- 1964 Draft Redditch New Town Designation Order issued. more......
- 1964 Firemen Equipped to Serve the New Town Station Cost £91,000 more......
- 1964 Rail Fight Speeds Up more......
- 1964 Public Inquiry into New Town proposals. more......
- 1964 Boards first meeting in August, Hugh Wilson appointed Consultant Planner. more......
- 1964 Holmwood acquired as Headquarters. more......
- 1964 Sir Edward Thompson appointed Chairman of RDC. more......
- 1964 Redditch New Town Application Directive issued, Master Plan required. more......
- 1964 New Town development contract - Development Corporation (RDC) formed more......
- 1965 Alderman Harry Watton appointed Deputy Chairman. more......
- 1965 Visit of Richard Crossman, Minister of Housing and Local Government. more......
- 1965 Approval of first Housing Scheme at Greenlands. more......
- 1965 Application for sewage powers at Spernal Ash. more......
- 1965 First Capital Investment Programme approved. more......
- 1965 First meeting of RDC - UDC Liaison committee. more......
- 1965 Publication of Draft Plan and Interim Report. more......
- 1966 Industrial survey commissioned. more......
- 1966 Greenlands housing and Howard Road factories – contracts issued. more......
- 1966 Swimming Baths Open Again after £57,000 Face-Lift more......
- 1966 Final draft of Master Plan approved by Board. more......
- 1966 Fastest Growing Church Wants to Move House continued more......
- 1966 Regional Hospital Board to agree site for new District General Hospital. more......
- 1966 First housing development at Greenlands commenced. more......
- 1966 Visit of Bob Mellish, Parliamentary Secretary to MHLG. more......
- 1966 Enfield site bought by RDC for development as industrial estate. more......
- 1966 Town Centre Study Group inaugurated. more......
- 1967 Master Plan exhibition and public meetings held. more......
- 1967 The first sixteen factories built by the RDC were ready for occupation. more......
- 1967 Town Centre interim report accepted by Board. more......
- 1967 Publication of Master Plan. more......
- 1967 Public Inquiry on Master Plan proposals. more......
- 1968 First house occupied in Woodrow. more......
- 1968 Tony Greenwood, Minister of Housing and Local Government, opens first house. more......
- 1968 Redditch New Town. Town Centre Exhibition more......
- 1968 15,000 New Jobs Needed by 1976 more......
- 1968 Council to build 500 new homes more......
- 1968 Health Centre proposals at Smallwood Hospital agreed. more......
- 1968 Exhibition of Town Centre proposals. more......
- 1968 Social Development plan accepted. more......
- 1968 First house occupied in Greenlands. more......
- 1968 BLK relocates to new factory on the Washford Estate. more......
- 1968 Gaumont Cinema closes. more......
- 1968 New Town contract – Warwick Highway, 1968 – 1970. more......
- 1968 Park Farm industrial estate started. more......
- 1968 Redditch New Town Master Plan Approved (May) more......
- 1969 Lord Mayor of Birmingham opened the new Park Farm industrial estate. more......
- 1969 First multi-storey car park scheme approved. more......
- 1969 Woodland management dedication scheme approved. more......
- 1969 Temporary meeting room opened at Woodrow. more......
- 1969 Dudley, Stourbridge, Sutton Coldfield and West Bromwich included as “overspill” au more......
- 1969 Declaration of interest by Halfords to move to Redditch. more......
- 1969 Publicity and information office agreed. more......
- 1969 Funding of Town Centre Phases 1 and 11 agreed. more......
- 1969 Archaeological investigations of Moons Moat commenced. more......
- 1969 New Town contract – Palace Theatre phase 1, 1969 – 1971, Contract 20/801. more......
- 1969 Washford industrial estate started. more......
- 1970 Henley Highway opened. more......
- 1970 Vlscount Cobham, Lord Lieutenant of Worcs., opens Woodrow local centre. more......
- 1970 Paul Channon, Parliamentary Secretary places a pile for first multi-storey car par more......
- 1970 Dennis Howell, Minister of State for Housing, opened 1000th rented house. more......
- 1970 Urban District Council accepted Palace Theatre scheme. more......
- 1970 Spernal Ash Sewage Works opens. more......
- 1970 Board approved compulsory purchase orders in Town Centre. more......
- 1970 Greenlands estate awarded national “Housing Design Award”. more......
- 1970 Halfords relocates its offices & distribution depot to Washford area. more......
- 1970 New Town contract - Car Park 1 extension, Contract E 206. more......
- 1970 New Town contract – Car Park 4, 1970 – 1971, Contract E 112. more......
- 1970 New Town contract – Coventry Highway, 1970 – 1972. more......
- 1970 New Town contract – Shopping Centre Phase 1, 1970 – 1972, Contract 20/516. more......
- 1971 Southcrest Hotel opened. more......
- 1971 Redditch MP, Terry Davis, opens link to western distributor road. more......
- 1971 Title Kingfisher adopted for new Shopping Centre. more......
- 1971 First multi-storey car park opened. more......
- 1971 Go ahead for special Redditch school more......
- 1971 First house occupied at Matchborough. more......
- 1971 Government directive on Sale on Rented Housing issued. more......
- 1971 Government White Paper on “A fair Deal for Housing issued. more......
- 1971 Board approved plans for Transport Interchange and public transport routes. more......
- 1971 Declaration of intent by Serck Services to build £500,000 factory at Washford. more......
- 1971 Peter Walker, Secretary of State for the Environment, re-opens Palace Theatre. more......
- 1971 Leys High School opened. Headmaster G. M. Anstis, J.P. more......
- 1971 New Town contract – Transport Interchange 1, 1971- 1973, Contract E 52. more......
- 1971 New Town contract – Transport Interchange 2, 1975 – 1976. more......
- 1972 Board approved visits to Germany, Japan and U.S.A. to attract overseas firms. more......
- 1972 Reginald Eyre, Parliamentary Under-secretary of State, opened £1.5m Coventry Highw more......
- 1972 Arrow Valley lake, 27 acre man-made site completed. more......
- 1972 First Ugandan Asian families settled in Redditch. more......
- 1973 Approval of Ecumenical Centre project. more......
- 1973 Japanese company, Marubeni Komatsu decided to settle at Moons Moat. more......
- 1973 Visit of the Prlme Minister, the Rt. Hon. Edward Heath. more......
- 1973 100th Board meeting. more......
- 1973 Proposals received for expansion of designated area. more......
- 1973 Visit to Japan by Jim Chesshire and Norman More. more......
- 1973 First phase of Kingfisher Shopping centre opened. more......
- 1973 Sidney Chapman, MP, plants millionth tree in the Plant a tree for 1973 campaign". more......
- 1973 New Town contract – Royal Square Shops and Market, 1973 – 1975. more......
- 1973 Spanish Palm Trees planted in the Kingfisher Centre. more......
- 1974 Sir Edward Thompson, Chairman of the RDC, announces his retirement. more......
- 1974 Mr. James Chesshire, appointed new Chairman of the RDC. more......
- 1974 Round the world sailor Sir Alec Rose guest of honour. The Church of Jesus Christ o more......
- 1974 Local Government re-organization came into effect. more......
- 1974 The RDC visited by Mr. John Silkin, Minister for Planning and Local Government. more......
- 1974 Southcrest primary road opened at a cost of £1.4 million. more......
- 1974 Moons Moat (east & south) industrial estate started. more......
- 1974 New Town contract - Car Park 2, 1974 – 1976, Contract E 31. more......
- 1975 French company, "Groupe Maison Familiale, building French type homes at Ipsley. more......
- 1975 Phase 11 of the Kingfisher Shopping Centre opened. more......
- 1975 Consultations with County Council and District Council on Community Land Bill. more......
- 1975 First house occupied at Church Hill. more......
- 1975 Town Centre Phase III approved. more......
- 1975 Dr. David Owen, Minister for Health, inspected the Woodrow Hospital site. more......
- 1975 John Fraser, Under-Secretary of Employment, discusses industry and jobs on visit. more......
- 1975 Church Hill housing estate starts on farmland to the north east of the town centre more......
- 1975 (Ecumenical Centre, Worcester Square, F.W. Woolworth and W.H. Smith etc.) more......
- 1975 New Town contract – Redditch Ringway Phase 1, 1975 – 1977, Contract E 88. more......
- 1975 New Town contract – Shopping Centre Phase 2, 1975 – 1976. more......
- 1976 Avon Medicals Ltd., opened its £1.4 million site at Moons Moat. more......
- 1976 Retirement of Mr. A.M. Grier, C.M.G. as General Manager of RDC. more......
- 1976 British Leyland withdrew option on Redditch sites for production of new "Metros". more......
- 1976 Double blow dealt to Anti-Woodrow lobby more......
- 1976 Retirement of Alderman Harry Watton and Sir Joseph Hunt. more......
- 1976 Bill Evans, appointed as General Manager of RDC. more......
- 1976 Reddibus starts, giving effect to radical restructuring of public transport routes more......
- 1976 Visit of the Rt. Hon. James Callaghan, Prime Minister, to open Worcester Square. more......
- 1976 The Rt. Hon. James Callaghan, visits the Leys High School. more......
- 1976 GKN establishes its HQ in Ipsley. more......
- 1976 Moons Moat (north) industrial estate started. more......
- 1976 New Town contract – Alvechurch Highway, 1976 –1978, Contract E 55 / ER 112. more......
- 1977 Victim of the times, t Davids Church, Willow Way, Batchley was a Church in the hea more......
- 1977 "Traffic in Towns” Author, Colin Buchanan, approves of the public transport system more......
- 1977 Service held to mark the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II. more......
- 1977 Guy Barnett, Under-Secretary of State, opens RDCs 5000th house. more......
- 1977 The opening of the Developments 3,000th. new private home. more......
- 1977 Councillor Clive Wilkinson appointed Deputy Chairman. more......
- 1977 Winyates Craft Centre opened by Mr. Michael Casson. more......
- 1977 Visit of Dr. David Owen, Minister of Health. more......
- 1978 Roland Moyle, Minister of State for Health, confirms the Woodrow Hospital site. more......
- 1978 Professor Denys Hinton accepts the post of Chairman of the RDC. more......
- 1978 Three new judiciary courts opened. more......
- 1978 Appointment of Professor Denys Hinton as Chairman of the Board. more......
- 1978 Development proposals for Forge Mill and Bordesley Abbey excavations agreed. more......
- 1978 The three mile Alvechurch Highway, built at a cost of £8 million, opened. more......
- 1978 Board agrees to a Joint Housings Policy Committee to agree housing transfer. more......
- 1978 Board agreed to assist the District Council in feasibility study for new Civic Off more......
- 1978 His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, visits the Ecumenical Centre more......
- 1978 His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, opens the YMCA Centre. more......
- 1978 Town Centre Ringway proposals formulated. more......
- 1978 Market Place pedestrianisation scheme approved. more......
- 1978 Secretary of State decided not to reappoint James Cheshire. more......
- 1978 New Town contract – Bromsgrove Highway,1978 – 1980. more......
- 1978 New Town contract – Shopping Centre Phase 3, 1978 – 1980. more......
- 1979 Owen Owen announced their decision to move to Kingfisher Centre. more......
- 1979 Retirement of RDC General Manager, Mr. Bill Evans, OBE. more......
- 1979 Mr. Norman More succeeds Mr. Bill Evans. more......
- 1979 Retirement of Mr. Brian Bunch, Chief Architect of Redditch New Town. more......
- 1979 Bromsgrove Highway opened at a cost of £5 million. more......
- 1979 Retirement of Bill Evans as General Manager. more......
- 1979 Secretary of State rejected Ringway proposals. more......
- 1979 Secretary of State issues instructions on the sale of industrial/commercial assets more......
- 1979 Guy Barnett opened 10,000th house of rented and private developments. more......
- 1979 Meeting with Commission for the New Towns, to consider plans for RDC dissolution. more......
- 1979 Inaugural meeting of Transportation Liaison Committee, the first in the UK more......
- 1979 Public inquiry held on Town Centre Ringway proposals. more......
- 1979 Giant clock in Kingfisher Shopping Centre, motion proposed by Councillor Frank Car more......
- 1979 Marks & Spencer announced their decision to move to Kingfisher Centre. more......
- 1979 Appointment of Norman Moore as General Manager. more......
- 1979 Terms for sale of rented housing agreed under New Towns circular 577. more......
- 1979 HRH Duke of Gloucester opens the New Police Station and Magistrates Courts. more......
- 1979 Lakeside industrial estate started. more......
- 1979 New Town contract – Car Park 3, 1979 – 1981, Contract ER 187. more......
- 1980 Redditch granted Borough status. more......
- 1980 Visit of Dr. Gerard Vaughan, Minister of State for Health. more......
- 1980 Visit of Geoffrey Finsberg, Parliamentary Secretary Dept. of the Environment. more......
- 1980 Dickens Housing Association Scheme for first time buyers opened. more......
- 1980 Bordesley Lodge northern area golf course and recreation centre study approved. more......
- 1980 Improved rail link with Birmingham inaugurated. more......
- 1980 Housing transfer scheme requested by Department for June 1980. more......
- 1980 John Bonham, drummer with Led Zeppelin, dies on 24 September 1980 more......
- 1980 New Town contract - Shopping Centre Phase 3a, 1980 – 1982. more......
- 1980 Redditch BMX track opens 30th August 1980. more......
- 1981 Meeting with Development Corporation and Borough Council representatives. more......
- 1981 Housing transfer deferred and proposals for Housing Agency submitted. more......
- 1981 Development policy and programme to cover extended life until Dec.1984 approved. more......
- 1981 Visit of Patrick Jenkins, Secretary of State for Industry. more......
- 1981 H.D.A. Jobs Axe Rocks Redditch more......
- 1981 Debate in House of Commons, initiated by Hal Miller MP, on housing transfer. more......
- 1981 The Queen Mother visits Studley more......
- 1981 Visit of Geoffrey Finsberg, Parliamentary Secretary to Dept. of the Environment. more......
- 1981 HMS Kingfisher model unveiled in main shopping centre. more......
- 1981 Secretary of State issues revised target date for dissolution of RDC, now Dec. 198 more......
- 1981 Staff establishment re-organisation proposals approved. more......
- 1981 Harold Waterman appointed Deputy Chairman. more......
- 1981 Councillor Clive Wilkinson, Deputy Chairman, retired from the Board. more......
- 1981 Bates Hill Methodist Church sold. more......
- 1981 British Aluminium axes 180 jobs. more......
- 1981 Marks & Spencers opens in Kingfisher Centre. more......
- 1981 New Town contract – Church Green, 1981 – 1982. more......
- 1981 New Town contract – Redditch Ringway Phase 2, 1981 – 1983, Contract E 156. more......
- 1981 Queen Mother visits Studley. more......
- 1982 Retirement of F.W. Singleton, Chief Engineer of Redditch New Town since 1964. more......
- 1982 Dedication Day more......
- 1982 History with Eddystone Light more......
- 1982 Historic Firm in name change after 128 years more......
- 1982 Job Hopes as Work starts on Hospital more......
- 1982 Visit from Sir George Young, Parliamentary Secretary, Dept. of the Environment. more......
- 1982 Approval of Bordesley Lodge Golf Course proposals. more......
- 1982 The £7.5m Redditch Town Hall, post office, bank and offices development opens. more......
- 1982 Proposals for High Technology Units approved. more......
- 1982 Royal Square improvements agreed. more......
- 1982 First business exhibition of Redditch firms at Enfield industrial estate. more......
- 1982 Ogilvy and Mather appointed as Public Relations Consultants to promote Redditch. more......
- 1982 Corporation sponsored Community Enterprise programme. more......
- 1982 Bus station improvements approved. more......
- 1982 New proposals on completion of Redditch Ringway. more......
- 1982 Draft Housing Agency agreement. more......
- 1982 Kingfisher Centre (Phase 111) completed. more......
- 1982 RDC completes 5000th house in the New Town. Opened by Ian “The Saint” Olgivy. more......
- 1982 ALCAD electrifies the Eddystone Lighthouse. more......
- 1982 BHS Store opens in the Kingfisher Centre. more......
- 1982 Forge Mill opens after refurbishment as the National Needle Museum. more......
- 1982 Herbert Terry makes 150 workers redundant. more......
- 1982 Historian and leading light in the Forge Mill restoration, Geoff Rawlins dies. more......
- 1982 Hunt End industrial estate started. more......
- 1982 Mass protests in Redditch over education cuts. more......
- 1982 Michael Cammeron appointed Artistic Director of the Palace Theatre. more......
- 1982 New Methodist Church in Crabbs Cross dedicated. more......
- 1982 New Town development contract – Car Park 7, 1982 – 1983. more......
- 1982 New Town development contract – Transport Interchange, phase 3, 1982 – 1984. more......
- 1982 New Town Hall opened. more......
- 1982 Palace Theatre taken over by the Mercian Theatre & Arts Group. more......
- 1982 Plans for the final stage of the Redditch Ringway approved. more......
- 1982 Plans to improve the bus station announced. more......
- 1983 more......
- 1983 Eduardo Paolozzi Mosaics in Millward Square unveiled by Sir William Rees-Mogg. more......
- 1983 more......
- 1983 Historic Firm in name change after 128 years more......
- 1983 Blaze Flames ripped through a Redditch School last week more......
- 1983 Clubs Mushroom after hall opens more......
- 1983 Housing Agency came into effect. more......
- 1983 Minister issued a direction notice on housing transfer with effect from 1 April 19 more......
- 1983 RDC dissolution date confirmed as 30th June 1985. more......
- 1983 Board agreed proposals to set up Chamber of Industry and Commerce. more......
- 1983 Fastest firm on earth more......
- 1983 Village fury over pub facelift plans more......
- 1983 Historic visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to Redditch. more......
- 1983 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opens National Needle Museum at Forge Mill. more......
- 1983 Policy confirming RDC assets to be transferred to Commission for New Towns. more......
- 1983 Contract awarded for Ringway completion. more......
- 1983 Deputation to Kenneth Clark, Minister of Health, on need for a casualty service. more......
- 1983 Application for Alcester Highway Phase II rejected by Secretary of State. more......
- 1983 Proposals on Community Related Assets discussed. more......
- 1983 Redundancies at both HDA and GKN as the downturn in the economy continues. more......
- 1983 The founder of the Batteries dies. more......
- 1984 Redditch Chamber of Industry and Commerce opened by John Butcher, M.P. more......
- 1984 The Corporation planted its 2.5 millionth tree. more......
- 1984 Mount Carmel Roman Catholic church opens its doors again on Friday December 14th, more......
- 1984 Needle MergerCompanies forecast improved prospects more......
- 1984 Sir Neil Shields, Chairman of the New Towns Comn discusses transfer plans. more......
- 1984 Defects survey on rented housing showed no defects of a serious nature. more......
- 1984 Visit of Lord Bellwin, Minister of State. Department of the Environment. more......
- 1984 Town Centre Ringway opened. more......
- 1984 Confirmation of target and dissolution dates. more......
- 1984 Woodrow Medical Centre opens in a vacant house on the Woodrow estate. more......
- 1985 Companies Celebrate more......
- 1985 Draft Housing Transfer Agreement sent to Secretary of State. more......
- 1985 Redditch New Town Corporation officially dissolved. more......
- 1985 Ian McKay appointed the Redditch Executive Officer for the New Towns Comn. more......
- 1985 Arrow Valley Park project approved. more......
- 1985 Areo Needles celebrates 200th anniversary. more......
- 1985 Hymatic celebrate £2m contract. more......
- 1985 New town development contract – RDC transfers to the New Towns Commission. more......
- 1985 Old Water Tower saved and turned into residential property by Joan Adams. more......
- 1985 Sir Hugh Wilson, the consultant who prepared the New Town Master Plan, Dies. more......
New Town Development Events
Index