As part of 'new East Manchester' Higher Openshaw is being radically
transformed. Multi-million pound investment is bringing massive improvements
to housing, the environment, health and education. The Sportcity complex
has 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.
Higher Openshaw is less than three miles east of the city centre. It
lies on both sides of Ashton Old Road - from Greenside Street in the
west, to the border with Tameside, near Fairfield in the east. Ashton
Old 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 Higher Openshaw
There are small supermarkets and local shops on Aston Old Road. And it's just half a mile from Ashton Old Road to Gorton market on Garratt Way. Homes in the north west of the area are not too far from Ashton New Road, Clayton where there are more shops. Shopping facilities have been improved greatly by the new 'East Manchester town centre' between Bank Street and Ashton New Road in nearby Clayton. The modern complex includes a huge 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 will bring jobs and training opportunities too.
The regeneration will also help people who prefer to shop locally, by improving the facilities on Ashton Old Road with good-quality local newsagents, grocers, butchers and so on. The Commonwealth Games brought a range of excellent new sporting facilities closer to Higher Openshaw - including athletics, squash and tennis. Other facilities include the national cycling centre (the Velodrome) and Ravensbury community swimming pool on Alpine Street - both about a mile away in Clayton.
The eastern end of Ashton Old Road is half a mile from the open land and reservoirs around Abbey Hey. Further on is Debdale park and outdoor centre - one of Manchester's biggest and best parks. There are smaller local parks at: Greenside Street (north of Ashton Old Road), with football, multi-courts and a playground; at Delamere Park, and Varna Street (south of Ashton Old Road) and at the new Sandywell Millennium Green in the High Legh estate with play areas, and sports facilities for children.
There are community centres on Compass Street (off Ashton Old Road) and at the John Gilmour centre on Clayton Lane, and a newly-refurbished youth centre on Saunton Road (High Legh estate). The nearest libraries are on Garratt Way (about three-quarters of a mile from homes south of Ashton Old Road), on Grey Mare Lane, Beswick (about three-quarters of a mile from homes at the western end of Ashton Old Road), and on Clayton Street, Clayton (half a mile from homes in the north of the area). There are regular buses along Ashton Old Road to Manchester and to Ashton - the vibrant city centre, with its shops, entertainment and leisure facilities is a 15 minute journey. Homes south of Ashton Old Road are close to Gorton station, where there are frequent trains between the city centre and Glossop in the peak district countryside. People living in the north of the area could benefit from a new Metrolink line that would bring frequent, speedy trams to the city centre from Ashton New Road. The line would go to the new shopping centre and the Sportcity, bringing better facilities, and jobs, within easier reach. See detailed map
Learning in Higher Openshaw
East Manchester is in an 'education action zone' - a special government scheme that means better resources and more staff for local schools. Young children living south of Ashton Old Road can go to Varna Street primary school, near Gorton station or to St Clements CofE school on Abbey Hey Lane near Delamere Park. North of Ashton Old Road is Higher Openshaw community school on Saunton Road in the High Legh estate, and St Barnabas CofE on Parkhouse Street at the western end of the area. The nearest secondary school is Wright Robinson High school on Abbey Hey Lane - half a mile south of Ashton Old Road, at the eastern end of the area.
Find out more about this area's schools and how well they perform. Go to Manchester Schoolfinder.
Facilities for pre-school children are mostly concentrated in the south and east of the area including: adult and toddler groups on Fairfield Road, Wetherby Street, and Delamere Street; a children's centre on Wetherby Street; and day nurseries on Lees Street, Rosina Street and Delamere Street.There is an adult and toddler group at the western end of Ashton Old Road on South 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, a few minutes walk down Ashton Old Road specialises in new technical and industrial training - including construction craft and building services, motor engineering and computer technology. The Varna adult learning centre is on Barrass Street, close to Gorton station. See detailed map
Find out more about adult education.
Housing in Higher Openshaw
The Openshaw area is a mixture of public rented, housing association and privately-owned homes - owner occupied, and privately rented. Most of the private housing is at the eastern side of the area towards Delamere park and Fairfield. Housing run by Eastlands Homes is in two main areas: the Openshaw village estate off Greenside Street (north of Ashton Old Road) in the west, and around Ogden Lane, south of Ashton Old Road.
