Day 44, Year of #Mygration: Understanding Milton Keynes

In Milton Keynes, the number of residents who were born outside of the UK more than doubled from 20,500 (9.9%) in 2001 to 46,100 (18.5%) in 2011. So what is it that attracts people from outside of the UK here?

In a previous post we spoke to Visiting Research Fellow at the OU, Dr Fidele Mutwarasibo, who explained it was the mixture of urban and rural design that attracted him and his family (more than 22 million trees have been planted in the town) along with its vibrant multiculturalism and ethnic diversity. The story behind the development of Milton Keynes, designed as a space for connected communities built around industrial formations, is an interesting one. Today we share with you part one of an Open University film produced to mark the 50^th anniversary of Milton Keynes. The film aims to deconstruct many of the myths that exist about the city and offer a thorough examination of the ideas, history and development of Milton Keynes divided into various sections, each one looking at a distinctively different facet of the city. This video explores everything from the sociological ideas behind the development of Milton Keynes, through to its commitment to public art and how organisations like The Parks Trust provide a unique model for maintaining green spaces.