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In the first of a series of postwar public information films, animation
giants Halas and Batchelor bring their signature vibrancy and humour to
transform some key facts about the newly elected Labour government's new towns
scheme into screen entertainment for the masses. The proposal, inspired by the
early 20th century garden city movement, was set in motion by the introduction
of the New Towns Act (1946) and went on to become an integral feature of the
postwar reconstruction programme. Around 30 new towns sprung up over the second
half of the century, starting with Stevenage in Hertfordshire, which was
followed closely by Harlow, Hatfield and Basildon.
The industrial revolution had seen mass migration from rural areas to
Britain's towns and cities since the late 18th century, and the resulting
housing shortages in urban areas were seriously compounded by WWII bomb damage.
Under this shadow the remit of the new town programme was to alleviate
overcrowding in cities, halt the encroachment of urban sprawl into the
countryside, and bring industry to areas of high unemployment.
At the outset, the new town was seen as a utopian development: an attractive
and prosperous home for city dwellers. Having dreamt up its solution, the
government's next task was to encourage people to move to these havens, and
Halas and Batchelor's good-humoured everyman Charley proved the perfect
advocate. Tortuous, smog-blighted commutes from the suburbs to the city centre
on overcrowded buses are a distant memory for Charley as he merrily cycles
through his salubrious new neighbourhood, with its generous greenery and handy
amenities. More than 60 years on, many 'new towns' have found themselves in
grave need of regeneration, and overcrowding in cities is once again high on the
political agenda.
Katy McGahan
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Complete film (8:12)
