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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 as a modern
indoor shopping mall. The market moved back to its natural home
in the Market Square. Across the Square from Friars can be found
Hale Leys indoor shopping mall, which was opened by Diana, Princess
of Wales, in 1981.
The County Council had its home in Walton Street but the increasingly
expanding and complex administration requirements of Buckinghamshire
were given much-needed new accommodation in the 12 storey County
Hall, on the opposite side of the road, opened in 1966. Designed
by Fred 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 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 dilapidated 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. In it, Fred Pooley commented:
“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. 42 years on,
it continues to be controversial. Often referred to as Freds Folly,
it was knocked down as part of the BBC TV series ‘Demolition’
in 2006.
The construction of the Town Centre coincided with a programme of
road widening and improvement which 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 Insurance Company. More recently it has been
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 well-designed modern
apartments that have been built in Aylesbury. Additionally 400 homes
next to the train station have been completed and a prestigious
development of 130 apartments has been built on the former Nestlé
factory site close to the Town Centre.
In 2009 public transport in Aylesbury was improved and upgraded.
Express bus lanes were introduced, circling the inner ‘Hub’
and reducing journey times for commuters. After renewal of the railway
station, the bus station was renovated and became home to the largest
piece of ceramic art in Europe. The extensive mural depicts views
of the rolling hills and valleys of Aylesbury Vale. The iconic 260
metre long ‘Bourg Walk Bridge’, linking Southcourt to
the centre of Town was completed and opened to the public in the
same year.
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 expansion must be provided
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 provide almost 4000 new
homes.
The former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has supported three
major investment schemes in the town. It is planned to develop an
extensive new business park, on the Aston Clinton Road, drawing
tenants from across the region. The development will consist of
business premises, including office buildings; 125 dwellings; an
hotel and gym; a mixed use core comprising retail units, cafés
and up to 25 dwellings; public open space, and new access roads
and services. The Waterside development which will provide new shops,
pubs, restaurants, a theatre and additional houses has been complemented
in Walton Street by a new 500 space car park, Ex-Serviceman’s
club, and 240 residential apartments.
Many more buildings will be constructed to accommodate the needs
of business and commerce as Aylesbury looks forward confidently
to an expanding and prosperous future.
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