Chelmsley Wood

Coordinates: 52°28′34″N 1°43′45″W / 52.47612°N 1.72906°W / 52.47612; -1.72906

Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 12,453. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies about eight miles east of Birmingham City Centre. There are several bus routes linking the town to Birmingham and to Solihull town centre 5 miles to the south.

In 1966 Birmingham City Council compulsorily purchased the ancient woodland and built the 15,590 dwelling council estate to rehouse families on its council house waiting list. With the rise in unemployment in the 1970s parts of the estate suffered from deprivation and the resulting anti-social behaviour.

The estate, now known as North Solihull is being renovated.

History

Chelmsley Wood is a relatively new area, which was built by Birmingham City Council in the late 1960s and early 70s on ancient woodland, once part of the Forest of Arden, as an overspill town for Birmingham. Permission for the construction of the overspill estate on green belt land was granted by Richard Crossman as Minister of Housing and Local Government. A shopping centre (which opened on 7 April 1970), a library (completed in 1970 at £240,000), hall and belatedly a few public houses. With the adjoining neighbourhoods of Fordbridge and Smith's Wood it became part of Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in 1974.