I would put the date of the aerial photographs as late 1966. I lived in No. 73 Kennedy Gardens from when it was available in February 65 until May 66 and watched the Forum development being built from the kitchen window (not all the time, just a quick look every day !). The roof of the ice rink was in place by the time I left, as was the first floor level walkway between the Kennedy Garden blocks (now demolished due, I think, to suspect concrete) over the car parking area. No. 73 was on the north east corner of the southern block, which was the second block to the finished – the centre block was built first and was lived in from around mid 1965, possibly a little earlier. Regarding Kennedy Gardens, one intriguing feature was the District Heating scheme, fed from the boiler house on Marsh House Avenue. For the whole of the time I lived there, the metering system was a complete disaster and each flat was charged 17 shillings and sixpence per week for unlimited heating and hot water. This, added to the 3 pounds, 7 shillings and 6 pence per week rental made them quite expensive by the standards of the times. I remember that the caretaker for the block I lived in was one of the most helpful people that it has ever been my pleasure to do business with but, sadly, I cannot remember his name.
I would say the mid-sixties would be pretty accurate for the time these photographs were taken, if they were all taken at the same time. It looks like the Forum, which I believe was begun in 1965, was nearing completion but there”s no sign of the West Precinct which was completed in 1967 completing the second stage of the Town Centre development. A model of the proposed second stage was first put on display at various venues in Billingham around the late 1950″s and very early 60″s and the building of Kennedy Gardens were authorised in 1962 and the building of the double deck shops and flats on the south side of the pedestrian area began around the same year. Progress must have been fairly quick although it didn”t seem to be at the time. Mike: The top left picture is the one I mentioned with respect to comments on Billingham Motors.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Well before my time these photo’s as I dont remember the West Precinct being built, it was already there when we moved to Billingham.
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I would put the date of the aerial photographs as late 1966. I lived in No. 73 Kennedy Gardens from when it was available in February 65 until May 66 and watched the Forum development being built from the kitchen window (not all the time, just a quick look every day !). The roof of the ice rink was in place by the time I left, as was the first floor level walkway between the Kennedy Garden blocks (now demolished due, I think, to suspect concrete) over the car parking area. No. 73 was on the north east corner of the southern block, which was the second block to the finished – the centre block was built first and was lived in from around mid 1965, possibly a little earlier. Regarding Kennedy Gardens, one intriguing feature was the District Heating scheme, fed from the boiler house on Marsh House Avenue. For the whole of the time I lived there, the metering system was a complete disaster and each flat was charged 17 shillings and sixpence per week for unlimited heating and hot water. This, added to the 3 pounds, 7 shillings and 6 pence per week rental made them quite expensive by the standards of the times. I remember that the caretaker for the block I lived in was one of the most helpful people that it has ever been my pleasure to do business with but, sadly, I cannot remember his name.
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I would say the mid-sixties would be pretty accurate for the time these photographs were taken, if they were all taken at the same time. It looks like the Forum, which I believe was begun in 1965, was nearing completion but there”s no sign of the West Precinct which was completed in 1967 completing the second stage of the Town Centre development. A model of the proposed second stage was first put on display at various venues in Billingham around the late 1950″s and very early 60″s and the building of Kennedy Gardens were authorised in 1962 and the building of the double deck shops and flats on the south side of the pedestrian area began around the same year. Progress must have been fairly quick although it didn”t seem to be at the time. Mike: The top left picture is the one I mentioned with respect to comments on Billingham Motors.
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