As part of 'new East Manchester, Clayton is being radically transformed. Multi-million pound investment is bringing massive improvements to housing, the environment, health and education. The Sportcity complex, and other developments for the Commonwealth Games, have brought modern sporting, leisure and shopping facilities to the area.
In September 2003 all council homes in the area transferred to a new not-for-profit landlord - Eastlands Homes. This new housing company has made huge improvements to local housing and the environment around.
Clayton is less than three miles east of the city centre. It lies on Ashton New Road - from Bank Street in the west, to the border with Tameside, at Edge Lane in the east. Most rented homes are north of Ashton New Road (up to the open land at Clayton Vale), although there is some housing on the south side, up to the Manchester-Ashton canal. Ashton New Road is a major route into the city centre from the nearby M60 motorway around Manchester, so there's good access to other parts of the city and beyond. See detailed map
Living in Clayton
The new 'East Manchester town centre' between Bank Street and Ashton New Road at the western side of Clayton includes a massive Asda superstore. There’ll be smaller local shops, banks, post office, a lively market, hotel and conference facilities, and a variety of bars and restaurants. The centre is a massive boost to facilities in the area, and is bringing jobs and training opportunities too. There is a small supermarket, local shops and a post office around the junction of Ashton New Road and North Road. The regeneration will help people who prefer to shop locally, by improving the facilities at the eastern end of Ashton New Road with good-quality local newsagents, grocers, butchers and so on.
The Commonwealth Games brought a range of excellent new sporting facilities to the doorstep - including athletics, squash and tennis. Other nearby facilities include the national cycling centre just off Bank Street, and Ravensbury community swimming pool on Alpine Street near Philips park. The north of Clayton backs onto Clayton Vale by the river Medlock. The vale has a network of paths for walking, cycling and horse riding. There are picnic areas, fishing ponds and a visitor centre. Nearby is Philips Park with its bowling greens, playground and pools. Clayton Park on Ashton New Road has a 15th century hall, formal gardens and perhaps the best bowling green in the city. There's a playground and community centre there too. There are multi-courts and a playground at Dreyfus Memorial park on Folkestone Road and football pitches and playground at Hewlett playing fields on the eastern side of the area.
The local library is on Clayton Lane, just off Ashton New Road. Local tenants' groups run a community house on Stanton Street where Clayton people can get help and advice from housing staff, councillors, and the police. There's a garden tool hire scheme there too, where local people can borrow tools and equipment to keep their gardens in trim. There are regular buses along Ashton New Road to Manchester and to Droylsden and Ashton - the vibrant city centre, with its shops, entertainment and leisure facilities is just a 15 minute journey. Clayton will soon see the benefit of a new Metrolink line that will bring frequent, speedy trams to the city centre along Ashton New Road. The line will go to the new shopping centre and Sportcity, bringing better facilities, and jobs, within easier reach. See detailed map
Learning in Clayton
East Manchester is in an 'education action zone' - a special government scheme that means better resources and more staff for local schools. There are three primary schools in Clayton: Seymour Road primary on the eastern side, Ravensbury school (on Ravensbury Street) on the west and St Willibrord's Catholic school on Vale Street next to Clayton Vale in the north. There is no local secondary school in Clayton, so older children usually go to Wright Robinson High school on Abbey Hey Lane, Gorton - about two miles away.
Find out more about this area's schools and how well they perform. Go to Manchester Schoolfinder.
Facilities for pre-school children include a playgroup on Bristowe Street.
Find out more about council-run nurseries in this area. Go to Finding a Children's Centre.
The Mancat (Manchester College of Art and Technology) college on Whitworth Street (off Aston Old Road), is about a mile and a half away. See detailed map
Find out more about adult education.
Housing in Clayton
Clayton is a mixture of public rented, owner-occupied homes and private renting. There are around 1,100 Eastlands Homes here - over 900 are two- or three-bedroom houses. The rest are flats in small blocks. See detailed map
