Milton Keynes was designated a new town in England in 1967 and planned around extensive green space.
The town was created to help accommodate population growth and ease pressure on London. Its planners used a modernist layout based on a grid of major roads, with residential areas, employment zones, parks, lakes, and pedestrian routes arranged across a broad area.
Unlike many older English towns, Milton Keynes was planned with a relatively low-density structure and separated traffic systems. The design included redways, a network intended to support walking and cycling away from much of the main road traffic.
Milton Keynes is often compared with earlier new towns such as Stevenage and Harlow, but its designation date and large-scale grid plan distinguish it. It is also frequently described as a city, although its formal administrative status has changed over time.