Interview with Tony Hird

In 1972, Tony was appointed a Principal Housing Officer with Milton Keynes Development Corporation (MKDC), after interview with Ben Affleck. The initial challenge was to develop a policy for allocation of housing between employees of existing and new industries in MK. They discuss the early housing like Netherfield, and Tony’s concerns about flat roofs on these non-traditional designs. Their views were taken to Executive Management Committee (EMC), but the architects’ designs won the day because of the need for rapid house building. Tony talks of the ‘different philosophies’ of architects in Southern and Northern areas: he disagreed completely with the philosophy for the Central area – three-storey housing, which in his opinion was difficult to let – and notes that the non-traditional housing designs were not popular with tenants.

In 1974 there were employment problems, with fewer companies moving in. New strategies led to more attractive housing and more sale housing. Ben Affleck and Tony put a paper to EMC which gave Tony power to offer direct help to London boroughs to relieve their housing problems, particularly with disadvantaged people. 10 percent of all rental housing was allocated to London boroughs right through the 1970s and 1980s. Tony also worked on funding housing associations, raising funds for building specifically for disadvantaged people, which was, he believes, ‘totally successful’. Tony also describes his part in getting the concrete cows to Milton Keynes! He recalls the decline in rental housing in the 1980s, due to Mrs Thatcher’s policies. MKDC gave tenants the options of buying, continuing renting from the council, or from a housing association. There were problems created when some areas become occupied only by low income families and became less attractive. On 1 April 1992 all the housing stock not with housing associations was transferred to the Borough Council. Tony stayed at MKDC right until the end in 1992 and says: I’m extremely proud of being involved with the most fantastic team there’s ever been. Nobody will create…a Milton Keynes again, with a Chairman [like Jock Campbell] who knows so much about people’