POOR shop fronts, parking on pedestrian areas, the state of the fountain and calls to save the library building have all been highlighted in a public consultation over the Church Green Conservation Area.
The consultation, with local occupiers, owners and ‘other interested parties’ was also published on the council website and ran between February 8 and March 19.
Although it only received just 13 replies – prompting Conservative councillors to say it showed most people want the authority to ‘just get on with it’ – those who did respond didn’t fight shy of giving their opinion.
While broadly welcoming the conservation area, respondents criticised things like uneven pavements, town centre takeaways and the area’s ‘scruffy and unloved’ appearance, all of which the council plans to improve.
There were also calls for the library building to be included in the conservation area rather than be demolished.
The state of shop fronts, particularly along Market Place, came in for particular criticism.
One wrote: “The shop fronts are awful. Absolutely no regard for the age of the building behind them.
“It is perfectly possible to upgrade a shop front in an appropriate style. Look at Stratford, Alcester, and to some extent Bromsgrove.”
Last Tuesday evening members of Redditch Borough Council’s executive committee approved the Church Green Conservation Appraisal and Management Plan, and also the extension of the area to include Nos 5 to 11 Alcester Street.
Councillors heard the area was now designated ‘at risk’ which would help the authority access grants to improve the site.
The management plans identified key areas of concern, including the poor state of the public realm, the poor state of many shop fronts, parking around St Stephen’s Church, parking on the corner of Evesham Walk and Unicorn Hill and the need to address the number of vacant units.
Councillor Mike Rouse (Con, Church Hill) while voicing his disappointment at the lack of response to the consultation, said: “We do recognise the conservation area is at risk.
“Redditch town centre needs a lot of work and I think most right minded people want us to get on with this.”
