information about Leigh Park, Havant, UK?

Question

I am looking for information regarding the history of the suburb Leigh Park; situated in Havant, Hampshire. I have scoured Wikipedia (its results were minimal) and the BBC website for archive footage (also nothing). If anyone knows where I could find more information, I would be very grateful. Thanks.

I am looking for in-depth information. Not wikipedia resources. Thanks again!

Answer 1

no way man!
leigh park is a very dodgy council estate
it is quite rough there, and people just pressume that u r a bad person if ur from there

Answer 2

Its a dodgy council estate - wasn't it the place where they damaged a Paedatricians clinic because they thought it meant paedophiles.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/features/leighpark/background.shtml
"Leigh Park is one of the largest housing estates in Europe, with 27,000 residents, and is the most deprived area of SE England outside London", she said.

http://www.answers.com/topic/leigh-park
Leigh Park is a large suburb (population 27,500) of Havant, in Hampshire, England. It has four electoral wards: Battins, Bondfields, Barncroft and Warren Park (generally referred to as 'The Warren').

Staunton Country Park lies on the northern edge of Leigh Park, also within the Havant boundary.


History
Leigh Park was created as an overspill suburb for those made homeless in Portsmouth by bomb damage which occurred during World War II. The land for the estate was purchased by Portsmouth City Council from George Staunton in 1944; work started on building in 1947 and the first residents moved in in 1949. The first shops opened in 1952 and Park Parade, Greywell Shopping Centre which is Greywell Road (usually referred to as just Park Parade), the main shopping area in Leigh Park, opened in 1955.

The majority of homes in Leigh Park were built by Portsmouth City Council, not Havant Borough Council, despite it being located within Havant's district boundary. Most Leigh Park tenants living in Council housing pay rent to Portsmouth City Council and Hermitage Housing, not to Havant Borough Council; nevertheless, residents still pay council tax to Havant as the provider of local services. New housing continued to be built until the early 1970s. Now Hermitage Housing builds most new housing in Leigh Park. Barratt Homes is currently building on the former Proctor & Gamble site in the centre of Leigh Park. Leigh Park was one of the largest council estates in Europe, although many of the properties are now privately owned.


Community
Leigh Park has a community centre located near Park Parade. And recently opened in Greywell Shopping Centre is Pride Of Place which is a community based project.


Transport
The main shopping precinct is served by Stagecoach Bus Routes 21, 22**, 23, 37 and 39. Local operator Emsworth & District Bus Route 27 which runs through the estate on a service between Horndean, Havant and Southbourne and First Group Bus routes 63 and 145

On Fridays and Saturday night there is night bus [service N23] which operates between Southsea and Leigh Park.

** Service 22 will be withdrawn early January 2007


Sport
The suburb's main non-league football side is Havant & Waterlooville FC. The street High Lawn Way just beyond the Crown Bingo Hall also offshoots onto a Bowls club, 2 tennis courts and a Common playing fields and children's play area.


Politics
The suburb is within the Borough of Havant and includes the Battins, Bondfields, Barncroft and Warren Park wards.

The estate is served by the Havant MP David Willetts, a Conservative.


Education
Leigh Park contains several primary schools: Front Lawn, Trosnant, Riders, Sharps Copse, Barncroft School and St Albans.

Leigh Park contains 2 Secondary schools:Staunton Community Sports College (formerly Staunton Park School) and Park Community School

There is one Six Form College which is Havant College, which is technically outside but extremely close to, a large chunk of Leigh Park.