Blacon
Statistics
Population:	13,495 (2001 Census)
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	SJ385675
Administration
District:	Chester
Shire county:	Cheshire
Region:	North West England
Constituent country:	England
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Ceremonial county:	Cheshire
Historic county:	Cheshire
Services
Police force:	Cheshire
Fire and rescue:	Cheshire
Ambulance:	North West
Post office and telephone
Post town:	Chester
Postal district:	CH1
Dialling code:	+44-01244
Politics
UK Parliament:	City of Chester
European Parliament:	North West England

Blacon is a large ex-council owned housing estate near Chester, North West England, containing a mixture of private homes and substantial public council-built properties. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 11 KB) Summary Description: A blank map of the United Kingdom, with country outline and coastline; contact the author for help with modifications or add-ons Source: Reference map provided by Demis Mapper 6 Date: 2006-21-06 Author: User... Image File history File links Red_pog. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... Chester is the county town of Cheshire in North West England. ... Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government. ... The Cheshire Plain - photo taken adjacent to Beeston Castle The Cheshire Plain - photo taken towards Merseyside The Cheshire Plain panorama - photo taken from Mid-Cheshire Ridge Cattle farming in the county Black-and-white timbered buildings on Nantwich High Street Cheshire (or, archaically, the County of Chester) [1] is a... The region, also known as Government Office Region, is currently the highest tier of local government subnational entity of England in the United Kingdom. ... North West England is one of the nine regions of England. ... Constituent country is an official term used to describe three of the four principal component parts of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK): England; Scotland; Wales. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2005 est. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... The Ceremonial counties of England are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government with reference to the metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England. ... The Cheshire Plain - photo taken adjacent to Beeston Castle The Cheshire Plain - photo taken towards Merseyside The Cheshire Plain panorama - photo taken from Mid-Cheshire Ridge Cattle farming in the county Black-and-white timbered buildings on Nantwich High Street Cheshire (or, archaically, the County of Chester) [1] is a... The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. ... The Cheshire Plain - photo taken adjacent to Beeston Castle The Cheshire Plain - photo taken towards Merseyside The Cheshire Plain panorama - photo taken from Mid-Cheshire Ridge Cattle farming in the county Black-and-white timbered buildings on Nantwich High Street Cheshire (or, archaically, the County of Chester) [1] is a... There are a number of policing agencies in the United Kingdom. ... Cheshire Constabulary are the police force covering the English county of Cheshire and the independent areas of Runcorn , Widnes and Warrington. ... A fire engine belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statuory fire and rescue service for the English non-metropolitan county of Cheshire and the unitary authorities of Halton (including Runcorn, and Widnes) and Warrington. ... This is a list of ambulance services in the United Kingdom: Ambulance services in England, after July 1, 2006 are A few deviations from the above have been made for operational reasons. ... The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust was formed on 1 July 2006 as part of Health Minister Lord Warners plans to reduce the number of NHS ambulance service trusts operating in the United Kingdom to 12. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... Chester is the county town of Cheshire in North West England. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The UK telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Numbering Plan, is regulated by the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which replaced the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) in 2003. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Chester is a local government district in Cheshire, North West England, with the status of a city. ... Sign in the entrance of the European Parliament building in Brussels, written in all the official languages used in the European Union as of July 2006 The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The debating chamber, or hemicycle, in Strasbourg The European Parliament building in Brussels The European Parliament (formerly European... North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Chester is the county town of Cheshire in North West England. ... North West England is one of the nine regions of England. ...

The large rural ex-Chester council built estate of Blacon is however now owned, run and maintained by the Chester And District Housing Trust. Chester is the county town of Cheshire in North West England. ... Cheap, safe, housing owned by the British Government. ...

Geography

Blacon is a village situated in a rural location adjacent to the North Wales border. Located on a hill, one mile to the north-west of, and overlooking Chester. Image File history File links Cathederal. ... Approximate extent of North Wales North Wales (known in some archaic texts as Northgalis) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales. ... Chester is the county town of Cheshire in North West England. ...

The village is built on what was, previously, farming land and is surrounded by open countryside. Blacon has views across to the city centre of Chester and to the Welsh hills some twenty miles to the west.^[1] Motto: (Welsh for Wales forever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) Welsh, English Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056  Area    - Total 20,779...

History

North Blacon (Blacon Hall)

The Parade Shops in Blacon

Blacon was originally known as 'Blakon Hill' and was owned by the Marquess of Crewe.^[2] The Parish of Blacon cum Crabwall was formed in 1923, and on 1 April 1936, under the Cheshire County Review Order, 1936, most of the parish was transferred to Chester County Borough. ^[3] Image File history File linksMetadata ParadeBlacon. ... Image File history File linksMetadata ParadeBlacon. ... The title Baron Houghton was created in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1863 for the noted Victorian literary person Richard Monckton Milnes. ...

It was a small farming village community until major building work by Chester City Council began in the early 1950s. Most of the older and original estate, was built in the ten years to 1960; though further parts were added on the old army camp site in South Blacon, in the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

'The Parade' Shops, built in 1954 in north Blacon, are an example of Chester City Council building.

Blacon Camp (Blacon Lodge)

The British army^[4] had maintained an army camp in south Blacon, from just before, to just after, the second world war. A mixture of wooden and 'Nissen' huts were occupied by soldiers until the late 1950s; and the army firing range was still in evidence until the Chester City Coucil 'tower block' buildings of the mid 1960s. This part of Blacon is often referred to as 'The Camp'. The Nissen hut is a prefabricated shelter that consists of a sheet of corrugated steel bent into half a cylinder and planted in the ground with its axis horizontal. ...

Community initiatives

The Blacon community are taking part in initiatives, led by the government's Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder Programme^[5], and a number of projects have been established by, and for, Blacon residents.^[6] The Neighbourhood Management Pathfinder Programme is a co-operative programme in the United Kingdom between residents and stakeholders such as the local authority, businesses etc aimed at improving specific deprived neighbourhoods. ...

Progress to improve the estate continues apace, with work done by the Blacon Community Trust^[7] and Blacon-Together ^[8] already giving results. Discussions continue about further regeneration initiatives, both for north and south Blacon, with a timescale of three to seven years.

Policing

Blacon is home to the new headquarters of the Western Division of the Cheshire Constabulary^[9] Cheshire Constabulary are the police force covering the English county of Cheshire and the independent areas of Runcorn , Widnes and Warrington. ...

Schools

Primary

• St. Theresa’s Catholic Primary School
• J H Godwin Primary School
• Dee Point Primary School
• Highfield Community Primary School
• The Arches Community Primary School

Secondary

• Blacon High School, a specialist school (sports)
• Blacon Young Peoples Project c.o. Blacon Library

The specialist schools programme is a UK government programme which encourages secondary schools to specialise in certain areas to boost acheivement. ...

Places of worship

There are several places of worship in Blacon to cater for Christian and Muslim faiths. A place of worship is a building or other locations where religious persons may worship their deity, regularly or not. ...

Blacon railway station

Main article: Blacon railway station

Blacon railway station in the 1950s looking north-west to Shotton, Flintshire Steelworks

This was closed because of the Beeching Axe of railway economic modernisation in the mid-1960s.^[10][11][12] Blacon Station in the 1950s looking north-west to Shotton, Flintshire Steelworks Blacon railway station was a part of the line between Chester Northgate and Hawarden Bridge. ... Image File history File links Blaconstn. ... Image File history File links Blaconstn. ... Blacon Station in the 1950s looking north-west to Shotton, Flintshire Steelworks Blacon railway station was a part of the line between Chester Northgate and Hawarden Bridge. ... Shotton is a town in Flintshire, north Wales, lying on the River Dee. ... Many railway lines were closed as a result of the Beeching Axe The Beeching Axe was an informal name for the British Governments attempt in the 1960s to control the spiralling cost of running the British railway system by closing what it considered to be little-used and unprofitable...

Although the old station and railway line have gone, they have been replaced with a tarmac road surface, which now provides a cycle path, jogging track and a countryside walkway. This amenity is accessed from the side of old Blacon station bridge; but its route can also be joined (just off) Chester City's 'Fountain' roundabout, to take one through Blacon, and on to the North Wales countryside, and beyond. A close-up view of some freshly-laid tarmac. ...

Politics

Chester City Council

Blacon consists of two Chester City Council^[13] wards, each of which elects three Councillors. Chester City Council is the second level of local government for residents of Chester and the surrounding suburban and rural areas which comprise the City of Chester. ...

Blacon Hall ward

Population 7,977

• John Price, Deputy Leader of the Council, Labour
• Judith Stainthorp, Labour
• Norman Stainthorp, Labour

There is no single system of local government in the United Kingdom. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ...

Blacon Lodge ward

Population 5,518

• Reggie Jones, Labour
• Marie Nelson, Labour
• Ethel Price, Labour

Cheshire County Council

Blacon has Labour representation on the County Council.

UK Parliament

Blacon, as part of the City of Chester constituency, is represented in the UK Parliament by Christine Russell, Labour Party. City of Chester is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Christine Margaret Russell (born 25 March 1945, Holbeach as Christine Margaret Carr) is a Labour politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ...

European Parliament

North West England North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. ...

Footnotes

1. ^ Map of Blacon
2. ^ Page 4 The 'Blacon Voice' December 2006 Issue #42
3. ^ "Blacon cum Crabwall Parish Council", 1894-1936
4. ^ The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment
5. ^ "Blacon Together", Pathfinder Portrait
6. ^ Current Partnerships
7. ^ Blacon Community Trust
8. ^ Blacon-Together
9. ^ Cheshire Constabulary, official site
10. ^ Richard Beeching's report "The Reshaping of British Railways" was published in 1965.
11. ^ "A Virtual Stroll Along the Mickle Trafford-Shotton Railway"
12. ^ Freight trains ran through Blacon until 1979 when steelmaking ended at Shotton
13. ^ Chester City Council, official site

Coordinates: 53°11′29″N, 2°53′42″W Richard Beeching Richard Beeching, Baron Beeching (21 April 1913 - 23 March 1985) (more commonly known as Dr Beeching), was a British physicist and engineer, and chairman of British Railways. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... Steelmaking is the second step in producing steel from iron ore. ... Shotton is a town in Flintshire, north Wales, lying on the River Dee. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...