On the January 23 1967, a Designation Order from the government decreed that the new town of Milton Keynes should be built on over 20,000 acres of land in North Bucks.
The new town was to encompass the existing towns of Bletchley, Stony Stratford and Wolverton, as well as other smaller villages. In fact, it was named after one of the smallest settlements - Milton Keynes Village.
A newly-formed Milton Keynes Development Corporation employed the most forward-thinking architects and planners to design our grid road system and housing laid out in grid squares.
These grid square would house their own semi-autonomous community and each community would have its own local centre and often a school.
Thousands of people from all ver the UK came to settle in the brand new houses on brand new estate to watch the new city being built around them.
Today, some of these estates are in need of major regeneration while others have mellowed and improved over time. Today, as part of our weekly nostalgia series, we take a look back at those exciting early days of MK.
5.
Bradville was built on a scenic spot, with a section of the Grand Union Canal and the old railway walk running through it. Here, you can see the estate being built, with Monks Way in the background, obscured by trees. Photo: Living Archive
6.
Great Holm was a later estate, with building beginning in 1982. Before this, it had been farmland in the parish of Loughton. Here you can see the early stages of houses being built, Photo: Living Archive
7.
Coffee Hall, shown here in the 1970s, was one of the earlier new estates, along with Netherfield and nearby Beanhill. Roads on the estate are named after old London coffee houses, such as Rochfords and Lloyds - hence the unusual name. Photo: Living Archive
8.
People in the town of Newport Pagnell, pictured here in the 1970s, watched Milton Keynes being built all around them, but it was actually excluded from the 1967 designated area. The two places join at the M1 but planned new development will bring the 'new city' even closer. Today, older people in Newport Pagnell still take umbrage when their town is described as part of MK!