Interview with Lee Shostak

Starting as a Research Officer at Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC) in 1972, Lee later moved into the Planning Department and in the late 1970s was Planning Manager, then Director. In 1975/76 he recalls orchestrating the response to Peter Shore’s report to the Labour government, which challenged the futures of new towns; work with other new towns led to discussions with the Government and a reduction in MK’s target population to 150,000. As a consequence Lee worked with Fred Lloyd Roche (General Manager) on a proposal for introduction of shared ownership housing, a new idea at that time. Lee recalls significant reports during MK’s development. Firstly, Stroud Watson’s City Structure Report, produced by a small group in the early 1970s. This reviewed progress of development and concluded that it was not being made fast enough and was not all in line with the Master Plan. The MKDC Board was not satisfied; this led to the departure of Derek Walker (Chief Architect) and future compliance with Master Plan details. Secondly, he recalls the report from an Officers Away Day in 1978, anticipating a Tory government; this proposed key new strategies focussing on economic benefit, including more private housing and the building of the Central Business Exchange (CBX).

Reviewing MK’s successes and failures, Lee considers that ‘the voluntary sector is one of the strengths of MK today’ and gives great credit to Peter Waterman (Social Development Director) and his team for their efforts, which have brought to MK a wide variety of cultural, leisure and voluntary schemes. However, he regards public transport as a failure: in his opinion, the promise of the Master Plan to provide public transport throughout the city for everyone was never achievable. Lee also recalls working as an observer on the MK 2050 Futures Commission, which ‘vigorously promoted the growth of Milton Keynes to a population approaching half a million’. He is proud that he was invited to be involved with the Commission; also that he contributed to persuading Governments that MK’s development should continue.