Bradley Stoke

Bradley Stoke Population OS grid reference ST621813 Unitary authority South Gloucestershire Ceremonial county Gloucestershire Region South West Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town BRISTOL Postcode district BS32 Dialling code 0117 and 01454 Police Avon and Somerset Fire Avon Ambulance South Western UK Parliament Northavon to be Filton and Bradley Stoke from next election

Part of Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre

The RAC tower, a local landmark

Three Brooks Lake, a man-made lake and nature reserve between Bradley Stoke and the M4

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.

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. Bradley Stoke is also twinned with Champs-sur-Marne in France.

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 and public houses.

Many of the differences between Bradley Stoke 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 in 2001was largely made up of white, owner-occupier, young families".

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. The school is also home to one of the youth football teams: Bradley Stoke Youth.

Plans for a new Tesco supermarket, at its present site, were approved by South Gloucestershire Council on 13 November 2006. The plans for expansion, which includes some smaller retail units, a restaurant and a hotel, will form the town's centre. Plans were met with opposition by the local community, who felt the development may worsen traffic issues in the area, although accepting the need for a town centre with additional shops and services. Plans and copies of the discussion can be found online on the South Gloucestershire Planning Applications website. In addition the town is served by 2 Tesco Express stores, and from Summer 2007 an Aldi store (on the former Somerfield site) [2].

As of June 2006, the Bradley Stoke Community school had 216 year seven pupils, with expected expansion as there were 2 year groups the following year, continuing until all 5 year groups have pupils.

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. This can cause increased traffic congestion in mornings and evenings.

See also

• Longwell Green, another estate in South Gloucestershire

External links

• Bradley Stoke town council website
• Church of Christ the King website
• Holy Trinity Church
• Bradley Stoke Evangelical Church
• Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre
• Bradley Stoke street map
• Bradley Stoke Examiner