The company is planning to build a new centre on the site of the stadium that is adjacent to the city's main railway station.

 

The stadium was built in 1995 when hockey was enjoying a boom in popularity thanks to Britain's Olympic victory when they beat Germany 3-1 in the final.

 

It staged international matches up until 2003 when football club MK Dons took it over and played there for four years until they found a new stadium.

 

In April 2007 the trustees of the National Hockey Foundation, which owned the lease of the stadium, announced that they had arranged to hand the lease back to English Partnerships as detailed study had shown that the stadium would no longer be viable as a hockey venue, particularly in light of the building of another hockey facility in London as part of the facilities for the 2012 Olympics.

 

The new centre to be built on the site will provide office space of a number of Network Rail's key national functions that are currently spread across the country.

 

John Lewis, the chief executive of Milton Keynes Partnership, said: "Network Rail's decision to commit to this major investment is a real boost to business confidence in the city."

 

The exact details of the scheme and schedule for the development will be finalised in spring 2009.

 

Discussions will also involve the relocation of England Hockey, who continue to be based at the site.