Holme Wood
| Holme Wood | |
| Yorkshire | |
|---|---|
 Flats on Dane Court Road | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SE189313 |
| Location: | 53°46’41"N, 1°42’43"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Bradford |
| Postcode: | BD4 |
| Dialling code: | 01274 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | City of Bradford |
Holme Wood is a residential suburb at the south-eastern edge of the City of Bradford, in West Riding of Yorkshire.
The suburb consists of one large housing estate, bordering the suburb of Tyersal, managed by a local quango named 'Incommunities'. It is reckoned to be one of the largest former council estates Britain, larger too than almost any in Europe.
The name 'Holme Wood' long predates the housing development here. The name 'Holme (unlike many other places with the same name) is not from Old Norse but may be from the Old English holegn (holly tree). Residents refer to their home village as Holmewood, all in one word. The village of Holme has been absorbed within it: the 'Wood' element is because the housing estate was built on much of the woodland of that village.
The suburb is not a typical council estate but on the contrary a pleasant, rambling place with many pretty green areas dotted around it, among them Valley Natural Play Park along the upper course of Holme Beck, and Pit Hill Park at the boundary to the nearby village of Tong in the green belt.
History
A small hamlet named Holme Shaw existed on Ned Lane, west of a forest called Holme Wood. Later it was simply known as Holme and was part of the Parish of Tong.[1]
The present housing estate between Dudley Hill and Ned Lane was built in the 1950s. Most of it consists of low-rise buildings, there are only two tall blocks of flats, namely Ogden House and Kelvin House on Dane Court Road.
Anti-social behaviour has been such a problem in Holmwood that in September 2016 it was reported that several taxi companies had listed the estate as a 'no-go' area, due to physical attacks being carried out on drivers. Some incidents left drivers with black eyes, while others were subjected to being harassed for money after their windows were smashed in.[2]
Subsequent to the taxi boycott, concerted efforts by the Police and by youth workers, have claimed some success in reducing anti-social behaviour on the estate. Some work has been funded by Comic Relief and has involved partnerships with Bradford City Football Club and Bradford Bulls Rugby League Club.[3]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Holme Wood) |
References
- ↑ "Boundary Map of Tong Ch/CP". A Vision of Britain through Time. http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10472453/boundary.
- ↑ "Yob attacks on cab drivers lead to estate boycott". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 22 September 2016. https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/14756617.yob-attacks-on-cab-drivers-lead-to-estate-boycott/.
- ↑ Mead, Helen (18 January 2017). "Efforts being made to rid Bradford's Holme Wood estate of crime and anti-social behaviour". Bradford Telegraph & Argus. https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/15030046.efforts-being-made-to-rid-bradfords-holme-wood-estate-of-crime-and-anti-social-behaviour/.