What Bletchley Might Have Been (11 June 1976)
Casting a baleful eye on the big black blocks that now bestrew the bailiwick of Bletchley, I am reminded that this year, 1976, was to have seen the end of the town’s planned post-war expansion – a population target of 19,300 duly achieved over a period of 25 years.
In 1951 the population numbered between 10,000 and 11,0000 and the town was well on the way towards completing its post-war council-house-building programme.
During the war, however, Prof Abercrombie’s government-sponsored report on London’s overspill population had appeared. It had been enthusiastically received by the local council, for one of its proposals had been the planned development of Bletchley to a town of around 50,000 people – with government financial assistance, of course. Subsequently that proposal had been turned down and a figure of 20,000 substituted instead.
To many local people this seemed a more manageable proposition. Moreover, it would not involve the use of a town development corporation. In fact, one of the town’s officers, who shall be nameless, told me that he thought a nice little town could be made of Bletchley with that limit in mind. I thought so myself.
The town, as it stood at that moment, was still widely scattered and urban amenities were very few. But the population needed to be only doubled for the ends to be sewn together – except for Simpson village – and if development was not rushed we could in due course expect to collect a suitable quantity and quality of amenities.
The council spent the year 1950 and the early part of 1951 urging on the government Bletchley’s suitability and willingness for an expansion of that size and in discussing financial ways and means with the treasury. They also prepared a 25-year development plan.
In July, 1951, Mr Hugh Dalton, then Minister of Local Government and Planning, announced a list of four towns for expansion by their existing local authorities and Bletchley was on the list.
The very next week the council submitted their prepared plan to the county council for inclusion in the county plan for submission to the Minister.
The Bletchley plan allowed 25 years for the full development to take place, bringing the population to 12,050 by 1956; to 17,640 by 1971; and to 19,300 by 1976. The plan must have been soundly based, for it is notable how many of its proposals have come to fruition. Proposals implemented have included:
A population increase in the Shenley Road and Buckingham Road area from 1,980 in 1950 to 9,172 in 1971.
An increase south of Aylesbury Street and Bletchley Road (Queensway) including the then-building Manor Farm estate, from 3,948 to 5,381.
A decrease north of Bletchley and east of the main railway line from 2,413 to 2,349 and a reduction of its residential acreage from 140 to 121.
An increase of the existing 24 acres of Watling Street manufacturing development to 107 acres, extending to Denbigh Hall.
A new road from Buckingham Road to the A5, enabling traffic to by-pass the town centre (Whaddon Way).
A new road connecting the above with Church Green Road (Rickley Lane).
A new station approach road west of the then existing one (Sherwood Drive) and the removal of the motive power department to the east of the main line, and a new goods station approach.
Proposals not realised or partly realised included the allocation of the Eight Bells Field to the police, ambulance, fire brigade and territorial army (only the TA settled there).
First indication that development might be more rapid than envisaged came the following November at a small local inquiry concerning a Buckingham Road banana-ripening business, when a county council officer revealed a hope that the whole programme would be completed, not in 25 years, but in ten.
In the upshot, the population rose to 17,093 by 1961. Subsequently, the target figure was raised and by 1968 the population was estimated at 26,440.
Next came the abortive Pooley Plan for a new town of about 150,000 north of Bletchley. And finally, the announcement of the new city.
So now we have both a new city and a new borough foisted upon us. And those big black monuments signify alike the death of the old Bletchley and the burial of the modest new Bletchley that might have been.
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