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During the 1950’s and 60’s thousands of new homes were constructed in Aylesbury to relocate Londoners. This was followed by extensive redevelopment of the Town Centre. Some Aylesbury residents regretted the demolition of ancient buildings and the loss of old street patterns, but others welcomed the growth and investment.

Friars Square Shopping Centre was opened in 1967 to provide much-needed functional modern retail units, to meet the demands of the growing population. Originally the market relocated to the new centre but in 1990 Friars Square was demolished and refurbished into a modern indoor shopping mall and the market moved back to its natural home in the Market Square. Hale Leys indoor shopping mall was opened by H.R.H Diana Princess of Wales in 1981.

The increasingly complex administration requirements of the County were given much-needed new accommodation in the 12 storey County Hall, opened in 1966. Designed by F.B.Pooley, the County Architect at the time, the building heralded a brand new age for the then sleepy market town of Aylesbury. The new building formed an integral part of the new development of the town and was eventually linked to the new Friars Square and bus station. It replaced some fine Regency houses in Walton Street and together with Friars Square which was opened a year later in 1967, replaced the quaint but run down shopping areas of Silver Street, Great Western Street and the old Friarage Road. At the time The Bucks Herald ran a special six page supplement and in it Fred Pooley the County Architect, commented that "most new buildings which have represented an advance in architecture have had to bear a great deal of criticism and I accept that as a piece of architecture it (the county offices) will be judged by history either as a miserable failure or as a building which made a contribution to the development of world architecture". It is fair to say that no other building in Aylesbury has had such a love/hate relationship with the people of the town, and 42 years on, it continues to be controversial.

At about the same time a programme of road widening and improvement produced the inner ring road which still helps to keep traffic flowing smoothly in the Town. A dual carriageway link to the M25 was completed in 1996.

Close to County Hall stands one of the most remarkable buildings in Aylesbury. This is the ‘Blue Leanie’ a glass and brick edifice with slanting walls. The ‘Blue Leanie’ was constructed in 1982 originally to house the headquarters of the Equitable Life Company. Now it is the Aylesbury home of Halifax Bank of Scotland, or HBOS. Also in Walton Street are some other striking new buildings. Millennium House is home to the software company ESRI and next door is The Observatory an example of the many flats and apartments that have been built in Aylesbury. Additionally 400 homes next to the station have been completed and the prestigious development of 130 flats and apartments has been built on the former Nestles factory site close to the town centre.

Aylesbury Vale is the fourth fastest growing local authority in the south east of England. It has grown rapidly in recent years mainly as a result of the increase of housing in the district. On average 750 new houses are completed each year. When the Government decided that Aylesbury Vale should be a major area for further growth in the south east it stipulated that the larger Aylesbury Vale must be built through a sustainable development programme thus planning not simply more houses but also new jobs, improved infrastructure and a protected and enhanced environment

New developments in Aylesbury Vale will be concentrated in the town near existing services and its retail centre. Approximately 18,300 new houses will be built by 2021 and five out of every six will be in Aylesbury. On the town’s periphery the major development areas of Weedon Hill and Berryfields will eventually provide 3,000 homes.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has supported three major investment schemes in the town. It is planned to develop a major new business park, on the Aston Clinton Road, drawing tenants from across the region. The development will consist of a business park including office buildings, 125 dwellings, hotel and gym, mixed use core comprising, retail, cafe and up to 25 dwellings, public open space, new access, roads and services. The Waterside development which will provide new shops, pubs, restaurants, a theatre and additional houses is being complemented in Walton Street by a new 500 space car park, plus a new Ex Serviceman’s club and 240 new residential apartments.

Many more buildings will be built to accommodate the needs of business and commerce as Aylesbury looks confidently to an expanding and prosperous future.