Birchwood
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For other uses, see Birchwood (disambiguation).
| Birchwood | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Statistics | ||
| Population: | 11,395 (2001) | |
| Ordnance Survey | ||
| OS grid reference: | SJ647911 | |
| Administration | ||
| District: | Warrington | |
| Shire county: | Cheshire | |
| Region: | North West England | |
| Constituent country: | England | |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom | |
| Other | ||
| Ceremonial county: | Cheshire | |
| Historic county: | Lancashire | |
| Services | ||
| Police force: | Cheshire | |
| Fire and rescue: | {{{Fire}}} | |
| Ambulance: | North West | |
| Post office and telephone | ||
| Post town: | Warrington | |
| Postal district: | WA3 | |
| Dialling code: | 01925 | |
| Politics | ||
| UK Parliament: | Warrington North | |
| European Parliament: | North West England | |
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Birchwood is a civil parish in the eastern part of Warrington, Cheshire, England with a population of 11,395 as at the 2001 census. It was built during the time of much expansion in the town of Warrington as it became a "new town". Birchwood Town is separated into three residential estates: Gorse Covert (grid ref SJ665925, population 2,790), Oakwood (grid ref SJ656914, population 4,381) and Locking Stumps (grid ref SJ645918, population 2,759), with all the main facilities centred around the centre.
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[edit] Geography
The area east of Birchwood is mainly birch forests and Risley Moss, part of the Mersey Forest. Risley Moss is a site of special scientific interest. The bulk of Birchwood is built on the site of the former Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF), with Birchwood Forest Park lying in the centre, in which the old bunkers from the factory form part of the landscape.
| North-West: Winwick, Newton-le-Willows, Haydock, M6 | North: Culcheth, Leigh, Westhoughton, Bolton, M62 | North-East: Glazebrook, Irlam, Manchester |
| West: Locking Stumps, Orford, Prescot, Huyton, Liverpool | Birchwood | East: Gorse Covert, Oakwood, Partington, Sale |
| South-West: Warrington Town Centre, Latchford, Stockton Heath ,Widnes, Runcorn | South: Woolston, Thelwall, Northwich, M56 | South-East: Lymm, Martinscroft, Knutsford, Macclesfield |
[edit] History
"The surface, at a distance, looks black and dirty, and will bear neither horse nor man….. What nature meant by such a useless production ‘tis hard to imagine, but the land is entirely to waste" are the words of Daniel Defoe as he rode through Birchwood in 1724.
In the past travellers avoided the Birchwood area because it of its dangerous mossland, however gradually over time much of the fertile mossland was reclaimed and turned into farm land. With the advent of World War II 927 acres (3.8 km²) of agricultural land was changed into a massive Royal Ordnance Factory, ROF Risley. The location was chosen because the low lying mist and cloud helped camouflage the factory from the air; according to a local builder "It was very lonely and misty at night, and that’s why the factory was constructed there ….. it was usually covered with a mist or cloud. It was hard to see it in the day time, you know". Although the location of the factory was known by the German Air Force, the factory was bombed only once during the war.[1]
Several bunkers were also built (that can still be seen today) to house the munitions, to protect them from potential bombing, and also to segregate the site and reduce the consequences of any accidental explosions during manufacture or storage. Although these bunkers are on the surface, they are covered with soil and turf and so give the impression of being underground.
However after the war the factory no longer had a purpose other than as a storage depot and so in 1956 the north west of the factory was sold to UKAEA with the entire disused area being put on the market in 1963. No buyer was ever found for it until 1968 when the Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation bought the site and turned it into the new town of Birchwood.
[edit] Shopping
The area's principal shopping needs are serviced by Birchwood Mall, a recently renovated mall with many shops and a large ASDA store. There are also a number of smaller shops in each village of the town.
[edit] Transport
Birchwood is located close to the intersections between the M6 and M62 and the M6 and M56 and the railway station on the Liverpool--Manchester train line. There are frequent bus services (routes 24, 25, 26 and 27) to Warrington town centre, and to Culcheth and Leigh (routes 386 and 586). Details of all these serverice can be found on the Warrington Borough Transport web site.
[edit] Birchwood Railway Station
Birchwood Station is a mainline station with trains stopping bound for Manchester, Liverpool, and Warrington Central, and surronding areas, as well as long distance services to Scarborough, Leeds, Newcastle and York. Trains pass through three times an hour (two operated by Northern Rail on the hour and half-hour, as well as a train operated by First Transpennine Express, all trains will operate the Manchester-Liverpool via Warrington line, while the transpennine trains go on to further afield. [2]
[edit] Road
Birchwood is very close to Junction 11 of the M62, providing access to Liverpool (22 miles/35km) and Manchester (15 miles/24km). Junction 11 is notable for the Encounter statue (also known as the Angel of Birchwood). Birchwood is close to Junction 21 of the M6, giving access to Birmingham (80 miles/128km). Birchwood is approximately 5 miles from Warrington Town Centre (via Birchwood Way) and Leigh (11 miles/18km) (via Warrington Road).
[edit] Buses
There are 6 bus routes operating through the Birchwood area, all of which are operated by Warrington Borough Transport.
The 24, 25, 26 and 27 operate through all parts of Birchwood to Warrington, with the Gorse Covert SPAR shop acting as the terminus. The routes differ in the precise routes they take to Warrington bus station, and in their regularity. Service 25 is the main service, on which the others are based. 26/27 runs evenings and Sundays. 24 runs twice each weekday in each direction.
The 386 also starts at Warrington bus station, then through Birchwood and on to Leigh via Culcheth. The 586 operates the same route but does not stop at Birchwood Shopping Centre.
[edit] Education
Birchwood is served by 3 primary schools, one per area, Birchwood Community High School, and a special school for disabled children (Fox Wood School).
[edit] Industry
To the north of the Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF), Risley, was the site chosen for the design offices and headquarters of the Department of ATomic ENergy (DATEN) after the Second World War. Later to become the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the offices were charged with the manufacture of the nuclear reactors and process plants at Windscale to help build the UKs atomic defence. Following on from the weapons program, the Risley offices were responsible for the building of the Magnox and AGR designs of reactor in the UK. In 1971 BNFL was set up from the production division of the (UKAEA), and until 2003 its headquarters were based at Risley, near Warrington. BNFLs headquarters are now at Daresbury Park industrial estate, also near to Warrington.
BNFL (now British Nuclear Group) maintains a large office of the site, which is something of a nuclear nexus, with NNC, WS Atkins Design, Environment & Engineering, Nuclear Technolgies plc, Serco Assurance and Quintessa (among others) based on Birchwood Park.
WS Atkins has two offices in Birchwood, Warrington - Chadwick House (containing various business units including Water, Highways and Transportation, Design Solutions and Nuclear) and WS Atkins House (contains primarily the Highways Agency Area 10 Contract Maintaining Agent Commission, but also Rail, and Oil and Gas).
[edit] Demographics
Note: Statistics expressed as percentages may not add up to 100%
- Population:11,395 (at 2001 census) of which:
- 49.6% are male
- 50.4% are female
- 96.99% are of white origin
- 0.91% are of mixed origin
- 0.39% are of black origin
- 0.89% are of asian origin
- 0.82% are of other origin
- Households:4,916 of which:
- 63.61% are owner occupied
- 2.03% are of "shared occupancy"
- 5.61% are rented from the council
- 22.70% are rented from housing associations
- 6.04% are rented from other sources
- 0.01% are of undisclosed tenancy
Of the 11,395 residents in the council ward of Birchwood:
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- 24.20% have no qualifications
- 48.37% have only basic qualifications (i.e. not higher than GCSEs or equivelent)
- 28.97% have advanced qualifications
- 3.36% of residents are unemployed
[edit] Gorse Covert
Gorse Covert is the eastmost of the districts which form the town of Birchwood in Warrington. It is also the most easterly part of the Warrington urban area (though not of Warrington borough). It was formerly site 6 of the Royal Ordnance Factory at Risley. It is now a large, suburban residential area with a mixture of good quality housing. It has a pub, (The Poacher), a primary school (Gorse Covert Primary School) and a local shop (Spar).
[edit] Demographics
At the 2001 census (the next one scheduled for 2011), there were 2790 residents living in 1191 properties (statistic areas 005B and 004B - Gorse Covert, Risley South and Locking Stumps East). Of these properties 81% are owner occupied, with the remainder being rented, either from the council, local housing authority or private landlords. Gorse Covert residents are approximately 23% more likely to be in paid employment than the average for England and Wales, with an unemployment rate of around 1.9% (around 53 residents) of all economically active people aged 16-74. 16% of economically active residents (i.e. 16-74 year olds) don't have any form of qualification (around 446 residents)
[edit] Locking Stumps
Locking Stumps, is the furthest west of the three districts in Birchwood, Warrington. Locking Stumps has a population of 2759 residents in 1102 households . It is a relatively large district with a shop, pub (The Turf and Feather), takeaway shop, primary school (Locking Stumps Community Primary School), and a modern church (The Thomas Risley United Reformed Church).
[edit] Demographics
At the 2001 census, Office for National Statistics areas 004C and 004D the housing breaks down into:
- 873 owner occupied houses
- 35 council owned houses
- 189 rented (non-council) houses
- 5 which have undisclosed status
(source:Office for National Statistics [3])
[edit] Oakwood
Oakwood is a district of Birchwood, which is very close to the Birchwood centre. According to the 2001 census, there are 2003 properties, with a total of 4381 residents (this covers the ONS areas of 005A (Oakwood West, near Birchwood), 005C (Oakwood East, near Risely Moss) and 005D (Oakwood Central)). Oakwood has various basic ameninties including a convenience store, two pubs (Nelsons Quaterdeck and The Silver Birch), a takeaway shop, the Church of Transfiguration, a primary school (Birchwood CofE Primary and Nursery School) and a high school (Birchwood Community High School)
[edit] Demographics
At the 2001 census, of 2003 possible houses in Oakwood:
- 46% are owner occupied
- 8% are council owned
- 43% are rented (non council) properties
- 3% didn't disclose their status
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] Birchwood
- Warrington Borough transport timetables
- Royal Ordnance Factory, Risley
- Website about Birchwood Park
- Birchwood Community High School
[edit] Gorse Covert
- Map of Statistic Zones
- Bus timetables for services 24-27
- Inspection report for Gorse Covert Primary School
- Gorse Covert Community Church
- Gallery of images of Gorse Covert
- Gorse Covert Pre-School
