REDDITCH New Town – good or bad? Now residents can make up their own mind at a special exhibition at Redditch Library.
Organised by Redditch Local History Society (RLHS) it offers an opportunity for residents and visitors to again explore the aims and achievements of the most significant event in the town’s recent history – its designation as a New Town.
Fifty years ago the Redditch Development Corporation planners sat down and created a vision of how they saw Redditch developing to accommodate an increase in population from 24,000 to 80,000 after it was designated a ‘New Town’.
After 20 years of focused expansion, and 30 of further evolutionary development, Redditch is the town we know today. This exhibition explores the vision of the town planners of the Development Corporation and the legacy they have left.
The exhibition, based upon Redditch Development Corporation material and contemporary data sources, looks at seven focused areas of the development and sets out the planners’ vision, examples of the plan execution and an analysis of their success.
The exhibition was put together with the help of RLHS member, Brian Stallard, who worked for the Development Corporation and had first hand knowledge of the challenges it faced.
RLHS chairman Derek Coombes said; “Brian’s input has been invaluable in providing this insight and the RLHS therefore believes this exhibition will be very interesting and informative to all Redditch residents interested in their town’s history.”
More details of the Redditch Local History Society’s activities, contact the Redditch Local History Society on 01527 404365, email [email protected] or visit www.redditchhistorysociety.org.uk .
The exhibition is open now and runs until Saturday, April 30, 2016.
