Interview with Steve Fuller

Steve’s first responsibility in corporate planning at MKDC was locations for schools and social facilities. Interested in the importance of ‘activity centres’ in local planning; he felt they were not given priority. Requests came from developing countries to attach staff to MKDC to learn about the implementation of planning. Steve’s interest in overseas projects led him to be asked to host a number of these visitors: he describes some examples. Steve and colleague Penny (from Finance) made several visits to Zimbabwe to work on setting up an Urban Development Corporation for Zimbabwe. Steve was also seconded by MKDC to the British Urban Development department of the Department of the Environment (DoE), set up to work on bidding for overseas projects. Steve and Malcolm Harper, of Cranfield University, then developed a Managing Urban Growth course which ran for two years reasonably successfully, but was not supported by Government.

Steve then describes the development of an ‘Energy Park’, which stemmed from his discussions with John Doggatt, who had had experience of solar energy projects with the Open University. Steve prepared a report promoting the idea of a number of solar energy projects in Milton Keynes, which was approved by MKDC Board in 1982. After visiting USA energy projects, Steve proposed setting up an ‘Energy Park’, focused on solar energy and designed energy efficiency. Steve describes: the development of the MK Energy Cost Index, by computer modelling (Jake Chapman’s IT skills were crucial) to measure housing energy efficiency; and the development of Energy World, forty energy-efficient houses from developers, opened by Margaret Thatcher. The success of Energy World led to Government recognition of the need for a national independent body to assess energy efficiency of all new houses. The Index became the SAP rating and a National Energy Foundation (NEF) was set up, chaired by Mary Archer. Steve managed the and promotion of Energy World and was the overall coordinator. In Milton Keynes, Steve is most proud of his work on Energy World, and getting the Milton Keynes Energy Cost Index set up. He says: ‘I’m very much in the background, I get my kicks out of making things happen’.