Woodgate, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Woodgate |
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 Shops on Wood Lane |
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| Metropolitan borough |
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| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
Woodgate is a lively part of Birmingham, located in the West Midlands region of England. It sits right between the areas of Bartley Green and Harborne. Woodgate is actually divided into three main sections: Woodgate Valley South (sometimes called South Woodgate), Woodgate itself (which is close to Bartley Green), and Woodgate Valley North, which many people think of as part of Quinton.
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Woodgate: A Growing Community
Woodgate has grown a lot over the years. Back in the 1960s, the city of Birmingham needed more homes for its growing population. Many people were living in older, crowded areas that needed to be improved.
Planning New Homes
In 1968, the city council's planning team, called the Public Works Committee, shared some big ideas for Woodgate. They planned to build new homes for about 20,000 people! This was twice as many as they had first thought of two years earlier. Most of these homes would be built by the council, and some would be built by private companies.
At a public meeting in April 1968, held at Four Dwellings School, the committee explained why these new homes were so important. They said it would help provide better housing for people living in old, crowded parts of Birmingham.
Designing the New Estates
By February 1970, more details were announced. New homes would be built on both sides of the valley. Planners made sure there was plenty of space for cars. Each home was designed to have a car port or a garage. Some homes even had a garage built right into the house, with the living areas on top, using the natural slope of the land. The total number of homes planned was about 4,600, with half of them being private homes.
Roads and Recreation
The original plans also included a new road, called the Woodgate/Edgbaston Expressway. It was meant to connect to the M5 motorway and run along the southern part of Woodgate Valley. However, after a public review, a new route for the road was suggested, moving it to the north of the valley instead.
There was also an exciting idea for a boating lake! This lake was planned to be built north of Hillcrest School, Birmingham, which was known as Bartley Green Grammar School back then.
First Residents Arrive
The first families to move into the new homes in Woodgate Valley South arrived in 1971. This marked the beginning of Woodgate as the thriving community it is today.
