Redditch has a population of approximately 84,471 people and emerged as a New Town in the 1960s. It was responsible for producing 90% of the world's needles at one point. Urban spaces need innovative design to effectively express identity and history. Redditch implements cultural policy to focus on its cultural industries and establish its identity as a quiet town connected to Birmingham, while maintaining social activities and historical monuments. This boosts its commercial performance.

1. Researching the Creative City
REDDITCH

2. Redditch History
• Nicknamed ‘The Ditch’
• People’s perception of Redditch;
- many roundabouts
- very green
- quiet
- ‘chavvy’
• Population of approximately 84,471
• Emerged as New Town during 1960s
• Redditch was responsible for the production of 90%
of the world's needles

3. Forge Mill Needle Museum

5. “Urban space is also a ‘place’, and a place
expresses an identity through signifiers of
memory, historicity, tradition; it only does this
effectively mediated by innovative design”
(Vickery, 2004: 46).
Vickery, J (2004). The Emergence of Culture-led
Regeneration: A Policy Concept and Its Discontents.

6. … innovative design
“a legible city would be one whose districts or landmarks or pathways are easily
identifiable and are easily grouped into an over-all pattern” (Lynch, 1959: 3).
Lynch, K (1959). The Image of the City. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Represents
needle and
thread

7. The key ingredient for a creative
class is human capital.
The Three ‘T’s
Florida, R (2004). The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It's Transforming Work,
Leisure, Community and Everyday Life. London: Basic Books.

8. TALENT
EDUCATION
Heart of Worcestershire (HoW) College
First School/ Middle School /High School
ART AND CULTURE
Palace Theatre
Redditch Youth & Community Enterprise
Arrow Valley Country Park
LEISURE
Kingfisher Shopping Centre
Cinema
Gym
POPULAR CULTURE
Harry Styles was born at the Alexandra Hospital
Freddie Starr lives in Mappleborough Green, just outside Redditch
Tony Martin singer, Black Sabbath frontman

9. TECHNOLOGY
• ‘Redditch Community’ Facebook page

10. TOLERANCE
• Creation of The Hub; Redditch’s new dining and
leisure experience 2015
• More passenger trains to run between Redditch
and Lichfield
• Redditch's Threadneedle House sold by council
for 82 bedroom residential development

11. Conclusion
• Redditch implements cultural policy as a plan of
action/strategy
• Focus on cultural industry as a supplier of non-
economic outputs;
- Establishing the town’s geographical place as
a quiet town with close connections and
collaboration with the bigger city of
Birmingham
- Maintaining sociality through facilitating
leisure ventures eg/ Abbey Stadium, The Hub
- Nurturing history by creating historical
monuments across the town.
This also
contributes to
economic
production by
boosting the
town’s
commercial
performance
Holocaust
Memorial, Church
Green
War Memorial