Work begins on building 66 new council homes

Posted 24/03/2026

Milton Keynes City Council and Higgins Partnerships have started work to build 66 new council homes at the former Cripps Lodge site in Netherfield. Key partners and local representatives marked the start of the project onsite to see the work begin.

The development will cater for all residents, and will include sustainable, high‑quality homes for older residents and people with reduced mobility. Designs will include step‑free layouts, accessible bathrooms and kitchens, and outdoor spaces that are easy to move around.

A mix of bungalows, houses, and apartments will be built, all with off-road parking, private gardens and access to open green space as well as modern energy‑efficient measures to help keep bills low for tenants.

Construction will continue through to 2028, and local residents will be kept updated throughout with opportunities to view the designs as the project progresses.

Higgins Partnerships was chosen through Milton Keynes City Council’s More for MK scheme, which asks contractors to provide wider community benefits such as new jobs, apprenticeships and support for local businesses.

Cripps Lodge previously provided sheltered housing and was demolished in 2020 after it became disused. This development is part of the City Council’s wider work to tackle homelessness and reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation. This includes building new homes, buying properties on the open market and helping people into long‑term housing. Progress is already being made, with 183 homes completed at the Lakes Estate and 21 flats bought in Fairfields last year, using ‘right to buy’ funds that otherwise would have to be returned to Government. The City Council is looking at using other money from right to buy sales to purchase more family homes.

Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Ed Hume said: “I’m really pleased to be on site to see work starting on these much‑needed council homes. They have been designed with accessibility at their heart, especially for older people and for residents with limited mobility. It shows our commitment as a council to delivering the kind of homes that genuinely make a difference to people’s lives, and it’s great to see this project now underway.”

Dominic Higgins, Chief Operating Officer for Higgins Group, said, “We are delighted to reach this milestone and begin construction on these much-needed high-quality council homes. At Higgins, our commitment goes beyond delivering new homes; we are equally focused on creating lasting benefits for the local community.”