This slow growth continued until, after the London Plan">Greater Pin Green and Symonds Green.
The pedestrianised town centre was the first traffic-free shopping zone in Britain, and was officially opened in 1959 by the Queen. By the clock tower and ornamental pool is Joyride, a mother and child sculpture by Franta Belsky.
Next to the Town Gardens, the Church of St George and St Andrew is an example of modern church design and is also near Stevenage Museum.
A distinctive feature of Stevenage is its urban landscape. It has many Norway Maple) throughout but also large woods such as Monks & Whomerley Wood, which is ancient semi-natural woodland. Indeed in the UK it is only matched for the ease of access to large woodland by places such the Forest of Dean (Woodland Trust data). There are also many playing fields (e.g. St. Nicholas playing fields near Ripon Road). The town's schools all have a substantial amount of ground; key examples are Ashtree Primary School, Moss Bury Primary School and Collenswood.
The Stevenage Leisure Centre contains the Stevenage Leisure Park has a multiplex cinema, clubs and restaurants. The main shopping area is around Queensway and the Westgate. At the south of the town there is a retail park called Roaring Meg, named after the almost dried up river that runs under it. The river can be seen along the western edge of the area. There is also shopping in the Old Town.
In 1999 the Millennium clock tower was introduced to the town centre in order to display a count down for the new millennium.
Separated from the residential parts of the town is the Industrial Area. For many years, British Aerospace was the largest employer in the town, but now Glaxo has a large pharmaceutical research laboratory complex. A smaller but interesting enterprise is Astrium which has for some decades manufacured spacecraft, both as prime contractor and equipment supplier. There are many small to medium size firms as well.
The town is still growing, and is now set to expand west of the motorway. The new development of Great Ashby near Chells Manor to the northeast of the town (but actually in North Herts District) has continued the growth of the town.
Stevenage Borough F.C., the town's major football team, play in the Nationwide Conference and are based at Broadhall Way, Grid reference TL24412279.
|
