midlands, according to lobbying group Business Voice West Midlands. It said the government’s plans to move ahead with MKSM “gave no recognition to the potential impact of the development upon the transport network in Coventry and Warwickshire”.

Richard Ward, chairman of Business Voice WM’s MKSM working group, said the organisation had written to the government to express its concerns. He said: “We pointed out how potential transport bottlenecks between London and Birmingham could be aggravated by a development between the two cities which would be twice the population size of the latter.

“We also expressed concerns that businesses, local authorities and other relevant public agencies in the West Midlands were not properly consulted on the implications."

Any migration of skilled workers “could upset the existing regeneration plans of Coventry and other parts of the southern West Midlands area and could have a knock-on effect upon the economic development of the whole of the region," said Business Voice WM.

Ward said the development could be a success “if the West Midlands are treated like an equal partner”.

MKSM is the largest growth area in the UK and plans are in place to deliver more than 225,000 new homes and more than 200,000 new jobs by 2021. The area is made up of all of Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes, Luton, Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and the Aylesbury Vale District of Buckinghamshire.