Newland Close car park opens after garages are bulldozed

Newland Close in Woodrow, Redditch, was the latest location to be developed under the borough council’s public realm improvements scheme.

13 garages which are no longer fit for purpose were demolished to make way for "much-needed" parking.

Residents living in the area were consulted on the proposals late last year.

In a post on Facebook, Redditch Borough Council said: "The Newland Close parking improvements are now complete. Creating a new functional and usable space for residents, there's even a yellow hashed box ensuring that pedestrian access to properties will always be available".

The new and improved car park (Image: Redditch Borough Council)

The council’s public realm improvements scheme is an ongoing programme to turn old garages, often used simply for storage as they are too small for most modern vehicles, into useful new parking spaces and other enhancements. Sites are prioritised according to their assessed need.

Ahead of the works, portfolio holder for environmental services, councillor Brandon Clayton, said: “Incredibly, the garage demolition project first began 15 years ago in 2009 and since then the council have created hundreds of new parking areas, making a significant difference to the daily lives of residents right across the borough, improving the quality of the local environment, enhancing the look, feel, safety and security of our communities.”

Leader of Redditch Borough Council, councillor Matt Dormer, said: “2024 marks a significant milestone for this project and looking back, I must thank our officers and contractors for their hard work which has benefitted thousands of residents.

"There is still plenty of work to do however, and we will continue to invest in and unlock the potential of our neighbourhoods so that they are safe, clean, fit for purpose and suitable for modern day living.”