What was there before Milton Keynes?
The new Milton Keynes was built on an existing village, Milton Keynes, which is mentioned in the Domesday book. Many small existing villages and towns such as Wolverton, Stony Stratford, Bletchley and Newport Pagnell were also incorporated. The location was chosen because it was located equidistant from London, Birmingham and Oxford.
How was it put together?
Oversight was provided by the Master Plan for Milton Keynes. Decisions were taken out of the hands of the local authorities and given to the Milton Keynes Development Corporation, a body comprising appointed business leaders, academics, architects and councillors. Founding principles included easy movement and access, public awareness and participation and balance and variety. Other guidelines included a planning guideline for “no building higher than the highest tree”, at a time when multi-storey flats and office blocks were dominating urban redevelopment. The layout of roads and housing was built on a ‘lazy’ grid pattern that was sympathetic to the landscape and its contours, with major internal roads running between, rather than through communities. The project was accompanied by branding and promotion to sell the town as a place where people should come and live.
No building higher than the highest tree