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Castle Vale
Castle Vale is an area of north-east Birmingham in the Tyburn ward, roughly five miles from the city centre. The surrounding areas are Castle Bromwich, Minworth, Pype Hayes, Walmley and Tyburn.
Castle Vale used to be a sub-manor of Erdington called Berwood. The name Berwood is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words "bearu" meaning a grove and "wudu" meaning a wood. Hence, the area was once managed woodland, possibly used for pig-breeding.
Berwood was developed as an aerodrome during the first World War and was a major RAF base during the Second World War. It was redeveloped as a high-density municipal housing estate and renamed Castle Vale in the 1960's.
The estate, which used to contain thirty-eight tower blocks, was plagued by high rates of crime and deprivation. It was taken over by the Castle Vale Housing Action Trust in 1993.
The trust, which rebuilt the estate between 1993 and 2005, demolished all but two of the tower blocks and reduced density through the realignment of roads, the introduction of new green spaces and the construction of more conventional low-rise housing. New facilities were also built, including a sports stadium and retail park.
Key National Retailers in Castle Vale
Argos
Argos is at
Castle Vale Retail Park B35 6HB, T 0845 165 7534B and Q
B and Q is at
Dunlop Way B35 7RD, T 0121 377 4100Comet
Chester Road B35 6HB - 0844 800 9595 - Map
Sainsbury
Sainsbury is at Castle Vale Retail Park B35 6HB, T 0121 776 7425.
Demographics, Housing and Politics in Castle Vale
This website contains information about demographics, housing and politics in the Tyburn council ward which includes Castle Vale.
Accident Blackspots in Castle Vale
22.09.11: Boy Cyclist Hit by Car on Farnborough Road
A 10-year-old cyclist was hit by a car on Farnborough Road at around 5.30pm on Wednesday 21st September 2011. He suffered cardiac arrest but was resuscitated by a policeman administering CPR en route to Heartlands Hospital (News Headlines 22/09/11).
Heavy
Goods Vehicle Collides With Car On Kingsbury Road
A lorry collided
with a car on Kingsbury Road at around 6.15am on Thursday 23rd June
2011; the car driver, who escaped serious injury, was taken to hospital
(News Headlines 23/06/11).
Spitfire Island
A car hit two pedestrians at Spitfire Island on the Chester Road at roughly 3pm on Tuesday 20/04/10.
Man Jailed for Aggravated Vehicle Taking on Watisham Square
A 25-year-old man was jailed for 3.5 years at Birmingham Crown Court in June 2011 for stealing a car by force on Watisham Square which he then crashed, injuring another person on Saturday 23rd October 2010 (News Headlines 19/06/11).
Fire & Firefighting in Castle Vale
Flat Fire on Northolt Drive
A flat caught fire on Northolt Drive at approximately 7pm on Saturday 30/10/10; three people were rescued by fire crew; the blaze may have been caused by a smouldering cigarette (News Report 01/11/10).
Fire & Firefighting in Birmingham
Adventure Playgrounds in Castle Vale
Wacky Warehouse
Chester Road B35 7AF - 0121 747 2908 - Map
Guide Castle Vale - Wacky Warehouse Website
Chivenor House
Chivenor House on Drem Croft is a refurbished 12 storey tower block that was built above a primary school in the 1960's.
Drem Croft B35 7HY Map
Topcliffe House
Topcliffe House on Hawkinge Drive is a refurbished 11 storey tower block that was also built above a primary school in the 1960's.
Hawkinge Drive B35 6BT Map
Further & Higher Education in Castle Vale
Castle Vale Community College
Castle Vale Community College on the High Street is a constitutent campus of Birmingham Metropolitan College; it teaches vocational and academic courses and provides skills-based training.
10 High Street B35 7PR 0121 362 1108 Map
Further Education Colleges Metropolitan College Website
Health Services in Castle Vale
Castle Vale Primary Care Centre
70 Tangmere Drive B35 7QX - 0121 465 1500 - Map
Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum
Eden Court Medical Practice
200 Tangmere Drive B35 6EE - 0121 748 8200 - Map
Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum
Castle Vale contains industrial zones on the Kingsbury Road alongside the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal on its north side and in the Tame Valley to the south.
These include the Erdington Industrial Park (map) and the Castle Bromwich Business Park (map).
Dura Body and Glass
Dura on Tameside Drive manufactures body and glass systems for the automotive industry.
This factory employs an estimated workforce of 300 and is owned by an American multinational headquartered at Rochester Hills in Michigan.
The windpipe of a 59-year-old maintenance engineer was severed at this factory whilst he was attempting to repair a machine in automatic mode on 6th May 2008; the company was fined £30,000 for health and safety violations at Birmingham Crown Court in July 2010 (News Archive 22/07/10).
Unit A Castle Bromwich Business Park B35 7AG 0121 749 6300 Map
Factories in Brum Dura Body and Glass Systems Website
Newspapers Published in Castle Vale
Vale Mail
Vale Mail is a free community monthly newspaper delivered to 4,100 households in Castle Vale and read by around 8,500 people.
The paper is published by the charitable organisation Headline Media whose offices are at Topcliffe House on Hawkinge Drive in Castle Vale.Tel 0121 749 1343 Address: Hawkinge Drive B35 6BT
Links: Media
Headline Media WebsiteSwitch
Switch is a community radio station that broadcasts on 107.5 FM to north-east Birmingham from Topcliffe House on Hawkinge Drive. The station is a charity operated by Headline Media; its content is a mixture of music, sport, news and entertainment; most programmes are made by volunteers.
Hawkinge Drive B35 6BT - 0121 749 1343 - Map
Centre Park
Centre Park is a 6 acre green space created as part of the regeneration of the Castle Vale estate in order to reduce housing density.
It was laid out on the former location of the Core Eight residential towers and contains a meadow, events space,
conservation areas, formal gardens, a multi-games area and playground.There is an official traveller encampment with 15 pitches off Tameside Drive. The Doherty's, an Irish family apparently from Limerick, have occupied the site since 1991.
The city council are attempting to evict the Doherty's on the ground that the site can only be used by travellers who are passing through Birmingham and is not intended for permanent occupation.
The council also claims that the presence of the Doherty's means that other travellers can not use the official site and so have camped illegally elsewhere.
The council obtained an eviction order in 2004, but the Doherty's appealed and the case went to the House of Lords who ruled that the High Court had wrongly interpreted the law by failing to consider the fact that the Doherty's have been established on the site for almost 20 years.
The High Court must now reconsider the case in accordance with this judgement. The case excited renewed controversy in September 2010 when the Doherty's solicitors apparently claimed £200,000 in legal costs from the council (News Archive 04/09/10).
Birmingham North Local Policing Unit
Castle Vale is policed by the Birmingham North Local Policing Unit which is headquartered at Sutton Coldfield Police Station.
Castle Vale Police Station
Castle Vale Police Station on the High Street is a substation with restricted opening hours; visitors should call in advance.
44 High Street B35 7PR - 0345 113 5000 - Map
Law in Brum - West Midlands Police Website
St Cuthbert's C of E
St Cuthbert's Place B35 7PL - 0121 747 4041 - Map
Churches in Birmingham - St Cuthbert's Website
St Gerard's RC
St Gerard's is a Roman Catholic church on Yatesbury Avenue.
Yatesbury Avenue B35 6JT - 0121 747 7390 - Map
Tyburn House
The Tyburn House on the Chester/Kingsbury Road roundabout is a Sizzling pub that serves value food and drink.
It holds regular curry, disco, live music, quiz and discount nights.
Kingsbury Road B35 6AA 0121 747 2128 Map
Pubs in Birmingham Sizzling Website
McDonalds
McDonalds (drive thru) is on the
Chester Road B24 0QY, T 0121 377 8077Bus Routes through Castle Vale
The following bus routes run through Castle Vale: 28, 28A, 28B, 67, 67A, 71, 116, 638, 966, 966A
Overview
Two railways run through Castle Vale: the Birmingham - Peterborough Line on the south side of the Castle Vale housing estate and the Sutton Park Freight Line on the north side.
The Sutton Park Freight Line joins the Birmingham - Peterborough Line at Water Orton Junction West on the east side of the housing estate.
Sutton Park Freight Line
The Sutton Park Freight Line bridges the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and both carriageways of the Kingsbury Road (A38), runs between the Castle Vale housing estate and Midpoint Business Park and joins the Birmingham - Peterborough Railway at Water Orton West Junction, roughly 800 metres west of the passenger platforms at Water Orton Station.
Links: Sutton Park Freight Line
Birmingham-Peterborough Line
The Birmingham-Peterborough Line skirts the southern boundary of the Castle Vale housing estate, running roughly parallel to Cadbury Drive and Blenheim Way.
Links: Birmingham - Peterborough Line
Primary Schools in Castle Vale
Chivenor Junior & Infant School
Chivenor School on Farnborough Road is a community co-educational primary school attended by roughly 330 children aged between five and eleven.
Farnborough Road B35 7JA 0121 747 7156 Map
Secular State Primary Schools Chivenor Primary Website
Topcliffe Primary School
Topcliffe School on Hawkinge Drive is a community co-educational primary school attended by approximately 250 children aged between four and eleven.
Hawkinge Drive B35 6BS 0121 675 6296 Map
St Gerard's RC School
St Gerard's RC School on Yatesbury Avenue is a Roman Catholic voluntary-aided co-educational primary school attended by roughly 220 children aged between three and eleven.
Yatesbury Avenue B35 6LB 0121 464 2613 Map
Faith Primary Schools in Brum St Gerard's School Website
Pegasus Primary School
Pegasus School on Turnhouse Road is a community co-educational primary school attended by approximately 180 children aged between five and eleven.
Turnhouse Road B35 6PR 0121 464 4293 Map
Secular State Primary Schools Pegasus Primary Website
Secondary Schools in Castle Vale
Castle Vale School
Castle Vale School on Farnborough Road is a community comprehensive that specialises in the performing arts.
This school is attended by around 875 boys and girls aged between 11 and 16. 22% of pupils achieved five GCSE's including Maths and English at A*/C in 2009.
Farnborough Road B35 7NL 0121 464 6101 Map
Secondary Schools Castle Vale School Website
Sports and Leisure Centres in Castle Vale
Castle Pool and Adventure Play Area
The Castle Pool and Adventure Play Centre on Farnborough Road contains a swimming pool, soft and adventure play areas and baby changing facilities.
It offers pre-school activities, splash sessions, lane swimming, parent and toddler swimming, rookie life saving, aquatone and 50+ swimming. adult-only swimming, adult & junior lane swimming, parent & toddler swimming.
Links: Sports and Leisure Centres
Castle Vale Community Leisure Centre
Castle Vale Community Leisure Centre is on Farnborough Road; it contains a fitness room, gymnasium, sports hall, badminton courts, netball courts and grass pitches.
The centre is primarily used by Castle Vale School and so is only open to general public on weekday evenings and weekends. The centre offers a range of activities including football, martial arts and fitness classes.
Links: Sports and Leisure Centres
Vale Stadium
The Vale Stadium on Farnborough Road is the home ground of Castle Vale FC who play in the Midland Combination League.
The stadium is equipped with floodlights and has a stand with a clubhouse and boxes that overlooks one touchline; the other three sides of the pitch are lined by hardstanding.
The stadium was completed in 1999; it was originally the home of Paget Rangers who went out of business in 2003.
Links: Castle Vale Castle Vale FC Website
The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal passes through Castle Vale. The Top Lock (25) and Middle Lock (26) of the Minworth Flight are located there.
The Minworth Flight adjusts the level by around 4.5 metres over 2.25 kilometres so that the canal can descend from Salford Junction to the Warwickshire Plain.
This is the Minworth Top Lock (25) on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal in Castle Vale. The Middle Lock (26) is roughly 200 metres to the east.
Vandals caused severe flooding and disruption of commuter traffic on the Kingsbury Road by opening the gates to these locks on 01/07/10 (News Archive 02/07/10)
This is the Sutton Railway Bridge above the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal in Castle Vale. The bridge is located between the Minworth Middle and Bottom Locks.
Body Found in Castle Vale Canal
A body was found in the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal at 11am on 5th Decmber 2009.
Public Art in Castle Vale
The Sentinel is a sculpture by Tim Tolkien on the Chester Road. It depicts three supermarine spitfires soaring skywards. The aircraft are cast in aluminium and supported by steel beams that represent their vapour trails.
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