April 8, 1977

REDDITCH has escaped the worst of the New Town spending axes announced this week by the Environment Minister, Mr Peter Shore.

In his long-awaited Commons statement announced shortly before this paper went to press, Mr Shore ended speculations that Redditch's planned population would be drastically pruned.

While the six most recent New Towns have had their targets cut by between one third and one fifth, Redditch is to keep its present planned 70,000 population.

Mr Shore said he could find "no grounds for initiative to be taken" with the expansion of Redditch.

Redditch Development Corporation chairman Mr James Chesshire said he was extremely pleased Mr Shore had not cut the town's target population but that he was not really surprised at the news.