55-499: Bentley Bridge Leisure Park is an extensive modern leisure/retail park located in the village of Wednesfield , Wolverhampton in the West Midlands . It has been developed since the late 1990s, to the south of Wednesfield town centre. The park is split into two halves − a leisure area and a shopping area. The site is bounded by the Wyrley and Essington Canal and New Cross Hospital to
110-474: A township in the parish of Wolverhampton, in 1866 Wednesfield became a separate civil parish . Following the Local Government Act 1894 , the rump of the parish (minus Wednesfield Heath and part of what became Short Heath Urban District) became an urban district within the administrative county of Staffordshire . With the exception of a loss of 24 acres (with a census population of 224) to
165-415: A Mercedes Van and Truck dealership. TK Maxx opened a department store on the retail park on 27 October 2011, replacing its decade-old city centre store which had closed the previous day. In late 2014, Costa Coffee opened a new store in a previously vacant unit near Cosmo and B & M. Wednesfield Wednesfield ( / ˈ w ɛ n z . f iː l d / ) is a town and historic village in
220-425: A fitness gym. The proximity to Wolverhampton city centre has been a major constraint on retail economic growth within the town. Wednesfield is part of a network of lower order Black Country town centres, providing principally convenience shopping facilities for a local catchment area and it is surrounded by centres with a similar role including Bilston to the south, Willenhall to the south east and Bloxwich to
275-551: A reason for the separation of Wednesfield and Heath Town. Public transport in Wednesfield is coordinated by Transport for West Midlands . Most bus services within the town are operated by National Express West Midlands , with services from the town centre to destinations including Wolverhampton city centre, Bilston , Bloxwich , Walsall and Willenhall . The 59 bus route which runs from Wolverhampton city centre to Ashmore Park via New Cross Hospital and Wednesfield High Street
330-596: A resounding yes vote on 17 July 2014 and will be taken to Wolverhampton City Council in September 2014 for adoption. The Plan will help to shape all future planning applications for the Springfield, New Park Village, Heath Town and New Cross areas of Heath Town. The Plan identifies six key themes for improving and sustaining the area which focus on identity and image, housing and environment, employment and skills, assets and buildings, transport and traffic and healthy living. This
385-563: A venue for weddings, banquets & conferences. Frequent National Express West Midlands services 9 and 59 run from the city centre to Heath Town and on to New Cross, Bentley Bridge and Walsall (9) or Ashmore Park (59). Chaserider service 71 provides an hourly service during weekday morning and early afternoon from Wolverhampton City Centre to Wood End, Essington , Cheslyn Hay and Cannock. Diamond Bus service 65 operates from Wolverhampton through Heath Town and onto Wood End, Bushbury and Fordhouses . Travel Express (T/A Let's Go) held
440-461: Is 52.9% Christian, 21.2% no religion, 7.4% Muslim, 6.4% Sikh, 2.8% Hindu, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.1% agnostic. Churches and temples in the area are: Heath Town Park is a neighbourhood park that serves the local community. The site is a public memorial to the men of Heath Town who gave their lives in the Great War. The park is surrounded on three sides by residential properties with a main road running along
495-538: Is home to Heath Town United Football Club. Heath Town straddles the A4124 Wolverhampton-Wednesfield Road , which runs westwards to Wolverhampton and eastwards to Bloxwich and eventually Brownhills It is bounded by railway lines to the north-east and south (the latter disused). Wolverhampton Railway Station is located in Heath Town. Wolverhampton station originally opened on 1 July 1852 by
550-454: Is located in the graveyard of Holy Trinity Church. They were built in 1850 by the benevolent industrialist Henry Rogers. After a period of dereliction, the houses were restored in 1996 to one bedroom houses for elderly people. Victoria Hall is a block of student accommodation with four tower blocks in the Springfield area of Heath Town. The tallest block is 25 stories and when built in 2009
605-533: Is located in the town centre. It was originally consecrated in August 1750, as a chapel of ease of St. Peter's Collegiate Church , Wolverhampton and known as the Chapel of St. Thomas in Wednesfield. It became a separate parish in 1849. It was almost completely destroyed by fire on 18 January 1902, as a result of which the tower is the only remaining part of the original building. The church was reconstructed in similar style to
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#1732854964512660-430: Is one of Wolverhampton's first neighbourhood plans (with Tettenhall) and puts Wolverhampton at the forefront of neighbourhood planning nationally. Wolverhampton is the first metropolitan area to hold a neighbourhood plan referendum and the first anywhere to hold a referendum with more than one area taking part. The plan was created by residents from Heathfield Park via their local neighbourhood partnerships, with support from
715-604: Is represented by the wards of Wednesfield North , Wednesfield South and Fallings Park , which together make up the Wednesfield and Fallings Park LANA (Local Area and Neighbourhood Arrangements). It is part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency and is represented in the House of Commons by Jane Stevenson (a member of the Conservative Party ) following her election on 12 December 2019 . On 5 August 910
770-457: Is the most frequent in the city. National Express West Midlands service 9 (previously 60) operates between Walsall, Pelsall, Bloxwich and Wolverhampton half hourly. The 71 bus route by Chaserider (previously Arriva) provides an hourly link to Essington , Great Wyrley and Cannock. Diamond Bus tendered service 65 provides an hourly service between Wolverhampton and Fordhouses via New Cross Hospital and Bushbury Crematorium. An extension of
825-669: The Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway , a subsidiary of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR); it was named Wolverhampton Queen Street . It was known as Wolverhampton High Level from 1 June 1885. From 1923, it was operated by the London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), and in 1948 the station became part of the London Midland Region of British Railways . The present Wolverhampton station dates from 1965, when
880-531: The City of Wolverhampton , in the county of the West Midlands , England, It is 2 miles (3.2 km) east-northeast of Wolverhampton city centre and about 10 miles (16 km) from Birmingham and is part of the West Midlands conurbation . It was historically within the county of Staffordshire . Its name comes from the Old English Wōdnesfeld meaning Woden 's Field , open land belonging to, or holy to,
935-595: The County Borough of Wolverhampton in 1933, the Urban District remained intact until 1 April 1966, when due to the provisions of the Local Government Act 1958 , most of the Wednesfield Urban District was merged into Wolverhampton County Borough, though some parts were incorporated into Walsall County Borough and others into Cannock Rural District , now part of South Staffordshire district. The parish
990-520: The West Midlands Metro through Wednesfield is planned, on the "5Ws" route from Wolverhampton to Wednesbury via Willenhall and Walsall . Heath Town Heath Town is a suburban area of Wolverhampton , in the county of the West Midlands , England, to the east of the city centre. It is also a ward of City of Wolverhampton Council . The ward forms part of the Wolverhampton North East parliamentary constituency. Heath Town ward borders
1045-593: The Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway was opened in 1872, connecting the town with Wolverhampton High Level and Walsall . It was operated by the Midland Railway , and was located on Neachells Lane to the south of the town centre. It closed to passenger traffic in 1931, although it remained open for goods traffic until the 1980s. Much of the trackbed was reused for the A4124 Wednesfield Way, which bypasses
1100-539: The High Level station was completely rebuilt as part of the modernisation programme which saw the West Coast Main Line electrified. The former Heath Town railway station , on the line from High Level to Wednesfield station , was just off Grove Street. Built by the Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway in 1872, and was operated by the Midland Railway from 1876, it closed in 1910. Wolverhampton Low Level Station
1155-549: The North and West, the recently built Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre to the South and Wednesfield Town to the East, which is easily accessed via a village link, consisting of an open plan amphitheatre style square, landscaped lawns and the newly built Wednesfield library. The first retailer to open was The Co-operative Food (owned by the then West Midlands Co-operative Society) but this
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#17328549645121210-730: The Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge. This was a project to safeguard the future of parks and green spaces as public recreation land for future generations to enjoy and provide a permanent legacy of the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. Heath Town public baths were designed by H. B. Robinson, Borough Surveyor and Engineer. They were opened on 16 December 1932, by Alderman F. A. Willcock, chair of Wolverhampton Borough Council's Parks and Baths Committee. The Main Swimming Bath
1265-624: The Victorian terraces before relocating to the modern council flats. In more recent years, the area has become a popular destination for Eastern European and African immigrants. The 2011 census states the population as 13,965 made up of approximately 48% females and 52% males with an average age of 34. 70.0% of people living in Heath Town were born in England. 5.0% India, 3.1% Jamaica, 1.7% Zimbabwe, 1.6% Philippines, 0.9% Somalia, 0.7% Nigeria, 0.6% Ireland, 0.5% China, 0.5% Pakistan. The 2011 census shows
1320-533: The Wednesfield Road on the former site of the Chubb Works which was part of the new century's Wolverhampton regeneration plan. The 2011 census shows housing types as: Primary Schools in Heath Town are: The Secondary school is the highly rated Heath Park . Heath Town Swimming Club was originally based at Heath Town Baths but now meets at the nearby Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre. Heath Town
1375-522: The allied forces of Mercia and Wessex defeated an army of Northumbrian Vikings in the Battle of Tettenhall (sometimes called the Battle of Wednesfield or Wōdnesfeld). Wednesfield was formerly well known for making all kinds of traps, from mousetraps , to mantraps and locks. Many of the factories that dominated the area have been cleared to make way for houses and other buildings. The Church of St Thomas
1430-547: The campaign to bring the baths back into use. Heath Town Swimming Club which won several international competitions in the 1940s–1950s was based at the baths. Grand Station is a Grade II listed building used as a venue for Weddings, Banquets & Conferences. but was originally the Wolverhampton Low Level Station . The station opened 1854 and closed in 1981 but the buildings were listed in 1986. A terrace of six, grade II listed , 19th century almshouses
1485-479: The canal, it is recorded that some local residents felt that it actually obstructed the development of the town, rather than assisting it. A second canal through the town, the Bentley Canal , opened in 1843 between Wednesfield Junction, near the modern New Cross Hospital , and Walsall. The canal was abandoned in the 1960s, and only a short section at Wednesfield Junction is extant. Wednesfield railway station on
1540-528: The east. However, since 2009 the Bentley Bridge Retail Park has thrived with empty units being filled by national retailers. In September 2011 retailer TK Maxx announced plans to close its city centre store in Wolverhampton and relocate to Bentley Bridge. Whilst the retail park thrives, local independent traders on the high street continue to suffer due to economic circumstances. The area to
1595-452: The ethnic mix of Heath Town ward as predominantly white: 80.7% of people living in Heath Town ward speak English. The other top languages spoken are 3.5% Punjabi, 2.1% Polish, 1.9% Kurdish, 1.2% Lithuanian, 1.0% Tagalog/Filipino, 0.7% Persian , 0.7% Somali, 0.7% Arabic, 0.6% Greek. The rich diversity of culture in the area is celebrated each August with an international fun day event on Heath Town Park. The religious make up of Heath Town
1650-502: The fourth. The main entrance to the park is from Church Street which is accessed from the residential area. The park is compact but has many facilities including two football pitches, play area, fitness trail, multi-use games area, wooded area, open space and seating. There is also a WW1 War Memorial said to be the oldest in Wolverhampton. The park is well used by the local community and since 2012 has been protected by Fields in Trust as part of
1705-477: The high god of the Germanic Pantheon . Local areas include Ashmore Park and Wood End . There is also a formal garden at Wednesfield Park. Wednesfield lies at 52°35′59″N 2°04′58″W / 52.5998°N 2.0827°W / 52.5998; -2.0827 (52.5998°, −2.0827°), and is located to the northeast of Wolverhampton city centre on the northern fringe of the West Midlands conurbation . It
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1760-400: The largest of which is in the south-central part of the development and designed for recreational use. The estate includes a variety of other housing types—including two-storey houses and low-rise maisonettes. Green space has been incorporated into the areas between blocks of flats and mature trees are visible along the southern edge of the estate. There is an extensive housing development off
1815-525: The library closed on 3 November 2006. Heath Town Baths is a grade II listed building and has both architectural and social-historical importance locally and architectural significance nationally. Since 2006 it has since fallen into substantial disrepair. The building sits at the heart of Heath Town and its preservation and bringing back into use is stated to be a high priority in the Neighbourhood Plan. The Tessa Sanderson Foundation and Academy supports
1870-702: The old workhouse blocks have now been replaced by modern buildings. In the 1900s the Chubb Lock and Safe Company was a major employer in Heath Town. In 1908 the Chubb safe works was opened on Wednesfield Road and workers were transferred from the London safe works which had closed. In 1938 Chubb & Son's Lock & Safe Co Ltd premises were expanded and workers were moved from the premises in Railway Street. Chubb remained an important industry in Heath Town until 2000 when it
1925-453: The original and continues in active use as a place of worship. The Guru Nanak Gurdwara was opened in 1984 and is also located in the town centre, and caters for the local Sikh community, many of whom are descendants of those who immigrated to the area in the 1950s and onwards. A part of the Gurdwara suffered fire damage in 2002 so the committee decided to demolish the original building and
1980-423: The parish was abolished and merged with Wolverhampton. In 1921 the parish had a population of 13,082. From 1894 to 1927 Heathtown was an urban district . In the late 19th century, many terraced houses were built next to the factories near the main road to Lichfield . In the 1960s many of these were demolished and replaced with a new estate designed by Wolverhampton Borough architects. The new Heath Town estate
2035-499: The rebuild was ready by 2004. It has lifts for the elderly. Wednesfield Village or 'the village' as it is still referred to by many residents provides a range of shopping, office and community facilities for residents in the north east of Wolverhampton and some adjoining parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall , along with services for the major industrial areas to the south of the town and New Cross Hospital . Just to
2090-415: The south of the former railway line is characterised by industrial development, mostly with small units although there is some larger development such a steel processing and distribution plant. Historically, the main industries were coal mining and trap making, although mining ceased in the area in the early twentieth century. The Wyrley and Essington Canal running through the town was opened in 1797. It
2145-543: The tender for service 65 for several years until 2024. The Wyrley and Essington Canal passes through Heath Town. The canal runs from Wolverhampton via Wednesfield towards the coalfields at Essington and Great Wyrley, Bloxwich, Pelsall and Chasewater. In 2013 the Heath Town Master Plan was unveiled setting out plans to increase the provision of housing by up to 550, improve community facilities and enhance landscaping. Heathfield Park Neighbourhood Plan received
2200-543: The town centre and opened in 1999. The first railway within the township was the Grand Junction Railway , where Wednesfield Heath railway station (opened in 1837) was the primary station for Wolverhampton , and was located on Station Road, Heath Town . The station was replaced by Wolverhampton High Level in the city centre, and closed to passengers in 1873 whilst remaining open for goods traffic until 1965. The siting of this station at Heath Town has been cited as
2255-727: The town, although the original course of the River Tame crossed the south-east of the town. Following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 , Wednesfield formed part of the Wolverhampton Poor Law Union , an inter-parish unit established to provide social security . This replaced an earlier arrangement where the Parish had operated a workhouse on Old Heath Road since 1723. In 1863 the Wednesfield Local Board of Health
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2310-484: The wards of Bushbury South and Low Hill , Fallings Park , Wednesfield North , Wednesfield South , East Park and St Peter's . As well as Heath Town, the ward covers parts of Park Village , Springfield , Horseley Fields and Wednesfield . It is home to New Cross Hospital (the city's main Hospital ), Wolverhampton Railway station , Heath Park Secondary school and a Royal Mail distribution centre. Wolverhampton
2365-484: The west of the town centre, there is a large Sainsbury's supermarket and the Bentley Bridge Retail Park . There is also a retail market . Bentley Bridge consistes of both leisure and retail components. The leisure component is in the form of a multiplex cinema and bowling alley together with fast food outlets, a pub , numerous restaurants, whilst there is 14,700 m of retail space which includes
2420-513: Was 75 feet long by 34 feet wide. The Children's Swimming Bath was 40 feet long by 25 feet wide-ranging from a depth from three feet to three feet three inches deep. The building also included Wolverhampton's first large public washhouse which housed four rotary washing machines, twenty one drying horses, three electrically operated hydro-extractors, fifteen washing stalls for hand washing, drying houses and irons. The building also housed Heath Town's public library. The baths eventually closed in 2002, and
2475-416: Was also abolished on 1 April 1966 and merged with Wolverhampton, Essington and Walsall . In 1961 the parish had a population of 33,048. In the early 1950s, when Wednesfield was still independent from its larger neighbour, Wolverhampton council developed two overspill estates – Ashmore Park and Long Knowle – in Wednesfield to rehouse families from slums in the town. For electoral purposes, Wednesfield
2530-586: Was connected to the railways in 1837, with the first station located at Wednesfield Heath , later known as Heath Town, on the Grand Junction Railway . This station was demolished in 1965. In 1850 the Holy Trinity Church and almshouses were built, as part of the expansion of Heath Town. On 31 December 1894 Heathtown became a civil parish , being formed from the part of the parish of Wednesfield in Heath Town Urban District. On 1 April 1927
2585-408: Was constructed to allow coal traffic to travel between mines near Great Wyrley and Wolverhampton , and was constructed following the contours of the land. This meant that the centre of the town was surrounded on three sides by the canal, and that almost all of the pre-existing roads required hump-backed bridges, and despite the improvement in communications and the potential for transporting goods via
2640-407: Was established. With reference to the Local Government Act 1858 , it was a regulatory body responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation in the township, and replaced an earlier Sanitary Committee that was established in 1856. The Local Board was only in existence for three years before being split into two, one for Wednesfield itself, and one for Wednesfield Heath . Wednesfield was formerly
2695-443: Was historically part of the county of Staffordshire , and since 1974 has been part of the West Midlands metropolitan county . The south of the town lies over coal measures whilst the town centre has dolerite deposits and the area to the north lies over mudstone and sandstone . The town lies on generally flat land between 130m and 140m above sea level, rising to around 170m in the north. There are no navigable rivers within
2750-562: Was laid in September 1900 by Chairman of the Guardians, Mr Price, and the workhouse was formally opened on 24 September 1903. The workhouse could take up to 1,246 inmates, 20 nurses, and 60 other officers. The buildings occupied an area of six acres, and the total cost was £156,879. After 1930, control of the workhouse site passed to the Wolverhampton Public Assistance Committee and it became New Cross Hospital. Many of
2805-541: Was officially opened in April 1969 by Princess Margaret. The former street plan was defined by the line of the Wolverhampton Road and Lincoln, Inkerman and Grove streets have kept their original names. New Cross Hospital is built on the site of the former New Cross Workhouse . The design of the new buildings came about through a competition and the winning entry was from Arthur Marshall of Nottingham. The foundation stone
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#17328549645122860-651: Was opened 1854 by the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway later to fall under the auspices of the Great Western Railway . It was closed to passengers in 1972, but continued to function as a parcels depot until 1981. Once an important stop on the London-Birkenhead line and linked with Snow Hill station in Birmingham. However, the station buildings were listed in 1986. The building has since been redeveloped as
2915-419: Was sold to Assa Abloy , a Swedish lock maker and Gunnebo , another Swedish security company. The Wednesfield Road safe works were closed and much of the site was sold off for housing. White British residents are still the largest ethnic group in Heath Town. However, it has a large percentage of Asian and Afro-Caribbean residents who migrated to England during the 1950s and 1960s and originally settled in
2970-478: Was sold to Sainsbury's a few years later who subsequently expanded and refurbished the store. In 2009, a plan was made to develop land adjacent to the Leisure park, which saw the creation of Bentley Bridge Business Park. Units range from 5,000 to 33,000 sq ft (460 to 3,070 m). Tenants include: Euro Carparts, Tool Station, Donghua (UK) Ltd, Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust, Principal Hygiene Systems and
3025-534: Was the tallest modular building in Europe. The area is mainly residential fronting on Wednesfield Road and in the centre of the estate itself. One of the last estates of tower blocks to be built in the area, it incorporated a number of features – a district heating scheme and deck level access. The estate's tower blocks were for a long time the city's tallest residential structures and are visible landmarks from some distance. The blocks of flats are divided by grassed areas,
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