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| Norris Green | |
  Norris Green shown within Merseyside |
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| Population | 17,784 (2001 Census)1 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Metropolitan borough | Liverpool |
| Metropolitan county | Merseyside |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LIVERPOOL |
| Postcode district | L11 |
| Dialling code | 0151 |
| Police | Merseyside |
| Fire | Merseyside |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Liverpool West Derby |
| List of places: UK • England • Merseyside | |
Norris Green is a large housing estate and council ward in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 17,784.1
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History
Norris Green was developed in the 1920s and named after the Liverpool-based Norris family. It was built on land donated to the city by Lord Derby, who was at the time resident at nearby Knowsley Hall. He donated the land on the provision that no public houses were to be built within the estate. There remains no pubs inside the estate to this day.
Geography
The area is defined by a number of major thoroughfares. These are: the A580 East Lancashire Road; and a small portion of Walton Hall Avenue near The Crown junction; to the north. Lowerhouse Lane and Dwerryhouse Lane to the east, Muirhead Avenue to the south, by Queens Drive to the south west and Townsend Avenue along with Scarisbrick Road to the west.
The area is bordered by Walton to the west, Fazakerley to the north, Croxteth to the north east and east, West Derby to the south and Clubmoor to the south-west
Norris Green's district centre is known locally as "Broadway", mainly shops found around Broadway and Broad Lane. The former North Liverpool Extension Line runs past this area and includes Broadway Bridge.
Housing
Homes on the periphery (outer edge) of the estate and on the main routes through the area are largely brick and well-built, with those on minor routes and residential roads are of concrete construction. It is this concrete group of housing which is considered defective.
The estate was subject to large scale upgrading and renovation in the early 1970s, when still almost universally under local council ownership - this was several years before the introduction of the right to buy scheme which gave council tenants the right to buy their homes from local authorities.
A number of new homes are planned to be constructed on derelict land cleared following the demolition of defective houses on the "Boot Estate". Most of these demolitions took place around the year 2000.
Landmarks
The most notable landmark when approaching Norris Green from the north or west is the large former Cheshire Lines railway bridge, on the former Loop Line, crossing the junction of Utting Avenue and Townsend Avenue from North to South. A 1930s art deco public library is also widely recognised.
Transport
There are a number of frequent bus services to and from Liverpool City Centre via Norris Green and the Broadway area. A major cross city bus route, the 61 Aigburth to Seaforth bus service also passes through the area. A project to provide a tram service, Merseytram, was abandoned due to a lack of funds.
Gangs
In recent years, Norris Green has become synonymous with gang violence.2 This perception of Norris Green as a hotbed of gang activity was illustrated with the death of local gang leader Liam Smith ("Smigger"), whose death led to parts of Norris Green being closed down for the passing of his funeral cortege, The People newspaper reported that following Smith's death, Scargreen Avenue in Norris Green had been: "turned into a shrine" for his passing.3
Whilst filming for an ITV Tonight with Trevor McDonald special, journalist and presenter Sheila Fogarty and her crew were threatened by teenagers armed with glass bottles and stones in Norris Green in January 2008.4
The first programme in series four of Ross Kemp on Gangs, shown on Sky1, featured the gang problems in Norris Green.
Notable people
- Steve Coppell, former Manchester United football player and current manager of Reading, was born here.
- Actor Geoffrey Hughes, who found fame in Coronation Street, and later Heartbeat and Keeping Up Appearances, was born in Norris Green.
- Holly Johnson and other members of Frankie Goes to Hollywood.
- Ian McCulloch, lead singer of the prominent Liverpool band Echo & the Bunnymen grew up on Parthenon Drive in Norris Green. Also, a track from their 2006 album Siberia is titled Parthenon Drive.
- Winifred Robinson, the BBC Radio presenter, lived here for twenty years from 1962.
- Joe Royle, former Everton player and Manchester City manager, was also from the area.
References
- ^ a b "2001 Census: Norris Green". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved on 13 September, 2008.
- ^ On Wednesday 22 August 2007 an 11 year old boy was shot dead outside a pub in neighbouring Croxteth Park, reportedly because he was caught in the crossfire between rival gangs in Norris Green and Croxteth. Sunday Telegraph 26th August 2007 Issue Number 2,411 pp1,4,19-21 and 25
- ^ "Under Yob Rule". The People (3 September 2006). Retrieved on 4 July, 2007.
- ^ "Gun aimed at BBC radio presenter". BBC News (28 January 2008). Retrieved on 28 January, 2008.
External links
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