Hateley Heath

Hateley Heath is a residential area of West Bromwich in the West Midlands of England.

History

It was developed during the early 1950s to rehouse people from town centre slum clearances, with hundreds of new homes being built by the local council. The new homes initially very popular with their occupants, who appreciated modern facilities such as indoor toilets, bathrooms, running water, electricity and gardens.

By the 1980s, Hateley Heath had become a crime-fuelled "sink" housing estate with a very poor reputation.

In January 1992, an "Express & Star" report on the estate revealed some shocking findings. [ [http://www.midlandsmemories.com/ midlandsmemories.com] ] It was estimated that six out of ten children living in Hateley Heath were involved in crime. Joyriding, burglaries and vandalism were just some of the many problems that were supposedly plaguing the area. Several shopkeepers had closed their stores due to theft and vandalism. In 1991 alone, West Midlands Police in Sandwell received no less than 1,006 complaints about crime on the estate - an average of once in just over eight hours. Car thefts and break-ins were the most common crime in the area, followed closely behind by burglaries and vandalism. During the year, 48 people on the estate were arrested on suspicion of criminal offences, though it is unknown how many of these arrests resulted in a conviction. What is known is that all but three of the people arrested were aged under 25. Unemployment and social deprivation were blamed for the decline of Hateley Heath, with almost 15% of employable residents being out of work. However, the nearby towns of Smethwick and Tipton had an even higher unemployment rate at this time.

Over the last 15 years, Hateley Heath has improved with the aid of local community projects. One of the first phases of the area's regeneration came in 1992 when several blocks of unpopular council flats on the estate were demolished. Desirable private houses were built in their place.

There is one main high school in Hateley Heath, Menzies High School And Science College.

References