Woolwell
Encyclopedia
Woolwell is a suburb
on the north-east fringe of the city of Plymouth
, England, located just outside the city’s boundaries in the district of the South Hams
. It is situated along the A386
, close to the boundary of Dartmoor National Park, with good views of the surrounding landscape. Housing development began in Woolwell in 1981 and there is now a population of slightly over 3000. For an area of its size, it has a large number of facilities, including its own primary school, a medical centre and several shops.
. This is in reference to an historic village to the north of Woolwell, which can be reached directly by foot via Dark Lake Lane. Woolwell itself is surrounded almost entirely by undeveloped farm and woodland. The south and south-east sides of the neighbourhood slope downwards fairly steeply into wooded valleys that form part of the Bickleigh Vale Area of Great Landscape Value
. Woolwell offers good views across these woods, and the extensive footpath routes are directly accessible from parts of the housing estate. There are also views into the edge of Dartmoor National Park, the boundary of which is nearby to Woolwell.
The majority of houses in Woolwell were constructed between 1981 and 1995, built with red and brown brick in a style typical of the time. There are three small apartment blocks, but generally residences in Woolwell are detached or semi-detached houses. Of the occupied households in the area, 85% are privately owned. There are no listed buildings within Woolwell.
of Bickleigh
, within the Bickleigh and Shaugh ward of South Hams District Council. Even though it is considered part of Plymouth, it is therefore locally governed by Devon County Council
rather than Plymouth City Council. It is within the parliamentary constituency of South West Devon.
There are Child Support Agency
offices in the north of Woolwell.
and Bickleigh
. This data shows that, compared with Plymouth as a whole, the area has a higher proportion of under-15s (21%) and a lower proportion of over-65s (7%). The majority of the population is white British
, with 78% of people identifying themselves as Christian
; of the remainder, only 1% are of other faiths. Most people in the area consider themselves as having 'good' or 'fairly good' health, with comparatively few long-term illnesses. The rates of people with qualifications is higher at all levels than Plymouth as a whole, with only 14% of the population lacking formal qualifications. A higher proportion of people hold University degrees than the national average.
voluntary aided
primary school with a capacity of 406 places, is located on the left of School Drive. This school replaced the former church school at Bickleigh
. St Cecilia's, a Church of England church within Bickleigh Parish (part of the Diocese of Exeter
) meets in one of the school’s halls. There is no secondary school in the area, so children from Woolwell attend a variety of schools in Plymouth, as well as some further afield such as Tavistock
.
Opposite the school is Bambinos, a nursery school that was established in 1995 as the first of a group of child care centres now located across Plymouth. There are two other Ofsted
-approved nursery schools in Woolwell. The oldest of these is Woolwell Under '5's, a pre-school founded in 1990, which is currently based in Woolwell Community Centre. Bumblebees Day Nursery, located west of the school, was established in September 2006.
Woolwell Medical Centre, situated next to Bambinos, is part of a National Health Service
(NHS) Practice based at Lisson Grove in Mutley
. The Centre was built in 1990, as part of the Practice's move from its former premises in Estover
and Mutley. As well as offering NHS services, the Centre can also issue medical reports, insurance examinations, sick notes and prescriptions on a private basis. Behind the Centre is Bickleigh Down Care Home, a private nursing home for the elderly currently owned by Four Seasons Health Care
. This was purpose-built on the site in 1989.
. There are also four takeaway
restaurants and a hairdressers. A large Tesco Extra store is situated on the western boundary of Woolwell, with a recently built Lidl
store opposite.
The Woolwell Centre (formerly Woolwell Community & Resource Centre) is situated north of these shops and is accessible via Dark Lake Lane. Built in 1997, it has several function rooms, which are used for conferences, activities, sports, and entertainment events. Woolwell Table Tennis Club, the largest in the South West of England, was founded in 1998 in the Community Centre, although it now meets in Eggbuckland Community College.
Woolwell has three playgrounds, and the largest of these is located next to the Community Centre. There is another in the south-east, adjacent to Cann Wood View, and the third is situated near to the shopping complex on School Road. There is also a small BMX
track near to the Community Centre.
1st Roborough Scout Group
meets in a scout hut behind the shops on School Drive, which was rebuilt following an arson
attack in 2004. The Scouts used to hold an annual fireworks display for Guy Fawkes Night
in the field behind the CSA building, but planning constraints due to the construction of the Lidl store meant that the last display of its kind was held in 2009.
.
A mobile library, operated by Devon County Council, visits Woolwell on alternate Friday mornings.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
on the north-east fringe of the city of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, England, located just outside the city’s boundaries in the district of the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
. It is situated along the A386
A386 road (Great Britain)
The A386 is a primary route in Devon, England. It runs from Plymouth on the south coast to Appledore on the north coast.The road starts in the centre of Plymouth, and forms Tavistock Road, the main route out of the city to the north. It crosses a section of Dartmoor to Yelverton and Tavistock...
, close to the boundary of Dartmoor National Park, with good views of the surrounding landscape. Housing development began in Woolwell in 1981 and there is now a population of slightly over 3000. For an area of its size, it has a large number of facilities, including its own primary school, a medical centre and several shops.
Geography
Accessed via a roundabout on the A386 Tavistock Road, Woolwell is situated in an area sometimes referred to collectively as RoboroughRoborough
Roborough is a village in the South Hams of Devon, England. It lies just outside the northern boundary of the city of Plymouth on the main road to Tavistock, and is a popular dormitory village....
. This is in reference to an historic village to the north of Woolwell, which can be reached directly by foot via Dark Lake Lane. Woolwell itself is surrounded almost entirely by undeveloped farm and woodland. The south and south-east sides of the neighbourhood slope downwards fairly steeply into wooded valleys that form part of the Bickleigh Vale Area of Great Landscape Value
Area of Great Landscape Value
An Area of Great Landscape Value is an area of land in England which is considered to have a particular scenic value, and is therefore afforded a degree of protection by local authorities. The designation was established under the Town and Country Planning Act 1947...
. Woolwell offers good views across these woods, and the extensive footpath routes are directly accessible from parts of the housing estate. There are also views into the edge of Dartmoor National Park, the boundary of which is nearby to Woolwell.
Housing
There are a total of 1287 dwellings in Woolwell, located around a series of unconnected culs-de-sac, which branch off from Woolwell Road, the main road that runs through the centre of the neighbourhood. Residential areas immediately south of Woolwell Road are accessed via Long Park Drive, The Heathers or Woodend Road, with Cann Wood View providing access to further estates to the south-east. Access to housing at the north and east of Woolwell is via Pick Pie Drive.The majority of houses in Woolwell were constructed between 1981 and 1995, built with red and brown brick in a style typical of the time. There are three small apartment blocks, but generally residences in Woolwell are detached or semi-detached houses. Of the occupied households in the area, 85% are privately owned. There are no listed buildings within Woolwell.
Government
Woolwell is part of the civil parishCivil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Bickleigh
Bickleigh
There are two settlements in Devon with the name Bickleigh:* Bickleigh, Mid Devon — a village near Tiverton* Bickleigh, South Hams — a village near Plymouth...
, within the Bickleigh and Shaugh ward of South Hams District Council. Even though it is considered part of Plymouth, it is therefore locally governed by Devon County Council
Devon County Council
Devon County Council is the county council administering the English county of Devon. Based in the city of Exeter, the council covers the non-metropolitan county area of Devon...
rather than Plymouth City Council. It is within the parliamentary constituency of South West Devon.
There are Child Support Agency
Child Support Agency
The Child Support Agency is a delivery arm of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission in Great Britain and the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland...
offices in the north of Woolwell.
Demography
Woolwell has a total population of 3098, with an average household size of 2.4. Specific census data is not available for Woolwell individually, but only for the collective settlements of Woolwell, RoboroughRoborough
Roborough is a village in the South Hams of Devon, England. It lies just outside the northern boundary of the city of Plymouth on the main road to Tavistock, and is a popular dormitory village....
and Bickleigh
Bickleigh
There are two settlements in Devon with the name Bickleigh:* Bickleigh, Mid Devon — a village near Tiverton* Bickleigh, South Hams — a village near Plymouth...
. This data shows that, compared with Plymouth as a whole, the area has a higher proportion of under-15s (21%) and a lower proportion of over-65s (7%). The majority of the population is white British
White British
White British was an ethnicity classification used in the 2001 United Kingdom Census. As a result of the census, 50,366,497 people in the United Kingdom were classified as White British. In Scotland the classification was broken down into two different categories: White Scottish and Other White...
, with 78% of people identifying themselves as Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
; of the remainder, only 1% are of other faiths. Most people in the area consider themselves as having 'good' or 'fairly good' health, with comparatively few long-term illnesses. The rates of people with qualifications is higher at all levels than Plymouth as a whole, with only 14% of the population lacking formal qualifications. A higher proportion of people hold University degrees than the national average.
Local amenities
Woolwell has a large number of facilities for its population. These are mostly located in a non-residential centre in the north of Woolwell, based around School Drive.Education and healthcare
Bickleigh Down C of E Primary School, a Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
voluntary aided
Voluntary aided school
A voluntary aided school is a state-funded school in England and Wales in which a foundation or trust owns the school buildings, contributes to building costs and has a substantial influence in the running of the school...
primary school with a capacity of 406 places, is located on the left of School Drive. This school replaced the former church school at Bickleigh
Bickleigh
There are two settlements in Devon with the name Bickleigh:* Bickleigh, Mid Devon — a village near Tiverton* Bickleigh, South Hams — a village near Plymouth...
. St Cecilia's, a Church of England church within Bickleigh Parish (part of the Diocese of Exeter
Diocese of Exeter
The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of...
) meets in one of the school’s halls. There is no secondary school in the area, so children from Woolwell attend a variety of schools in Plymouth, as well as some further afield such as Tavistock
Tavistock College
Tavistock College is a mixed gender school in Tavistock, Devon, United Kingdom, with students aged 11–18. There are approximately 1750 students attending, drawn from a catchment area of about radius. The college has links with Japan, Uganda, Spain and India where staff exchanges and student...
.
Opposite the school is Bambinos, a nursery school that was established in 1995 as the first of a group of child care centres now located across Plymouth. There are two other Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
-approved nursery schools in Woolwell. The oldest of these is Woolwell Under '5's, a pre-school founded in 1990, which is currently based in Woolwell Community Centre. Bumblebees Day Nursery, located west of the school, was established in September 2006.
Woolwell Medical Centre, situated next to Bambinos, is part of a National Health Service
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
(NHS) Practice based at Lisson Grove in Mutley
Mutley Plain
Mutley Plain is a street in Plymouth, Devon, England. Although Mutley Plain is the main street of the dense suburb called Mutley, the term is often applied to the whole area. The road is a busy dual-carriageway, the B3250, with eight sets of traffic lights/pelican crossings...
. The Centre was built in 1990, as part of the Practice's move from its former premises in Estover
Estover
Estover is a housing estate, consisting almost entirely of what were then council houses , situated on the north eastern fringe of Plymouth in the English county of Devon....
and Mutley. As well as offering NHS services, the Centre can also issue medical reports, insurance examinations, sick notes and prescriptions on a private basis. Behind the Centre is Bickleigh Down Care Home, a private nursing home for the elderly currently owned by Four Seasons Health Care
Four Seasons Health Care
Four Seasons Health Care is an independent provider of both health and social care services and it owns or operates 440 care homes, nursing homes and other specialist units across the United Kingdom. Four Seasons employs over 21,000 staff and cares for more than 15,000 people. Four Seasons also...
. This was purpose-built on the site in 1989.
Shopping and leisure
A small complex of six retail outlets is located at the end of School Drive. The largest of these is a branch of One Stop, with a Post OfficePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. There are also four takeaway
Takeaway
Takeaway can refer to:* Take-out food* The Takeaway , an American public radio morning news show* Turnover * Turnover * Subtraction—an alternative name...
restaurants and a hairdressers. A large Tesco Extra store is situated on the western boundary of Woolwell, with a recently built Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
store opposite.
The Woolwell Centre (formerly Woolwell Community & Resource Centre) is situated north of these shops and is accessible via Dark Lake Lane. Built in 1997, it has several function rooms, which are used for conferences, activities, sports, and entertainment events. Woolwell Table Tennis Club, the largest in the South West of England, was founded in 1998 in the Community Centre, although it now meets in Eggbuckland Community College.
Woolwell has three playgrounds, and the largest of these is located next to the Community Centre. There is another in the south-east, adjacent to Cann Wood View, and the third is situated near to the shopping complex on School Road. There is also a small BMX
BMX
Bicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
track near to the Community Centre.
1st Roborough Scout Group
Scout Group
The Scout Group is the local organisation for Scouting in most countries where it is active. It combines together the different sections into a single body. Scout Groups can consist of any number of sections in the different Age Groups in Scouting and Guiding...
meets in a scout hut behind the shops on School Drive, which was rebuilt following an arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack in 2004. The Scouts used to hold an annual fireworks display for Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night
Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Firework Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in England. Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding...
in the field behind the CSA building, but planning constraints due to the construction of the Lidl store meant that the last display of its kind was held in 2009.
Public services
The three main bus services that pass through Woolwell are the 84, the 86 and (during term-time) the 83A, all of which are operated by First Group on routes between Tavistock and Plymouth City Centre. These services were re-routed through Woolwell to replace First's number 7 service, which was withdrawn at the end of October 2010. However, as the number 7 was a more regular service, this has resulted in a reduction in evening and weekend buses from the neighbourhood. On school days, First also run a number 105 bus to and from Estover Community College and an 807 service between Pick Pie Drive and Coombe Dean SchoolCoombe Dean School
Coombe Dean School, opened in 1976, is a state comprehensive school in England with around 1000 pupils. It is situated in the south-east fringe suburbs of Plymouth, Devon. It gained specialist school status in September 2003 as an ICT and Mathematics school...
.
A mobile library, operated by Devon County Council, visits Woolwell on alternate Friday mornings.