As we drive quickly across Milton Keynes today on the various ‘H’ and ‘V’ roads, it may be hard to imagine that just over 50 years ago the area was made up of farmland, scattered villages and country lanes. A government decision made in 1967 changed that forever. It was not without controversy.
In his series, The Birth of Milton Keynes, local historian John Taylor describes in some detail how this ambitious new town came to pass.
In the 1960s the government wanted to build a new town and although North Bucks was not the only area under consideration, it became the favoured option because of its excellent communication links, not least the recent construction of the M1.
Naturally there were objections. Farmers feared for their loss of livelihood and villages anticipated a loss of identity and community. Some wondered how the area would cope with a projected population of 250,000. However, after much consultation the decision was announced on 18 January 1967.
Follow Total MK on Facebook: here and twitter here for breaking news in Milton Keynes
John Taylor documents this saga in three volumes. The first describes the political wrangling up to the announcement. The second volume tells us about the creation of the Milton Keynes Development Corporation and the development of the master plan, essentially the basis for Milton Keynes as we know it today.
The third volume (still in preparation) describe the implementation of this plan up to the handover by MKDC to local authorities.
The books are available in both paperback and hard cover.
The books are available online here and from Amazon, Blackwells and Waterstones.
