Brinnington is a north-eastern suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, on a bluff above a bend in the Tame Valley. It was reported to have the highest prevalence of depression in England.
Description
Brinnington was open farm land before the local authority housing developments of the 1950s and 1960s. To the west of Brinnington is Reddish Vale, a country park popular with families to go for a walk and explore the ponds and brick viaducts; under the arches there is a sharp bend in the river and sand has been deposited giving the effect of a miniature beach. The area consists mainly of council owned dwellings including high rise flats. Brinnington has high crime levels and long-term unemployment at 20%. Two streets, Northumberland Road and Brinnington Road, were named by police as two of the three worst roads in Stockport in 2010. While it has its problems, Brinnington residents hold traditional values, and has a community spirit which is rare in these modern times. The Big Local Community Hub is the centre of many community run projects, all led by local residents with the aim of improving the area. The area is being regenerated, including the demolition of the Top Shops in 2007, which were replaced by new shops, 53 shared ownership houses and First House. In 2009, 17 new homes were built at Lantern Close, a new road named after the annual lantern parade in the area.
Transport
Brinnington is served by Brinnington railway station on the Hope Valley Line from Sheffield to Manchester. The estate is accessed via Brinnington Road, which crosses the M60 motorway at both ends. The original proposed Manchester congestion charge would have charged motorists for crossing the M60 motorway; protests from local residents led to a change in the proposed boundaries, thereby excluding Brinnington from the charge zone. It is sandwiched between the M60 motorway and Reddish Vale country park. A study suggested that these features and congested roads constrain buses, creating a sense of isolation.
Religion
Brinnington has two churches, St. Bernadette's and Brinnington Community Church at the Lighthouse Centre.
Education
There are three primary schools, St. Paul's, St. Bernadette's and Westmorland; the last being an amalgamation of the former Brindale, Maycroft and Tame Valley Primary Schools.
Health
A survey was done by a local GP to investigate why the depression rate in Brinnington was 23.6%, compared with an average of 9.8% in the rest of England. His records concurred. In his last 123 patients, 24% were seeking help with depression, while a further 28% were under treatment and 16% had been.
