Lower Earley

Lower Earley

ASDA Superstore Lower Earley
Lower Earley
Lower Earley shown within Berkshire
Population 32,036 (2001)
OS grid reference SU742699
Civil parish
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town READING
Postcode district RG6
Dialling code 0118
Police Thames Valley
Fire Royal Berkshire
Ambulance South Central
EU Parliament South East England
UK Parliament

Lower Earley is a large suburb of Reading, within the English county of Berkshire. It forms part of (along with neighbouring Earley, Winnersh and Woodley, Berkshire) a large suburban conurbation of towns and villages adjoining Reading of over 90,000 inhabitants. Lower Earley itself has a population of around 32,000 and is considered a town in its own right. It has developed since the late 1970's and by the mid 1980's was considered to be the largest private housing development in the UK. Lower Earley forms a major part of Wokingham Borough. In 2014, the RG6 postcode area (which is nearly coterminous with the area of the civil parish) was rated one of the most desirable postcode areas to live in England.[1]

History

View down Beeston Way in 1982 during the development of Lower Earley

From 1977, the Lower Earley private estate was constructed. Three new primary schools were built (Hawkedon, Hillside Primary School and Radstock Primary School), together with a large supermarket complex, which opened in 1979, and a sports centre. In 1988, a second shopping area, Maiden Place, opened.[2]

Facilities

Schools

There are three primary schools in Lower Earley, Hawkedon Primary School, Hillside Primary School and Radstock Primary School. An additional secondary school was planned roughly opposite the sports centre next to Rushey Way, possibly on the site next to the police station. However the school never materialised, and the land was built on.[2] The main secondary schools that students from the area attend are The Bulmershe School, Maiden Erlegh School, The Forest School and The Holt School, as well as some students attending the local single-sex grammar schools, Reading School and Kendrick School. There is also Yellow Brick Pre-School next to Chalfont Park.

District Centre

There is a District Centre in the middle of Lower Earley.

Maiden Place Shopping Precinct

The Maiden Place Shopping Precinct was opened in 1988 on Kilnsea Drive.

Local Nature Reserve

There is a local nature reserve called Pearman's Copse within the borders of Lower Earley.[3]

Transport

A Claret 21 service running towards Kilnsea Drive

Lower Earley has two main bus links to Central Reading, the 21, and 19b, run by Reading Buses. Service 21 runs 24/7, starting from Kilnsea Drive to Reading Station via the University. The 19b runs every 45–60 minutes from Asda/Bradmore Way to Reading Station via the Royal Berkshire Hospital.[4] There is also the 919 route which goes from Lower Earley to Reading School.

Reading FC Buses

Reading Buses have also introduced a F33 bus service which serves people wishing to travel to Madjeski Stadium for Reading FC during home matches.

References

  1. ↑ "UK's 'most desirable' postcodes revealed". BBC News.
  2. 1 2 "Wikimapia - Lower Earley". Wikimapia.
  3. ↑ "Natural England - Special Sites". Lnr.naturalengland.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-04-30.
  4. ↑ "Reading Buses". Reading Buses.
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