Elmdon Heath
Encyclopedia
Elmdon Heath is an area of Solihull
, West Midlands, United Kingdom. It is located to the north of the town centre, at a distance of approximately one mile. It is primarily residential, though there are a few shops, a garage, a community centre a secondary school, a primary school and a church centre. The area is centred around the Damson Lane thoroughfare and the Greville Arms public house. In addition to this there is a further pub at the Red House. Elmdon Heath is on the edge of the West Midlands conurbation
and bordered by the Land Rover factory
, Solihull town centre, the residential area of Damsonwood and open countryside. The housing was largely constructed between the 1930s and 1950s, though infill development continues apace. Much of the residential land was previously farmland until it was commandeered during World War Two. The former church of St. Francis of Assisi, which was located on Cornyx Lane, closed when the rector was relocated and no substitute was offered. It was vandalised repeatedly, ending in it burning down and has been demolished, the land under residential development. As of April 2009, this development has appeared to be paused, leaving metal containers, chipboard screens and large piles of rubble at the now-overgrown site.
The Grand Union Canal
runs through the area, and Elmdon Heath used to be the site of Solihull Wharf, which is now remembered only in the name of Wharf Lane. A large gasworks waited on Wharf Lane. This was demolished by British Gas and replaced with their national offices. When these were moved to nearby Blythe Valley Park
the land became available for development, as a very large new estate of high-density housing has been constructed, which has more than doubled the population of the area. Local residents met this with mixed opinion, some believing it was a good use of the land, while some thinking that the estate is an eyesore, the new 'bright orange' buildings standing out against the more traditional housing.
The nearest railway stations are Solihull
and Birmingham International
at Birmingham Airport, at distances of 1.5 and 3 miles respectively. The area is served by the 966 bus, which connects Solihull to Birmingham Airport, Chelmsley Wood
and Erdington
, via Elmdon Heath. The S1 bus also connects Elmdon Heath to Damsonwood and Solihull. The M42 motorway
is located about 2 miles away. Elmdon Heath is in the parish of Elmdon
and the ward of St. Alphege, within the constituency of Solihull
.
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
, West Midlands, United Kingdom. It is located to the north of the town centre, at a distance of approximately one mile. It is primarily residential, though there are a few shops, a garage, a community centre a secondary school, a primary school and a church centre. The area is centred around the Damson Lane thoroughfare and the Greville Arms public house. In addition to this there is a further pub at the Red House. Elmdon Heath is on the edge of the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
and bordered by the Land Rover factory
Solihull plant
The Solihull plant is a car manufacturing factory in Lode Lane, Solihull, UK, now owned by Land Rover.The plant currently produces the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Discovery and Land Rover Defender vehicles.-History:...
, Solihull town centre, the residential area of Damsonwood and open countryside. The housing was largely constructed between the 1930s and 1950s, though infill development continues apace. Much of the residential land was previously farmland until it was commandeered during World War Two. The former church of St. Francis of Assisi, which was located on Cornyx Lane, closed when the rector was relocated and no substitute was offered. It was vandalised repeatedly, ending in it burning down and has been demolished, the land under residential development. As of April 2009, this development has appeared to be paused, leaving metal containers, chipboard screens and large piles of rubble at the now-overgrown site.
The Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
runs through the area, and Elmdon Heath used to be the site of Solihull Wharf, which is now remembered only in the name of Wharf Lane. A large gasworks waited on Wharf Lane. This was demolished by British Gas and replaced with their national offices. When these were moved to nearby Blythe Valley Park
Blythe Valley Park
Blythe Valley Park is a newly created district of the town of Solihull in the West Midlands conurbation. It is adjacent to Junction 4 of the M42 motorway, on the A34 Stratford Road between Solihull and Hockley Heath. The area was agricultural land administered by Sydenhale Farm until the late 1990s...
the land became available for development, as a very large new estate of high-density housing has been constructed, which has more than doubled the population of the area. Local residents met this with mixed opinion, some believing it was a good use of the land, while some thinking that the estate is an eyesore, the new 'bright orange' buildings standing out against the more traditional housing.
The nearest railway stations are Solihull
Solihull railway station
Solihull railway station serves the town of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. The station is served by London Midland and Chiltern Railways. CrossCountry serve the station occasionally, when replacing stops at Coventry and Birmingham International during engineering work...
and Birmingham International
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
at Birmingham Airport, at distances of 1.5 and 3 miles respectively. The area is served by the 966 bus, which connects Solihull to Birmingham Airport, Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
and Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
, via Elmdon Heath. The S1 bus also connects Elmdon Heath to Damsonwood and Solihull. The M42 motorway
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
is located about 2 miles away. Elmdon Heath is in the parish of Elmdon
Elmdon
Elmdon is a village in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, near the boundary with Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. The undulating nature of the local topography differentiates it from countryside to the north which is predominantly fenland and flat....
and the ward of St. Alphege, within the constituency of Solihull
Solihull (UK Parliament constituency)
Solihull is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
.