Tollgate Drive, Audlem

Image: © Christopher Hilton Taken: 15 Feb 2015

Built in 1969-70, the houses on Tollgate Drive form part of the first major housing estate to be built in Audlem. For some years after construction it was known as the Yew Tree Estate and letters addressed simply to "Plot [x], Yew Tree Estate". (This was its official name: as a large sign carrying the name of the builders, Cape, stood at the entrance it was known in the village for some years as the Cape Estate.) Once the roads on it were named and street addresses assigned, it comprised the central spine Tollgate Drive and the two short arms of Armstrong Close and Gemmull Close. Oak Tree Gate, which joins Tollgate Drive from the west at the lamp-post, is a much later addition. Seen here are the ways that, in the decades since they were built, the basic house designs have been modified with extensions, pitched roofs to the garages, solar panels, etc. The majority of the houses seen here are the tile-fronted Fredricton type, which came in pairs with conjoined garages; other types of houses on the estate were called Calgary (the largest type, of which one can be seen above the van) and Guelph (not seen in this shot). In the late 1960s it was clearly not envisaged that it would become the norm for households here to have two cars and many drives have been widened to make room for extra off-street parking.

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