Districts of Redditch
is a town and local government district in Worcestershire, England.
The town is divided into separate districts.
All street-name signs in Redditch have the street name in white lettering on a blue background and the district name in black lettering on a white background at the bottom of the sign. In the New Town areas, the roads are usually named in alphabetical order and house numbering in the cul-de-sac closes is consecutive, starting with number 1.
Abbeydale
Abbeydale, along with Batchley, and The Mayfields in Southcrest, were post-WWII 1950s housing estates built to cope with a population boom and the local council's enforcement of the Conservative government's 'Homes for Heroes' pledge after the 1951 United Kingdom general election. The estate consists of both standard brick houses and those of Wimpey no-fines construction; the latter of which are primarily found on the cul-de-sacs adjoining Gibbs Road.Abbeydale is located at the eastern end of Easemore Road, close to Park Way, a bus-only road.
Astwood Bank
Batchley
's Valley Stadium and the Redditch Cricket, Hockey, Rugby and Squash Club are located off Bromsgrove Road, in Batchley.Batchley was originally a pre-WWII housing estate which has continued to expand to meet need for affordable accommodation until the present day. The original estate included many Orlit prefabricated houses, and though none remain today, they were still present into the 1980s. Batchley has an equal mixture of privately owned, private rental and social housing, hosting a number of diverse, cultural and socio-economic groups.
It has three local schools - Batchley First School, Pitcheroak School and Birchensale Middle School. Bridley Moor High School also used to be a school in the area, before being closed in the Redditch Review. It has a park and fishing lake called Batchley Pond. There are a number of small privately owned local shops and a Tesco Express with external ATM on Batchley Road. It is within a short walking distance of Redditch Town Centre.
Brockhill
Situated in the north west of the town. Almost entirely a modern residential area and home to many housing estates that to this day are still being constructed since 1996. The Brockhill East development, also known as "Meadow View", is the construction of 960 homes and a new district centre for Brockhill. The Holyoakes Field First School was also moved onto this new housing estate.The district lends its name to Brockhill, a Young Offenders Institution at the Hewell Grange complex.
Callow Hill
Church Green
A commercial district and public space in the centre of Redditch, Church Green forms part of the town centre; however, it is treated as a district and typically appears in addresses for buildings located there. Church Green forms a traditional centre for the town, like a village green or town square, and features a bandstand and fountain. Dominated by St Stephen's Church, it is home to several banks, estate agents, charity shops, a Chinese restaurant, and other businesses.Church Green West historically formed part of the major trunk road, A441 from Birmingham to Evesham.
Church Hill
The largest estate in Redditch, occupying the north-east corner of the town.Church Hill is one of the more recent Redditch developments, beginning in 1975. Church Hill has a distinctive layout similar to the Radburn model, with access roads Paper Mill Drive, Ravensbank Drive and Moons Moat Drive largely encircling the estate. Residences are almost exclusively built around cul-de-sacs. The estate comprises Moon's Moat, Marlfield Barn, and Bomford Hill which boasts a Peace Memorial. Unlike the many monotenure housing estates in the UK and globally, but in common with many newer estates in Redditch Church Hill is divided into districts correlated with tenure:
- Church Hill North - primarily private residential
- Church Hill Centre - a small commercial centre with a community centre and flats run by the YMCA, a medical centre, dentist, shops and a take-away, and first and middle schools.
- Church Hill South - primarily social housing
Church Hill is home to three schools: Abbeywood First School and Church Hill Middle School in Church Hill Centre, and Moon's Moat First School in Church Hill South. Church Hill North previously had two first schools, Ravensbank First School and Marfield Farm First School; however, this has since been closed and demolished.
The estate is named after St Leonard's Church and the hill it stands on slightly north of Church Hill at Beoley.
Crabbs Cross
Enfield
Named after the Royal Enfield Motorbike factory, the area is mainly an industrial estate. The area was greatly improved during the industrial revolution as a main area in the town for the production of needles and fishing hooks. It is also the location of Mettis Aerospace, which during World War Two, was a producer of parts for Spitfire aircraft. Opposite Mettis Aerospace on Windsor Road was the old Redditch Gas works, which have now been demolished and replaced with a series of apartment blocks and houses.Enfield is also the home to a new £18-million Police and Fire station, which is part of West Mercia Police and the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. There is also a small retail park nearby which includes a Sainsburys supermarket and B&M supermarket, which is next to the Royal Mail Delivery Office. On Elm Road, next to the railway line, is the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency test centre for North Worcestershire
Feckenham
is, in practical terms, a separate village, but is governed by Redditch Borough Council and counts administratively as a district.Feckenham village arose because it straddled the ancient saltway track between Alcester and Droitwich, and the early stretches of the Bow Brook.
Feckenham Forest once covered a substantial area of Worcestershire. It was used as a Norman royal hunting forest, and there was a royal hunting lodge near the village.
Greenlands
Greenlands is situated inbetween Woodrow & Lodge Park, branching off Greenlands Drive and Studley Road. Greenlands consists of 1950s, 1960s and 1970s built housing estates.It is also home to the South Redditch Sports & Social Club and The Greenlands pub, which has been there since 1958. There are also some shops off Dowler's Hill Crescent, near to the St John the Evangelist Church, including an off-licence and a Chinese takeaway.
Headless Cross
Like Crabbs Cross, Headless Cross was once a village in its own right, it is thought to be named after Headless Cross farm, which was situated roughly where Vaynor Drive is today. Headless Cross may be derived from Smeethehedley, meaning "heath-clearing", itself an indication of a role in Feckenham Forest.Keeping with the Redditch tradition of needle manufacture, Headless Cross once accommodated 3 needle works: the Needle Factory, located where Stonehouse Close is today; Phoenix Works on Birchfield Road, and Mount Pleasant Mill on Evesham Road. A large brickworks was situated on Marlpit Lane, as well as a smaller one along Birchfield Road.
There are 2 schools in Headless Cross: The Vaynor First School and Walkwood CE Middle School, both located on Feckenham Road.
Due to its slight altitude advantage, both of Redditch's water towers were built in Headless Cross. The old one still stands having been converted into a private residence. The distinctive shape of the new water tower has become something of a local icon and can be seen dominating the skyline from as far as the Hollybush Inn on Gorcott Hill, approximately 6 km to the east in Warwickshire.
The village also inspired the 1989 Black Sabbath song 'Headless Cross' which features on the album of the same name.
Headless Cross is also the site of an Iron Age hill fort.
Hunt End
Ipsley
Ipsley is home to the corporate headquarters of engineering firm GKN and the former headquarters of Solicitors Regulation Authority, which has since been transformed into apartments. It is also home to St Peter's Church on Ipsley Church Lane. In common with Winyates Green, all homes in the Ipsley estate are privately owned.Ipsley appeared in the Domesday Book as Epeslei, recording 23 households. Its name is thought to come from 'Ippe's leah', meaning "Ippe's meadow". It was formerly in Fernecumbe Hundred and Barlichway Hundred.
Lakeside
Lakeside is a largely industrial area of the town. Its location is in close proximity to the Arrow Valley Park. There is also a small housing estate. It is home to St. Bede's Catholic Middle School, the only Catholic Middle School in Redditch.Lodge Park
The first houses of the estate built on the Studley Road began construction in the end of the 1950s and finished in the mid-60s to be added to in the 1980s at the top of Barlich Way. There are ten different designs of housing in Lodge Park many with their own garages, not including the architects house, which stands on a corner of Barlich Way and Red Hill, which features a double garage and a utility room.Lodge Park is home to Studley Road Social Club and Lodge Park Social Club, with the latter overlooking Lodge Pool. There is a small shopping centre on Shakespeare Avenue, home to Tesco Express. Lodge Park is also home to Woodfield Academy, a middle school, and Oak Hill First School.
Matchborough
Matchborough is a large district of Redditch. Its location lies between Winyates, Ipsley and Washford in the New Town. Matchborough consists of 2 areas, Matchborough East, off Milhill Road, and Matchborough West.Matchborough also has a small shopping centre called Matchborough Centre, off Matchborough Way, which is adjacent to Matchborough Pond, and the area's two schools: Arrow Vale High School and Matchborough First School.