Milton Keynes must think and act more regionally if it is to capitalise on its rapid growth and secure long-term prosperity, according to Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership (MKBLP) chair Nicholas Mann. Speaking about the business landscape, Nicholas reflects on 2025, outlines his priorities for MKBLP in 2026 and shares his view on the economic prospects for Milton Keynes and the South Midlands as the year gathers momentum.
Milton Keynes continues to grow and that expansion is creating opportunity for business so long as business keeps pace with the city’s rate of growth.
To my mind, it is key that we take a more regional approach in order that the city and region collectively benefit from the strength of a local economy that is already benefiting from its position as key to the government’s Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor vision and investment therein.
Throughout my career in business, there has always been this distinction between Northampton, Bedford and Milton Keynes. The more established towns, with their rich cultural and economic heritage, traditionally viewed the ‘new kid on the block’ Milton Keynes with suspicion, and I understand the reasons why.
However, I believe we now need to come together and identify as one central area facing strong economic competition from major cities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Birmingham and London. We don’t want people leaving Milton Keynes to pursue careers elsewhere, so we must ensure there are enough high-quality jobs locally to retain talent and support our growing population..
The city is a nervous and sensitive market. I am finding that organisations are focusing very much on return on investment. More are looking at headcount and the challenges of employing people. New and proposed legislation is not helping, such as the Employment Rights Bill, that is influencing their thinking. So is AI and how it is affecting the market.
Yet there is still so much untapped potential. There is plenty of talk, but it is now time to act on and deliver what we have been talking about. We need to lead with actions alongside the words. We have to come together and capitalise on the opportunity we have. There has to be a grand plan and progress towards its end goal can take place even if there are no spades in the ground.
We need strong leadership. We need it from Milton Keynes City Council, and business leaders need to step up to the plate and make sure that the voice of business is heard loud and clear and that we are speaking with a single voice.
The politicians may not like it. But the politicians are all about Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes becoming a combined region. Northampton is Reform-led and therefore is thinking differently. But businesspeople don’t care what the politicians call for – if it makes sense to build links across an area then that is what they are going to do.
I believe that the effective ‘merger’ of Milton Keynes, Bedford and Mid-Bedfordshire is inevitable. As Milton Keynes grows, it has to cross the ‘boundary’ of the M1 and take in towns and villages such as Cranfield, Salford and Moulsoe.
I am all for expansion as long as it benefits both business and wider society. That means that infrastructure has to keep pace with the expansion plans. In particular, we need to be able to get our residents to work in the region quickly, efficiently and consistently.
I am seeing Milton Keynes becoming a leader in terms of its road and transport infrastructure. Look at the work being done on the Eastern Expansion area around Newport Pagnell. Traffic flow has increased as a result, but the attraction of Milton Keynes has always been its grid system and road network that makes getting around the city so easy. We are now building a road network designed to last decades, even centuries, and the vision of a hyper-effective and efficient mass transit transport system around the city is part of the latest funding proposal to be submitted to central government.
We also have to remember that Universal Studios’ plan to build its Universal United Kingdom theme park and leisure resort on the former brickworks site at Kempston Hardwick near Bedford – only 16 miles or 30 minutes’ travel time from Milton Keynes’ city centre – is a massive opportunity for the entire region.
This is why the transport system infrastructure is so important. Imagine the benefits if, as well as connecting the city to the surrounding expansion areas, state-of-the-art transport links via mass transit and highly efficient roads connect to the Universal site and to the south and west to the East West Rail line. Suddenly this region becomes a major economic powerhouse.
The message is clear: business leaders, led by Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership, need to speak with one voice; a voice that echoes united across the entire South Midlands region to champion the brilliance, innovation and talent that works here.
The Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor is seen by the government as a golden opportunity to accelerate economic growth across the country. It is vital that Milton Keynes and the wider South Midlands position themselves at the heart of this vision, ensuring our region captures the benefits in terms of investment, innovation and high-quality jobs.
Find out more about the Milton Keynes Business Leaders Partnership by clicking here.
