The Historic Landscapes Assembly 2026 - DAY 2

Join us at the Gardens Trust’s annual conference in Milton Keynes for New Town Landscapes: Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future
About this Event

Join us for the second day of this two-day conference which will bring together academics, practitioners, policymakers, and those with direct experience of New Town development to explore how the histories of New Towns can inform their futures. In partnership with FOLAR, the Landscape Foundation, and Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust.

This conference is sponsored by the IHBC and is conceived as both a scholarly forum and a space for professional and intergenerational exchange, encouraging dialogue between research, practice, and lived experience.

DAY TWO

9.15 Tea/coffee available

9.30 Introduction to the History, Role and Management of Designed Landscapes within Milton Keynes with James Cairncross, Head of Landscape Architecture, The Parks Trust, Milton Keynes

11.00 Guided Tours of Green Spaces in Milton Keynes, offering delegates the opportunity to experience the city firsthand and continue discussions in situ

Delegates can choose either a guided tour on foot of two of the city's main parks:

· the 46-hectare Campbell Park, designed as part of the New Town and opened in 1984. It is on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest for its role as a central feature in the unique plan of Milton Keynes, its planning and planting to incorporate biodiversity, and its outstanding unified design,

· Great Linford Manor Park, a Georgian Landscape Garden with a history stretching back to Saxon times, now incorporated into the New Town as a public park. Covering 10 hectares, it has recently been restored with a £3m grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Or a guided tour of the city's green spaces by bike (bike hire included in the ticket price), including visits to Campbell Park and Great Linford Manor Park, as above, plus the chance to explore other aspects of the city's 2,400 hectares of green space. The bike tour will be on largely flat ground and at a gentle pace.

Both tours will include time to stop for lunch (cost not included).

4pm Close, with transport provided as necessary to return delegates to the Milton Keynes Gallery or the train station.

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Image: Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, © David A Bailey

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This ticket is for DAY 2 of the ONSITE 2-day Conference at The Sky Room, MK Gallery, 900 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3QA (followed by a guided tour ) and includes Tea/coffee on arrival. (Lunch will be available for purchase at an extra cost.)

Ticket sales close 2 weeks before the conference, on 8th Sep @ 5pm.

If the ticket you wish to purchase is sold out, please hit the ‘contact the organiser’ button as we may be able to vary the available ticket type up to the attendee maximum.

However, do note that you can book the online ticket for DAY 1 up to 4 hours before the event if an in-person ticket does not become available.

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Tickets for Day 1 only onsite only can be purchased Prices from £85 with a further Early Bird discount whilst tickets last

Tickets for Both days onsite can be purchased Prices from £125 with a further Early Bird discount whilst tickets last

Day 1 of the Conference can also be viewed online via Zoom and you can purchase a ticket , which includes a recording available for a month afterwards, until 23 Oct.

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Venue:

The Sky Room, MK Gallery, 900 Midsummer Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3QA

Accommodation:

Please note that we suggest overnight accommodation, but bookings will be the responsibility of the attendees. This ticket does not include accommodation.

Travel:
There are metered parking spaces and a multi-storey car park in the vicinity.If travelling by train, regular bus services (routes 1-8 & 300) run from MK Central Station bus stops Y1/Y2/Y3/Y5. (Ask for the Theatre District stop on Midsummer Boulevard.)

Taxis take c.5-10 mins from MK Central Station

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