Catch the BBC4 documentary about growing up in Milton Keynes on BBC iPlayer

When a man is tired of Milton Keynes, he is tired of life these were the words of filmmaker Richard Macers father. A man who moved his family to Milton Keynes in 1978 and was one of the first pioneers to leave post-war London for the new utopia.

Richard Macers father, who grew up in Islington during a time when Islington was a slum, couldnt understand why anyone would choose London over Milton Keynes. But over the years, this utopia has been depicted as anything but a paradise by critics.

Its been mocked for its concrete cows, ridiculed for its grid system, and has consistently been labelled as soulless. But those who knock the city often forget that MK is one of the most ambitious experiments in social engineering of our lifetime. And that in itself is something worth celebrating. Especially for the MK50 this year.

Richard Macer, who turned 50 together with his home town, returned home to create a film to show Milton Keynes through the eyes of a boy who grew up there. The fantastic documentary, which aired on Wednesday 16th August, depicts feelings of nostalgia and shows the city to be green, safe and inclusive.

The BBC4 documentary takes viewers on a journey from the very beginnings of the town created in the late 60s, with ample outdoor and green space, and with a masterplan based on the concept that no building would be taller than the tallest tree. The film features Macers parents who still live there today as well as architects, artists and social workers who have all contributed their part to the growth and development of MK.

As Ben Lawrence wrote for The Telegraph, this documentary will make you love Britain's most maligned city.

Catch the documentary on BBC iPlayer now.

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