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The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

We therefore, thought it important to look at
the vision for the New Town its planners
created 50 years ago and to look back today
to see how much of that vision was realised.

This is presented under seven key topics,
Housing, Industry, Transport & Roads,
Education, Leisure, The Town Centre and The
Environment. This last topic covers
educational, recreational and social facilities
of the town.
To meet the objectives of the exhibition, as
well as depicting the key aspects of these
topics, for each we summarise our
understanding of the vision of the Redditch
Development Corporation (RDC) planners
and try to interpret the legacy the last 50
years has given us.

This we hope gives a balanced view of the
history & heritage of the town. However, this
is only our opinion, and we would welcome
your view on the Redditch we know today.

It is difficult to say what would have happened to Redditch if the New Town designation
had not been made. We know that residents who were born in, or have come to the
New Town, after development
started, have differing views
from those who knew the “old”
Redditch.
Speak with any original
resident of Redditch who new
the old town and they will
make comments such “They
ripped the heart out of the
town” or “It was much
friendlier before. You walked
up Evesham Street and you
met people you knew”
Residents who moved from
Birmingham, or were born
post 1985 will tell you a
different story. Quite often its
an emotional viewpoint which
is not always bourne out by
the facts. Whatever your viewpoint, the designation of Redditch as a new town, and
the legacy that has left, is now history and as members of the local history society we
have a duty to investigate, record and publish that history.
In parallel with this exhibition, the RLHS has created a website entitled “Remembering
Lost Redditch” which tells the story of the town centre that was lost to the new town
development.

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