NOTES: Stevenage was designated as England's first New Town in 1946, followed by the other London orbital developments of Basildon, Harlow, Hemel Hempstead and Basildon. The development of the New Towns, built after World War II to ease overcrowding in London, was overseen by Lewis Silkin, 1st Baron Silkin (1888-1972), the Minister for Town and Country Planning from 1945 to 1950. Leonard Vincent was the Chief Architect responsible for the town centre.