Bradley Stoke
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Bradley Stoke is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, on the northern side of the city of Bristol. Named after the local Bradley Brook and Stoke Brook streams, the town was first planned in the 1970s and building began in 1987.
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[edit] About
Although there is some provision for local employment, such as the businesses at the north of the town and the two supermarkets, it is effectively a dormitory suburb. The planned population is 20,000. Many parts now converge with Little Stoke, Stoke Gifford and Patchway, and further growth is restricted by the M5 motorway and M4 motorway.
Due to the increase in interest rates in the 1990s and the following housing slump and the high proportion of middle-class home ownership in the estate, it became nicknamed "Sadly Broke" by some Bristolians due to the rising levels of negative equity within the area. The large number of contractors employed in building the estate contributed to the variety of different house designs found there.
Indeed within the neighbouring city of Bristol, Bradley Stoke has become synonymous with large-scale soulless housing estate, albeit without the social problems historically experienced by many older estates. While this reputation might be undeserved, the original planning was built around domestic residence and the car, providing little in the way of public space and other facilities normally found in an area of comparable size and population such as parks, playing fields, public houses etc.
Many of the differences between Bradley Stoke/Aztec West and Bristol area can be attributed to either the difference in demographics, or local political geography. While Bristol has a wide ranging demographic expected from a populous city, Bradley Stoke is largely made up of white, owner-occupier, young families [1]". Also, many Bristolians use Bradley Stoke as short-hand for the South Gloucestershire unitary authority which forms a continuous conurbation with Bristol but has a significantly lower rate of local taxation. While the current system of local taxation will always give rise to this type of anomaly, some Bristol townsfolk see South Gloucestershire (and by association Bradley Stoke) as having easy access to Bristol's services and a drain on its infrastructure without incurring the cost.
Despite, or even because of this reputation citizens of Bradley Stoke are fiercely proud of their home pointing to its good communication links and "community spirit", and moves are planned to redress some of these issues, exemplified by the choice of parish council to call themselves a 'Town Council'.
[edit] Facilities
There are 6 primary schools, a leisure centre with a swimming pool and library, an emerging district centre, and a secondary school (Bradley Stoke Community School). The secondary school opened in September 2005 and will eventually cater for 900 students. Plans for a new Tesco supermarket, at its present site, have recently been approved by South Gloucestershire Council. The plans for the expansion, which includes some smaller retail units, will form the town's centre; however this has met with opposition by the local community, who feel this will worsen traffic issues in the area, although accepting the need for a town centre with additional shops and services.
In addition to this, the new Bradley Stoke Community school has opened near to the Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre. As of June 2006, the school is home to 216 year seven pupils, and this will expand as there are 2 year groups next year, and so forth.
[edit] Business
Employment is particularly found along the Great Park Road including at the Almondsbury Business Park, as well as at the near-by Aztec West development.
[edit] See also
- Longwell Green, another estate in South Gloucestershire
