Page 13 - RNT-C09

The HISTORY of REDDITCH New Town

The design of the open space system in the valley of the River Arrow, and the advantages
of this form of land use were as follows:

It ensured the use of land unsuitable for other purposes, without the problems that may
arise with extensive areas of open buffer land, such as the need either to introduce a
viable economic use or for continuous upkeep and maintenance.

Extensive sites would be required for the disposal of surplus excavated material from
constructional works. Levels could, in some places, be raised to improve drainage of land
for playing pitches and public open space and fill might also be used to assist in
impounding the new lakes.

The impounding of water to accentuate differences of level would also have other
advantages, for example, by increasing aeration and oxydation of the water where it
drops over the weirs from one level to the next. This would assist in creating satisfactory
conditions for the survival of fish not merely for angling purposes but also the general
maintenance of a suitable ecological habitat.

In some cases drainage of adjacent land would be facilitated by the associated excavation
that may occur at the northern ends of the lakes.

By providing and supporting the rich flora of water plants, fish and water fauna which
would be of great interest and value both for recreation and education. There would be
opportunities for creating a greatly enriched texture of landscape. There were already a
number of sites of interest to naturalists; these could well be implemented by this means.

By creating a series of lakes which could each be associated with different groups of
recreational activities, a varying pattern of social use and landscape could result. Some
areas could be used for more active recreation than others so that the whole range of
recreational and amenity needs can be met.

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