Banford now has a population approaching 100,000. In 1950 it was only a village, but under the Planning Act of 1955 it was scheduled as the site for new town with a population of 300,000 by 1990. It was planned as a growth area for light industry, which the Government attracted by providing interest-free loans to companies willing to move there. The town has several new housing estates, good schools and plenty of built-in green spaces. As with many new towns, however, it lacks leisure facilities. There was so much basic building required that the building of entertainment facilities had to be neglected.
Because the housing, schools and parks are good, Banford is popular with younger married couples with children. The older residents, however, are not so impressed with what the town has become; they remember when Banford was a village with calm and rural charm and they do not see what they have gained by its expansion to offset the noise and other urban problems. For them the new Banford lacks character, warmth, and any real focal point. They say that it is more difficult to meet people now and that they are afraid of going out at night because of gangs of teenagers. The young people, for their part, express their boredom - complaining that there is nothing for them to do in Banford. They fell that the town has a population of a big city but none of its attractions; a town with more night life, amusement centers, and sports facili¬ties would better suit their needs.