Redditch New Town Promotion - More New Town Documents
The Redditch Development Corporation faced a very difficult decision when planning a town centre large enough to support the proposed future town population.
They could locate it in the centre of town replacing the old Evesham Street "High Street" at the expense of losing the intimacy of high street.
Or the could locate it on a site away from the existing town Centre with the risk of competition between the two "centres" to the detriment of both centres.
They could locate it in the centre of town replacing the old Evesham Street "High Street" at the expense of losing the intimacy of high street.
Or the could locate it on a site away from the existing town Centre with the risk of competition between the two "centres" to the detriment of both centres.
They chose the former a decision which has long angered residents of the old town.
With hindsight the planners could have listened more to existing residents and had more sympathy for retaining old shop facades although the extremely poor state of many of the Evesham Street buildings would have made this very difficult.
When the Kingfisher Centre was opened it a class-leading facility drawing new visitors to the town from the surrounding catchment area. Today resident who grew up only knowing the new Kingfisher Centre look back fondly on the original new centre in the same manner as original old town residents look back of Evesham Street.
With hindsight the planners could have listened more to existing residents and had more sympathy for retaining old shop facades although the extremely poor state of many of the Evesham Street buildings would have made this very difficult.
When the Kingfisher Centre was opened it a class-leading facility drawing new visitors to the town from the surrounding catchment area. Today resident who grew up only knowing the new Kingfisher Centre look back fondly on the original new centre in the same manner as original old town residents look back of Evesham Street.
