Interview with Nigel Lane part 2

In part 2 Nigel talks further about the Industry Group, commenting on deficiencies of the initial AFU designs from Derek Walker’s team. In 1976/1977, he became a Director of MKDC, joining architects Don Ritson (South MK) and Stuart Mosscrop (Central MK) on Executive Management Committee (EMC). He felt confident that both EMC and the MKDC Board would approve his team’s designs: ‘…trying to satisfy briefs from Commerce or Housing or Social Development’, not setting out to produce great architecture, but ‘buildings for the people who were going to live in them’. Whilst disagreeing with Stuart’s approach, he notes that he respects his ability. Nigel agreed, in the late 1970s, to become one of a group of six MKDC staff planning development of a new Capital City (Abuja) for Nigeria, based on a Master Plan developed by Americans & Canadians. Having explored the site, they came back and set up office in Simpson House to produce an implementation strategy. Nigel recounts some details: contracts amounting to £750 million in those days for the development were let. Nigel says: ‘the Nigerians were paying MKDC, who paid all the fees’; he understands that the money was spent on the arts in MK.

Nigel worked for MKDC for 10 years (1970-1980). He says: ‘What I am proud about is that …I believe …the North MK Team influenced MK to … build better environments’. He would have liked to develop Greenleys, Fullers Slade and Stacey Bushes to a higher level. At a North MK team reunion the previous day, ‘a lot of them said ‘That was the best time we ever had’ …there are some very special guys there’. He comments that although there was always plenty to do, he didn’t feel pressurised: ‘it was just fun’, and there was job security. Nigel describes his methods of team building and working, trying to draw out people’s talents. He quotes Malcolm Grant as an example, for his systems expertise. Nigel’s team drew up a five-year framework for the North East area of MK, producing a plan covering the area from Giffard Park to Newport Pagnell and Willen Lake. Finally he comments that the antipathy of people to early projects, like the red Tesco building and yellow Kiln Farm buildings, made it difficult to change attitudes to MKDC