Southway

Southway is a large housing estate in north-west Plymouth in the English county of Devon. The name is believed to have derived from the route into Plymouth often used by Buckland Abbey monks, which was known as the "South Way".

History

Part of the city's extensive post-war housing programme, the land upon which Southway is built was previously occupied by three farms, Southway, Langley and Birdcage, as well as parts of four other farms, Clittaford, Heathfield, Hendwell and Wyvell (now Widewell). Some of these are commemorated in street names, and much of the original woodland and greenery remains in large pockets around the estate.

Timeline

* 1943 - the decision was made to build the estate, as extensive plans for the rebuilding of the blitzed city and its decimated housing stock were being made.
* 1954 - Building work begins in September.
* 1955 - The first residents take up occupancy.
* 1958 - Southway Primary School opens. [http://www.southway-pri.plymouth.sch.uk/]
* 1962 - The secondary school [http://web.ukonline.co.uk/stephen.johnson/air/ssch.jpg] opens, followed by the estate's two other primary schools (Langley and Tamerton Vale) in the late 1960s.
* 1968 - The second phase of construction is mostly completed.

The 1960s phase also saw a large shopping centre [http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/srda/srda14c.htm] added to the estate, complete with banks and a Public library [http://www.mlasouthwest.org.uk/index.php?ID=360&UID=1448&GO=2] , as well as two pubs The Falstaff [http://www.lemonrock.com/falstaff] ,The Abbots Way (The Old Southway) [http://www.pub-explorer.com/devon/pub/abbotswaysouthway.htm] and The Clittaford Club [http://www.clubsline.com/other/clt.html] a Private members club. There are also Anglican [http://www.plymouthdata.info/CH-Holy%20Spirit.htm] and Roman Catholic [http://www.plymouthdata.info/CH-RC-StThomas.htm] churches and a community centre [http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/communitycentres#sletter] . Although benefiting from the surrounding countryside the area suffers from poor public transport and being very isolated from the centre of the city.

Nearby is the Southway Industrial Estate,which provides a home to large companies such as BAE Systems, Invensys and the Paper Converting Machine Company [http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/product-compint-0000773989-page.html] .

Bampfylde and Copplestone

Some of Southway's street names are derived from historical family names from the nearby village of Tamerton Foliot, such as Bampfylde Way and Copplestone Road.

Controversy

In June 2006, the British National Party caused a wave of controversy by standing a candidate in the by-election called after the death of the Labour Party councillor for the Southway area. Liam Birch, a 21-year-old student from the University of Plymouth was the first candidate the party had ever stood in the area. Birch caused further controversy when it was reported in the local press that he had claimed that "... the Jews declared war on the Nazis, not the other way around...."

The Plymouth branch of Unite Against Fascism caused further controversy by delivering leaflets which it was alleged by the BNP, interfered with the electoral process. The dispute continues.

References

* [http://www.bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=25066 "Nazi BNP member sacked in Plymouth"] at indymedia.org