Welwyn Garden City was founded in 1920 by the urban planner Sir Ebenezer Howard. Howard's garden city movement desired the creation of self-sufficient cities with populations of 32,000 people. Each would offer the benefits of urban and countryside environments, providing economic opportunities as well as housing and leisure and recreational facilities. Each would be ringed by 'greenbelt' land that could not be built on.
Historic England Archive DP247673