Gorton North starts about three miles east of the city centre at Belle Vue on Hyde Road. Council housing is in four or five separate areas - all within half a mile of Hyde Road (both sides). The area runs eastwards up to the reservoirs at Debdale Park and Abbey Hey. Hyde Road is a major route into Manchester from the nearby M60 and M67 motorways, so there's good access to other parts of the city and beyond. See detailed map
Following a vote by local people, council housing in this area will transfer to a local not-for-profit landlord, Eastlands Homes, in 2009. Eastlands will make massive improvements to every home and the local environment.
Living in Gorton North
Most homes in the area are within walking distance of Gorton market on Garratt Way just off Hyde Road. There are a few local shops, supermarket, citizen's advice bureau and post office on Wellington Street close to the market. Homes at the western side of the area are close to the multiplex cinema, bowling centre, and greyhound track at Belle Vue. The recently refurbished Belle Vue leisure centre (on Pink Bank Lane) has two large sports halls, cricket lanes, two hockey pitches, running track and more.
Debdale park and outdoor centre is less than a mile from the middle of Gorton. It's one of Manchester's biggest and best parks. It hosts a range of activities - tennis, pitch and putt, bowling, five-a-side football, netball, boating, fishing, orienteering and more. The outdoor centre offers rock climbing, plus canoeing, windsurfing and sailing on Gorton reservoirs. The park has waterside walks, a children's playground, and holds regular summer fun days and events. Homes on the south side of Hyde Road are not far from Melland sports fields where there's a running track and indoor sports hall. There are smaller parks on Abbey Hey Lane, Chapman Street and Parkstone Avenue, and a local library on Garratt Way. Gorton North is only a couple of miles from the sporting and recreational facilities around the City of Manchester stadium.
There are regular buses along Hyde Road to the city centre and to Denton and Hyde; and local connecting routes along Gorton Lane and Abbey Hey Lane (north of Hyde Road), and on Ryder Brow Road (south of Hyde Road). There are three local train stations - there are hourly trains to Manchester city centre from Belle Vue and Ryder Brow (south of Hyde Road), and more frequent services from Gorton (north of Hyde Road) between the city centre and Glossop in the peak district countryside. Gorton North has its own neighbourhood warden scheme, where special council staff look out for any problems. See detailed map
A ' local action partnership' is helping cut crime and make Gorton a safer place. It's raised the profile of the area and is building on the strong sense of community. (external site)
Learning in Gorton North
Young children living south of Hyde Road can go to Old Hall Drive primary school, Sacred Heart Catholic school (both near Ryder Brow station) or Aspinal school on Broadacre Road. On the northern side of Hyde road is Abbey Hey school (Abbey Hey Lane), St James CofE school on Stelling Street, Varna Street school (close to Gorton station). The nearest Catholic primary school for people at the Belle Vue end of Hyde Road is St Francis school on Ellenbrook Street.
Older children living north of Hyde Road go to Wright Robinson high school on Abbey Hey Lane, while those on the south side of Hyde Road can go to Cedar Mount on nearby Matthews Lane. The nearest Catholic school is St Peters, half a mile south of Hyde Road on Holmecroft Road.
Find out more about this area's schools and how well they perform. Go to Manchester Schoolfinder.
Facilities for pre-school children are mostly around Hyde Road, with adult and toddler groups at Debdale park in the east, and Gorton park in the west. The nearest children's centre is on Mount Road (south of Hyde Road) in Gorton South. See detailed map
Find out more about council-run nurseries in this area. Go to Finding a Children's Centre.
Find out more about adult education.
Housing in Gorton North
Gorton North has a mixture of housing - with nearly 60 percent of homes owner-occupied. Around 20 percent of homes are rented from the City Council, and there are good proportions of private renting and housing association homes too. There are around 1,200 council homes, in four or five separate areas. About a third of them are two- or three-bedroom houses. The rest are flats in small blocks, maisonettes, or flats in (two) multi-storey blocks. Most parts are popular, with fair demand for most homes. See detailed map
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