Livingston New Town, 1966

Here's a rather odd, romantic short film made by architect John Paterson about fellow designer Peter Daniel, who'd been appointed chief architect and planning officer for Livingston new town, Central Scotland, between 1962 and 1965.

 

The film was made after Daniel had acrimonously left the new town, after a disagreement with the Scottish Office and the Treasury after pressure to down-spec the town and create lots of cheap accomodation. 

 

 Since being designated a new town in 1962 it has grown to a population of over 50,000 people. 

 

The film is VERY 1966, as if Ken Russell or Richard Lester had been asked to make a film about a new town. The quality is rather drab and grey, but the imagination and excitement of its execution still shines through.