Bradley Stoke

Bradley Stoke is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated on the north side of the city of Bristol. Named after the local Bradley Brook and Stoke Brook streams, the town was planned in the 1970s and building began in 1987. The town is residential with some retail and commercial areas. Bradley Stoke is often perceived as a large residential suburb of Bristol rather than a town in its own right, especially since it is only 10 km (6 miles) from the city centre.

About

Although there is some provision for local employment, such as the business parks at the north of the town, the Aztec West business area and the two supermarkets, it is a commuter town, with many people travelling daily to the nearby city of Bristol. The town is close to its planned population of 25,000. Parts now join with Little Stoke, Stoke Gifford and Patchway, and further growth is restricted by the M5 motorway and M4 motorway.

With the increase in interest rates in the 1990s and the subsequent housing slump, it became nicknamed "Sadly Broke" by some Bristolians due to the rising levels of negative equity within the area.

Bradley Stoke is twinned with Champs-sur-Marne in France, on the outskirts of Paris.

The 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. This situation is fast improving and it is fair to say Bradley Stoke now has much to offer.

Many of the differences between Bradley Stoke and the 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 2001 was largely made up of white, owner-occupier, young families [cite web |url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadDatasetList.do?a=3&b=5940295&c=bradley+stoke&d=16&g=400396&i=1001x1003&m=0&enc=1&domainId=15|title=Neighbourhood Statistics (Bradley Stoke Baileys Court)|accessdate=2008-07-08|publisher=Office for National Statistics|date=2001] .

Facilities

Many of the facilities in the town were to be funded by the housing developers from housing sales, via 'Section 106' planning agreements. When house building and sales slowed for a time in the late 80s, there was a significant slowdown in facility completion. This included the late provision of the road joining the north and south sides of the town, and also completion of the doctors' surgery.

The town centre, Willow Brook Centre [cite web|url=http://www.willowbrookcentre.co.uk/|title=Willow Brook Website|publisher=Tesco Stores Ltd.|accessdate=2008-09-02] , is set to open on the 13 October, 2008 [cite web|url=http://www.sadlybroke.com/2008/08/29/willow-brook-centre-shops-confirmed/|title=Willow Brook Centre shops, facilities and opening date confirmed|publisher=Bradley Stoke Examiner|accessdate=2008-09-02] featuring around 18 units, a hotel, and a restaurant. Stores include: Tesco Extra, Nationwide Building Society, Costa Coffee, Carphone Warehouse, and KFC. The new town centre was named by an anonymous resident as part of a competition run by Tesco [cite web|url=http://www.sadlybroke.com/2008/06/21/breaking-news-new-town-centre-is-named/|title=New Town Centre Is Named|publisher=Bradley Stoke Examiner|accessdate=2008-09-02] . The centre is situated on the original Tesco supermarket site, and the redevelopment was approved by South Gloucestershire Council on 13 November 2006 [cite web|url=http://planning.southglos.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?action=show&appType=Planning&appNumber=PT05/1920/O|title=Development of 0.87 hectares of land for hotel and restaurant (Tesco Stores Ltd) (PT05/1920/O)|publisher=South Gloucestershire Council Planning Department|accessdate=2008-07-08] .

In addition the town is served by 2 Tesco Express stores, and an Aldi store (on the former Somerfield site [cite web|url=http://planning.southglos.gov.uk/WAM/showCaseFile.do?action=show&appType=Planning&appNumber=PT06/3687/F|title=Alterations and landscaping to facilitate new shop unit (Aldi Stores Ltd) (PT06/3687/F)|publisher=South Gloucestershire Council Planning Department|accessdate=2008-07-08)] .

There are 6 primary schools, a leisure centre with a swimming pool and library, an emerging district centre, and a secondary school. The secondary school opened in September 2005 and will eventually cater for 900 students [cite web|url=http://www.bradleystokecs.org.uk/sections/information/heads_introduction.htm|title=Bradley Stoke Community School Information|accessdate=2008-07-08] .

Business

Employment is particularly found along the Great Park Road, at the Almondsbury Business Park, and at the Aztec West development.

Media

Bradley Stoke has an active independent media sector with three publications covering the town. Bradley Stoke Matters is a free-sheet which is delivered to every home since 2005. Online publication The Bradley Stoke Examiner has been running 2006, and the Bradley Stoke Journal since 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.bradleystoke.gov.uk Bradley Stoke Town Council]
* [http://www.standbrook-guides.com/maps/BRADLEY_STOKE/BRADLEY.HTM Bradley Stoke street map]
* [http://www.bradleystokematters.co.uk Bradley Stoke Matters - Community website]
* [http://www.sadlybroke.com Bradley Stoke Examiner - Community news website]
* [http://www.bradleystokejournal.co.uk Bradley Stoke Journal - Community news website]
* [http://www.bradleystokecs.org.uk Bradley Stoke Community School - Secondary School]
* [http://www.sgleisure.org/centres/bradley_stoke Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre and Library]