The layout of Pinelands is based on the Garden Cities methodology of town planning by the British town-planner, Sir Ebenezer Howard. It was originally a Victorian era farm named Uitvlugt that had thousands of pine trees planted in it. The first houses were built in the Meadway area. The plans for plot 21, now 3 Meadway, were passed in September 1921 with building work starting directly afterwards. The first house was occupied in February 1922. The town was to be called “Midwood” but a suggestion by Percy Horne, the secretary to Garden Cities Trust to name it Pinelands, was accepted.