Leonard Vincent

Mr Vincent Leonard was a key planner and architect in Stevenage, from when he joined the Stevenage Development Corporation in 1949 until he retired in 1980. His key role was as an Chief architect from 1954-1962, and afterwards as a consultant until the winding down of the Development Corporation in 1980. One of his key landmarks was the planning of the traffic free town centre in Stevenage and Bowes Lyon. Leonard lived in Stevenage with his family for most of his life.

Leonard Vincent about a "side effect" of New Towns: people's mindset about moving changed
"People have moved into the New Towns, have got the idea that moving is no bad thing and have moved on somewhere else"
Leonard Vincent about attracting industry to Stevenage
What is footloose industry?
Leonard Vincent about building issues: which kind of buildings and which techniques?
The Development Corporation policy was to build prevalently traditional two-storey dwellings. The Government influenced the choice of the technique, pushing toward system building.
Leonard Vincent about occupancy rates and census: how to plan the size of Stevenage households
Occupancy rates are calculated on old data and censuses, but people can't be expected to keep living the same way forever.
Leonard Vincent about Stevenage pedestrianised Town Centre
Even if around the world the popularity of pedestrian town centres was increasing, Stevenage planners had to prevail against a strong opposition put up mainly by the Multiple Traders Association.
Leonard Vincent about the beginnings of Stevenage
Because of the war both skills and materials were scarce when the New Town Act was approved, and this caused a long delay in the outset of the project.
Leonard Vincent about the choice of building New Towns as opposed to rebuilding derelict areas
Devastated areas and overspill population were an enormous problem after WWII. The construction of New Towns was the easy way out, even if not the better solution probably
Leonard Vincent about the industrial area of Stevenage
The planning of Stevenage was used by the Government as a Guinea Pig to amend the writing of the New Towns Act. Among the issues taken into consideration there was the siting of the industrial area.
Leonard Vincent about the positioning of Stevenage town centre and roads
Different factors had to be taken into consideration for deciding where to place the centre and the roads of Stevenage. Among them: the geography of the area, the viewpoint of Old Town inhabitants and the Ministry's one, and the existing green areas that had to be preserved.
Leonard Vincent about the relationship between the Stevenage Development Corporation and the District Council
The Development Corporation and the Urban District Council didn't see eye to eye on many things.
Leonard Vincent about the size of the neighbourhoods in Stevenage
The 10,000 neighbourhood idea was taken from the Abercrombie plan, but such neighbourhoods are too big to be communities: neighbours are strangers to each other.
Leonard Vincent about traffic, residential areas and cycleways in Stevenage
The planning of the main roads and the building of an independent cycleway network made Stevenage a safe town.
Leonard Vincent discusses the problems with house numbers [Text only]
'The original planning was roughly on the basis of twelve dwellings per acre...'
Leonard Vincent looks at the reactions to Lewis Silkin [Text only]
'I often look back on it and thing that possible it started off on the wrong foot from old Lewis Silkin in 1946...'