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The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

Redditch New Town - Attempt 3 - 1964

In the 1960s, a change of government let to changed financial incentives and altered the
planning objectives.
Tamworth and Castle Bromwich in Staffordshire offered to allow some development but
Worcestershire would only identify the expansion of Droitwich and Redditch to take
industry with its associated employment.

Redditch only wanted ‘key workers’ and the rest of the housing provision allocated to
‘listed tenants’.

The final solution came in 1963 when
Sir Keith Joseph (Minister for
Housing and Local Government)
designated Redditch a New Town
under the 1946 New Towns Act.

In accepting the New Town
designation, four important
principles were established.

1. The New Town should be self-
contained with industry matching
population.

2. The area for development to be
7200 acres

3. The existing population of 29,000
expanded by 31,000 in 15 years

4. After a further 20 years the
population should reach 90,000.

The UDC wanted a limit of 50,000
but overruled by Government.

Public reaction, and the response of
the Urban District Council, was less
than enthusiastic, as the cuttings on
the following pages suggest.
However, as we now know, the plans
went ahead and today Redditch is
recognised as one of the best new
towns of the modern era.

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