Redditch, town and borough (district), administrative and historic county of Worcestershire, west-central England. It is located in the valley of the River Arrow, a tributary of the Avon (Upper, or Warwickshire, Avon). The borough is known for its needle, fishing tackle, and spring manufactures, as well as its production of bicycles and motorcycles. In 1965 it was designated by British planners as a new town for the overspill population from Birmingham, to the north. Singer, songwriter, and actor Harry Styles, one of the original members of the popular boy band One Direction and a highly successful solo artist known for his multiple chart-topping singles and albums, was born in Redditch in 1994. Area 21 square miles (54 square km). Pop. (2001) 78,807; (2011) 84,214.