History of Milton Keynes - Milestones Since 1967

Milestones Since 1967

1960s

• 1961 Census: Population of districts to become the Borough of Milton Keynes = 52,931
• 1967 Designation
• 1969 The Open University moves to its new headquarters in Walton Hall.

1970s

• 1970 First section of new city grid road system (H2 from V4 Watling Street).
• 1971 First major housing scheme (Galley Hill, Stony Stratford).
• 1971 Census: Population of future Borough of Milton Keynes = 66,949;
  population of designated area = 46,500
• 1974 Stantonbury Campus opens; first major grid road (V8 Marlborough Street connects Bletchley to Stantonbury (for New Bradwell and Wolverton); work begins on the Shopping Building (now The Centre:MK); the first balancing lake (Willen Lake) is finished. Borough of Milton Keynes created (as a district of Buckinghamshire until 1997)
• 1975 The first office building in Central Milton Keynes (Lloyds Court) opens.
• 1979 First concert at Milton Keynes Bowl (Desmond Dekker/Geno Washington); Margaret Thatcher opens the Shopping Building.

1980s

• 1980 A5D opens, bypassing Watling Street; Peace Pagoda dedicated at Willen.
• 1981 Homeworld, Central Library, Willen Hospice
• 1981 Census: Population of the Borough of Milton Keynes = 123,289;
  population of designated area 95,800
• 1982 Central Milton Keynes railway station officially open.
• 1983 Caldecotte balancing lake ready.
• 1984 A421 road connects to M1 motorway at Junction 13; Milton Keynes General Hospital opens.
• 1985 Britain's first multiplex cinema, The Point, opens.
• 1986 Energy World ; new County Court; Forte Crest Hotel (now Holiday Inn); Gyosei school
• 1987 Woughton Marina opens.
• 1989 Furzton balancing lake, Bradwell aqueduct (first aqueduct on Grand Union in over 100 years).

1990s

• 1991 Census: Population of the Borough of Milton Keynes = 179,252;
  population of designated area = 144,700.
• 1991 Ecumenical Church of Christ the Cornerstone was completed; De Montfort University opens Milton Keynes campus. (Closes 2003).
• 1992 Milton Keynes Development Corporation wound up, replaced by Commission for New Towns; Kingston District Centre; Woodhill (HM Prison).
• 1994 Westcroft district centre.
• 1996 National Hockey Stadium opens.
• 1997 Borough of Milton Keynes unitary authority
• 1999 Milton Keynes Theatre, Art Gallery and new Visitor Centre.

2000s

• 2000 Xscape opens.
• 2001 Census: Population of Borough of Milton Keynes = 207,063;
  population of designated area = 177,500.
• 2003 Wimbledon F.C. moves to the National Hockey Stadium.
• 2004 ("MMIV") Wimbledon F.C. renamed and relaunched as Milton Keynes Dons F.C..
• 2007 Stadium:mk opens and Milton Keynes Dons move in.
• 2008 University Centre Milton Keynes opens.

2010s

• 2010 National Hockey Stadium is demolished, construction begins on Network Rail National Centre, Milton Keynes Shopping Centre grade II listed.