Milton Keynes council has given planning approval to Network Rail’s new national centre, which has a construction value estimated at between £75m and £120m.
The 400,000 sq ft building will be constructed on the site of a former hockey stadium, after councillors voted to approve Network Rail's plans at a town hall meeting on Thursday night (21 January).
Demolition of the hockey stadium has already started, with construction of the centre expected to start in August. In December, BAM Construction was awarded a pre-construction services agreement by Network Rail to assist in the second stage of the design and procurement process. The centre is scheduled to open in Autumn 2012.
The design for the new building includes a host of eco-friendly features including extensive 'living roofs' which will encourage diverse habitats for flora and fauna in the centre of the city and a rainwater harvesting system which will be used to flush toilets and irrigate landscaping.
Network Rail is aiming to achieve a BREEAM (2008) Excellent rating for the centre.
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