History of Bretton and its name:
Courtesy of a retired local history librarian who provided this subsequent history of the name Bretton.

The name is an invented one. The policy of the Developoment Corpoartion was to find names with local connections but apparently by the time they came to Bretton itself they had run out. There may be some connection in the name with "wooded areas" and we are indeed lucky to be surrounded by areas of old woodland.

In the early 1960's when the Government planners were looking for locations to build more 'New Towns' (New Towns Act 1959) to take up some of the London overspill Peterborough was chosen. It already had a very good network of transport links, a thriving industry, well-established local amenities including shops, churches, hospitals and schools. Therefore in 1968 after a Public Enquiry Peterborough was granted New Towns status.

The Peterborough Development Corporation (PDC) was formed to expand the population of Peterborough from 50,000 to 200,000 and to match the population growth with employment, housing, leisure and shopping facilities. The PDC decided to do this by forming four new 'Townships' at Bretton, Orton, Werrington and Castor.

Bretton became the first of the new townships and most of the land was purchased from Milton Estates owned by the Fitzwilliam Family. It became the first due to its closeness to the City Centre, the ease of connecting to the existing mains supplies and the flatness of the land. When finished the whole area would be seen as a natural, self sufficient, extension to the existing City.

It took only 5 years to build.The design of Bretton from the start was with the needs of young families at the fore. The rental properties (2/3rds of the total) were built in self-contained clusters - most front
doors opened onto communal green areas, and many of these had small play areas in them, although each one did have its own very small front garden and no through traffic. Each cluster of properties was built within ¼mile of a small shopping area, with shops selling everyday essentials, a pub, a nursery/playgroup, a junior school and a Community Centre. A network of footpaths and cycle ways link all of the clusters together and lead into the park's and then onto Bretton Centre where the larger shops and facilities are located.

As Bretton developed in the late sixties and early seventies there was no distinction between the different boundaries as there is now. Bretton Neighbourhood Council was formed in May 1973. The Electoral boundaries of North and South Bretton were formed in 1976. At the same time various City Councillors and Residents began to work to towards the forming of Bretton Parish Council. Their hard work was rewarded in May 1984 when Bretton Parish Council was formally formed and recognised.

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