The winning team selected for the estimated £225,000 including VAT. Contract will deliver a two‑stage design review process for major planning applications – providing contextual and expert advice to support officer recommendations and committee decision‑making.
The three-year agreement will see design review panels convened at pre‑application and submission stage along with site visits, virtual meetings, and written assessments intended to promote high quality development across the rapidly growing new town.
According to the brief: ‘The council wishes to engage a supplier to manage and carry out an independent design review process, via a panel for high profile major planning applications within the borough. It is intended that engaging an independent panel will supplement the work of existing technical officers within the council.
‘It will enable officers to give a more robust assessment of the design of these high-profile proposals, to the benefit of informing senior officers, and members at planning committee who will often be responsible for making the decision on the planning application. By having independent advice, members are likely to have greater confidence in the design quality of our most high-profile planning applications.’
Milton Keynes is a major new town of around 230,000 inhabitants, around 72km north-west of central London. In 2019, the settlement hosted a ‘Festival of Creative Urban Living’ curated by German experimental architectural practice Raumlabor Berlin which featured several contest-winning installations.
Hopkins Architects won an international contest to design a new university in Milton Keynes in 2019. The project – backed by Cranfield University and Milton Keynes Council – is one of the flagship elements of the MK Futures 2050 programme, which anticipates that the population of the Buckinghamshire new town will more than double by 2050.
The latest procurement comes shortly after Artist Yinka Ilori transformed Milton Keynes Station Square with a new 3,000m2 artwork called ‘Walk With Your Dreams’.
Intended to boost design quality in large-scale developments across the settlement, the new panel will be expected to operate in line with national best practice. Reviews will be administered by the winning team with the council providing venues and refreshments.
Bids for the latest commission will be evaluated 70 per cent on quality and 30 per cent on price.
Competition details
Project title Design Review Services (Contract Reference 2025‑257)
Client Milton Keynes City Council
Contract value £187,500 excluding VAT (£225,000 including VAT)
First round deadline Midday, 13 February 2026
Restrictions Single‑supplier appointment via open procedure; minimum quality threshold of 50 per cent applies to quality scoring and Real Living Wage and insurance requirements must be met
More information https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085538-2025