Sneyd Green

infobox UK place

country = England
official_name= Sneyd Green
latitude= 53.0416

longitude= -2.1667

population = 7,220 (2001 Census)
unitary_england= Stoke-on-Trent
lieutenancy_england=Staffordshire
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Stoke-on-Trent North
post_town= STOKE-ON-TRENT
postcode_district = ST1
postcode_area= ST
dial_code= 01782
os_grid_reference= SJ889493

Sneyd Green (population: 7,220 - 2001 Census) is an area in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England. It is in the north-east of the city, approx. 1.5 miles from Hanley. Sneyd Green borders Smallthorne in the north, Milton in the east, Birches Head in the south, and Cobridge in the west.

Most of Sneyd Green falls within Stoke-on-Trent North (UK Parliament constituency), the remainder is in Stoke Central. For local government purposes the greater part of Sneyd Green is in the East Valley electoral ward. Those parts not in East Valley are split between 'Northwood & Birches Head' and 'Burslem South'. That part of Sneyd Green that falls within Burslem South is sometimes referred to as 'Old Sneyd Green'.

There are twenty wards in the City, each with a population of around 12,000 people and each returning three elected councillors to the Council chamber.

In addition to the City’s electoral wards there are 49 ‘neighbourhood areas’ of which Sneyd Green is one. These neighbourhood areas, a recent attempt by the Council to better describe the geography of the City, have been adopted by the Stoke-on-Trent Local Strategic Partnership and form the basis of the new Local Area Agreements.

Community Profile and Facilities

Despite having a sizable council estate, Sneyd Green only has an average number of council tenants for a neighbourhood in the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Also, Sneyd Green has a significantly below average proportion of residents in terraced housing. [ 2001 Census; ] According to the Council’s 'Neighbourhood Area Profile', Sneyd Green is “typified by privately owned semi-detached housing and pockets of semi-detached council-housing”. [ Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Neighbourhood Area Profile (July 2006); ] Predictably, the average gross household income of Sneyd Green residents is higher than the City's average [ CACI Ltd; ] and the crime rate is below the City average. [ Staffordshire Police, Stoke on Trent Division; ]

The hub of the community is around the crossroad junction of Hanley Road (B5049), Milton Road and Sneyd Street. Here can be found: a busy ‘Late Shop’ convenience store (A Consumers' cooperative), a doctor's surgery, a dentist, a chemist, a sub-post office, a small number of other shops, a Chinese take-away, and an Oatcake shop.

Sneyd Green's community hall on Noblett Road was one of only twelve council-owned, community-run halls in the city. Today, many of these Halls, including Sneyd Green's, are social enterprises owned by a local Trust. The Holden Lane Residents Association is one of a sizable number of voluntary bodies that utilise the hall's facilities.

Sneyd Green has two primary schools (Holden Lane and Sneyd Green), a large secondary school (Holden Lane High School) and two churches (St. Andrews Church of England Parish and Wesley Hall Methodist Church on Noblett Road).

There are three public houses in Sneyd Green (the Berwick, the Holden Bridge, and the Sneyd Arms) and a Workingmen's Club (Holden Lane WMC on Ralph Drive - member of the Working Men's Club and Institute Union ).

Central Forest Park

The huge Central Forest Park can be found on the south-west fringe of Sneyd Green. In the early 1970s Central Forest Park was created by the City Council from three enormous coal spoil heaps, deep mine shafts, water-filled marl pits, disused railways and decaying buildings. At the time it won conservation awards for land reclamation. Today it is a very pleasant park allowing for a variety of recreational pastimes including angling, cycling, and skate-boarding.

Holden Lane Pools

), to Ford Green Hall.

The Pools can be found in the north-east of Sneyd Green, nestled between the A53 on one side and Holden Lane High School on the other. The main Hanley to Leek bus service passes the site and there is a small car park near the Holden Bridge pub.

The Friends of Holden Lane Pools were established in January 2004. They work with the City Council’s Environment Team to manage the site for wildlife and people. According to the Environment team, the site currently supports “a wide variety of birds including great crested and little grebes, swans, coots and moorhens. A range of small birds can be seen in the woodland and reed beds. Other wildlife includes grass snakes, which shelter and hunt for frogs in the grassland and marshy areas, plus dragonflies and butterflies”.

Anglers come seeking one of the several carp over 25lb that the main pool holds.

Bands From The Area (Music)

One of the local bands from this area is Indie/Rock/Alternative band Maybe This Friday. Despite being a relatively new band, the band has performed in concerts in the local church and school (Holden Lane High) under the name of Itchycoo Park. Most recently they had their first gig at The Glebe, Stoke, as a support act for The Blinding Lights along with Gun Smoke Junkie. Upcoming gigs include being a support band for My Sergeant Mask. The band consists of a drummer, two guitarists, a bassist and a singer who all entered in the Brittania competition of Battle of the Bands and come close to winning. They have recently recorded a 5 track CD and hope to put Sneyd Green on the map.

Also from the area is Nick Barber, the lead singer of Elvis Fontenot and the Sugar Bees, who won European Zydeco band of the year in 2006 and who have played three times in the USA and twice in Europe at major festivals as well as headlining venues all over the UK.

In addition Taz Cool, frontwoman of funk-grunge outfit Ylang Dog Riot, is an active member of the Sneyd Green community.

Another local band, The Decision, recently joined by a new drummer also hope to follow in the footsteps of Maybe This Friday and perform several gigs. The band consists of a guitarist/ lead singer, a bassist and drummer. The Decision have one upcoming gig at The Leopard Public House in Burslem, supporting the Black Apples.

It is clear to see that sneyd green and surrounding areas have more up and coming musical talent than first thought. For the benefit of the area we hope all bands and artists will become successful.

Trivia

Leek New Road in Sneyd Green forms part of the A53 that stretches from Shrewsbury (Shropshire) to Buxton (Derbyshire) via Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent, and Leek. In the Pennines, the A52 reaches an altitude of over 1500 feet above sea level. Not surprisingly, the road is often blocked by snow in the winter. In better weather, keen ramblers and campers from all over North Staffordshire pass through Sneyd Green in their cars on their way to the Peak District.

Notable residents

*Phil Bainbridge - cricketer.

References

External links

* [http://www.holdenlanehighschool.co.uk Holden Lane High School]
* [http://www.stasg.co.uk/index2.htm St. Andrews Parish Church]
* [http://www.sneydgreen.stoke.sch.uk/ Sneyd Green Primary School]
* [http://www.united.coop/default.asp United Co-op]