Green light for Towns Fund bid for £25million for Redditch - The Redditch Standard

Green light for Towns Fund bid for £25million for Redditch

Redditch Editorial 22nd Jan, 2021 Updated: 22nd Jan, 2021   0

PLANS to transform the look and feel of Redditch town centre have been approved by the Borough Council’s all-powerful executive committee.

The proposals, which cover the £25million Redditch is bidding for from the government’s Towns Fund, look for:

£8.5million to seed the creation of ‘an integrated multi-modal transport interchange’ as part of the borough’s ‘Railway Quarter’ redevelopment.

This would feature a two storey railway station straddling the line and giving access to the bus station and Kingfisher Shopping Centre.




The overall aim would be to create a true ‘gateway’ to the town for rail and bus passengers.

£8million to create a Redditch Digital Manufacturing and Innovation Centre built around the provision of 5G technology and offering flexible workshop and office accommodation mainly, but not exclusively, for the manufacturing sector.


It would also aim to develop a skilled local workforce to drive the town’s digital economy.

£4.13million to redevelopment the current site of the town’s library to create a new public square with associated commercial development.

This would offer an open connection between the Kingfisher Shopping Centre and the historic part of town.

£3million to create a ‘shop window’ for Redditch by upgrading Church Green, Evesham Walk and Unicorn Hill and the buildings at the heart of the town centre.

£1.1million for a ‘Sustainable Projects Programme’ to promote low carbon travel and transport and the installation of electric vehicle charging points for both bicycles and cars.

Council Leader Matt Dormer (Con, West) told Tuesday evening’s executive committee: “This is a phenomenal position for Redditch to be in, to be able to bid for £25million and fingers crossed we get as close to that £25million as possible.”

He added that efforts to consult with the public on the proposals – a prerequisite of the terms and conditions – had been hampered by the pandemic, but he was satisfied that some 650 people had expressed their views and more had been garnered from earlier ‘state of the area’ debates.

Labour group leader Coun Bill Hartnett (Church Hill) said his party were fully supporting the proposals: “These are very exciting times and a great opportunity,” he said.

“£25million is a lot of money but there is a lot of work still to be done and it’s how we spend that £25million – and let’s hope we get as much as we can.”

The bid, which has to be in by January 29, now goes forward to full council this Monday for final approval before being sent on to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

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