Interview with John Napleton (b.1944).
John Napleton moved to Milton Keynes in 1974 to take up a post as chief engineer for highways and traffic for the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. In this role he was responsible for the design of ‘grid roads, traffic measures, designs at junctions, traffic lights… anything to do with the citywide infrastructure.’ He set standards for the grid roads in 1974 which had to be adhered to. He recalls the dynamic environment at Milton Keynes Development Corporation, and multi-disciplinary working.
He describes in detail his work for four years from 1978 as the Project Director of the team from MKDC appointed by the British Urban Developments Services Agency (BUDSA) to build the new federal capital of Nigeria, Abuja. Returning from Nigeria in 1983 he became Property Management Director of MKDC, then from 1988 helped to put together the wind-up programme for the Corporation. ‘This comprised building all remaining grid roads… in four years.’ Talking of the formation of Milton Keynes Parks Trust, he says: ‘pushing that through was, I think, the best thing they ever did for Milton Keynes.’ After MKDC had ended, he remained in MK working for the Commission for the New Towns; he talks of the plans that resulted in the building of the Theatre and Gallery. ‘I think … the Theatre is the symbol that Milton Keynes has come of age.’
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