ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2005

In association with Development Policy and Practice and the International Development Centre at the Open University

Milton Keynes, UK
7th-9th September 2005

Connecting people and places: challenges and opportunities for development

• Location and travel
• Accommodation
• Hotels served by Courtesy Coach

Location and travel
The conference will take place on the main Open University campus at Milton Keynes. The event will be fully catered but the campus has additional cafes, a refectory and a restaurant. It also has bars, a lounge, a state-of-the-art library, a bank and a small shop for newspapers and groceries. Outdoors, there are landscaped areas for relaxation - a seated quadrangle, a river walk and a fitness trail.

Milton Keynes is a modern and dynamic planned city. It has a range of heritage sights to visit - including Bletchley Park, home of the World War II enigma code breaking team, the Buddhist peace pagoda (the first in the western hemisphere), Woburn Abbey and its Safari Park, and industrial heritage sights. Since the addition of the leisure mall (skiing on snow all year round!) and the theatre district, it has a lively night life. The shopping mall is extensive and the food mall contains one of the UK’s first fair trade shops.

Travel: Full details and maps are at http://www.open.ac.uk/maps/

Fast trains between Milton Keynes and London take between 35 and 60 minutes. There is a public bus service between the campus and the railway station and city centre. On the first morning of the conference there will be a courtesy bus departing from Central Milton Keynes railway station (time will be specified later), non-bookable but available on a first come first served basis. There will also be a return courtesy bus at the end of the conference. Taxis are also available.

The campus is ten minutes drive from the M1 (see the website map for travel directions). Parking spaces on the campus are limited so if you want to avoid a walk, we suggest public transport. Car parking spaces are available for yellow badge holders. Please indicate if you require one of these on your booking form.

Accommodation
Being a distance learning institution, the OU does not have residential accommodation on campus. Therefore conference fee does not include the cost of overnight accommodation, which participants will need to select and book independently. Listed below are details of two hotels for which we will be offering a courtesy bus, to run between the accommodation and the OU campus. We encourage you to book your accommodation early if you want to take advantage of those hotels with the courtesy bus. There is also a list of other hotels within the neighbourhood of the OU campus. Further accommodation options, including a Youth Hostel and camping sites, are available at http://www.mkweb.co.uk/. Most journey times within the city are not more than 10 or 15 minutes by car.

Hotels served by courtesy coach

This service is non-bookable, available on a first-come first-served basis. The coach will run at the end of the first day, the start and end of the second day, and at the start of the third day.

Important note: On booking with these hotels, you will need to state that you are attending the OU/DSA Conference as they have rooms reserved for us. If you do not say you are attending the OU/DSA Conference you will be told that they are full.

Premier Lodge, Milton Keynes Central
Shirwell Crescent, Furzton, Milton Keynes MK4 1GA
T: 0870 990 6396
F: 0870 990 6397
http://www.premierlodge.co.uk/
Approximate price: from £54 per night.

Campanile Milton Keynes
40 Penn Road, Watling Street, Fenny Stratford, Milton Keynes, MK2 2AU.
Tel: (01908) 649819
Approximate price: from £44 per night.

Page last updated: 28 June, 2005