Stevenage

Stevenage is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, located about 30 miles north of London and five miles north of Hitchin. It lies along the A1 road and is served by Stevenage railway station on the East Coast Main Line, with frequent services to London King’s Cross and to other destinations such as Peterborough and Cambridge. The town is divided into the historic Old Town and the postwar New Town.

Stevenage was designated as the first new town in 1946 to accommodate overspill housing from London after World War II. The master plan was prepared by architect and planner Sir Frederick Gibberd, with development by the Stevenage Development Corporation. The New Town was built around a pedestrian-friendly town centre and a system of neighborhoods geared to residential and light industry.

Today Stevenage has evolved into a service, retail, and science-focused town. It hosts the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, one of the UK’s major life-sciences campuses. The town centre includes shopping and cultural venues such as the Gordon Craig Theatre and The Forum. The local football club, Stevenage F.C., plays at the Lamex Stadium near the town centre.

With a population of around 87,000, Stevenage serves as a regional hub within north Hertfordshire. It is governed as part of the Borough of Stevenage within Hertfordshire County Council.