Page 6 - Redditch New Town Centre Success or Failure
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Redditch Heritage                                          Redditch New Town, Success or Failure?


        A Contemporary Environment

        Redditch has never been remarkable for its historic buildings, nor for its standard

        of  townscape  and  it  was  therefore  with  something  of  a  clean  slate  that  the
        Corporation started. There was, however, a mature and attractive landscape and
        the Corporation are particularly pleased with the outcome of the endeavours to
        retain and enhance this aspect of the environment. Landscape works have not
        only won many awards in their own right but the early efforts now provide a
        mature and attractive setting for all the building works.


        One of the Corporation's early policies established the low rise nature of family
        housing  which,  together  with  traditional  designs,  traditional  materials  and
        retention of trees and hedgerows, has made the town one in which it is attractive
        for families to live. In consequence the social and other problems associated with
        the 1960s high rise, high density housing and the construction failures of much
        industrialised housing have been avoided.


        Through  the  policy  of  firm  site  development  briefs  for  every  site,  it  has  been
        possible to ensure the evolution and coherence of a new townscape within which
        only key buildings, such as the spire of St. Stephen's Church, have predominated.

        The indigenous species used in new planting, the selection of materials together

        with other design principles, such as highway lighting, which have been consist-
        ently used throughout the town, have vindicated early concepts on creating a
        total environment.

        Creating a safe place in which to live has been a keynote of the highway and
        pedestrian networks. Although the hierarchy of roads evolved before the oil crisis

        of the early 1970s and the subsequent high cost of motoring, nevertheless the
        network has provided drivers and pedestrians alike with an exceptional level of
        segregation and safety, without congestion.

        Our endeavours have not been without some criticism and a view often expressed
        that the road system is unintelligible to the residents and visitors alike has been
        a continuing disappointment. These criticisms are less frequent now that compre-

        hensive road signing works are complete.

        It  is  hoped  that  the  care  with  which  the  Corporation  planned,  created  and
        maintained planting and open spaces will be treated with the same importance
        and priority in the future. so that the town's unique environment can be exploited
        to the full. This will require not only the resources but the will of the Town.













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