Milton Keynes warehouse: Blakelands planning conditions were missed as a result of "human error"

The warehouse is 3,000 sq m (32,291 sq ft) bigger and at least 6.5m (21ft) taller than the John Lewis unit it replaced

A review into how an "oppressive" warehouse was allowed to be built has found that planning conditions were missed as a result of "human error".

Blakelands Warehouse in Milton Keynes was granted planning permission in May 2017.

An independent report found while subsequent mistakes should have been rectified sooner there was "no untoward conduct" .

A Conservative councillor said some questions had been left unanswered.

The 18m-high (59ft) warehouse, with 20,522 sq m (220,900 sq ft) of floorspace, is 3,000 sq m (32,291 sq ft) bigger and at least 6.5m (21ft) taller than the John Lewis unit it replaced.

Residents nearby said it had "spoilt" their estate and way of living.

This drone picture shows the size of the warehouse and its proximity to housing

They raised concerns about the process that led to the development being approved, including an error which meant 13 separate conditions were not included in legal letters.

Milton Keynes Council previously appointed planning expert Marc Dorfman to report on the process in 2019 but he resigned without completing his report.

The authority's audit committee then appointed independent barrister Tim Straker.

In his report, he said the conditions were missed off as a result of a mistake and not as a result of the decision-making process.

"The fact that certain residential properties are now closer to a larger warehouse than hitherto is a function of the planning system not untoward conduct by officers or members," the report said.

Mr Straker added that "the fact some committee members... may have come to regret their decision is not something that enables that decision to be unwound".

The warehouse backs on to the rear of bungalows on Bessemer Court

Conservative councillor Andrew Geary, who was chair of the development control committee when the original decision was made by the Labour-controlled council, said he was "somewhat surprised" that Mr Straker had not spoken to him but the report went into "significantly more detail" than had been seen before.

He added that he did not see how conclusions could be made without speaking to some of the planning officers involved in the case at the time, who had since left.

"While we've got a lot of detail, I don't actually believe that the facts that we need are there," he said.

"Human error is responsible for a lot of things... but why did this human error take place? We still haven't got to the bottom of it."

Mr Straker's report concluded that the matter "should be regarded as closed".