| Gurnos | |
|---|---|
| Community | |
 TheA465 road embankment at the north end of the Gurnos estate | |
  Gurnos Location withinMerthyr Tydfil | |
| Principal area | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
51°45′32″N3°22′52″W / 51.75889°N 3.38111°W /51.75889; -3.38111  Map of the community | |
Gurnos is acommunity ofMerthyr Tydfil County Borough inWales, United Kingdom. It consists principally of the Gurnos Estate. The population in 2011 5,280.[1]
The Gurnos Estate is a largehousing estate established by Merthyr Tydfil Council in the early 1950s and expanded over many years. Many of the initial streets were named after trees; such asOak,Acacia andRowan. A major expansion took place during the 1970s, including the building of Prince Charles Hospital. Streets on 1970s development were named after flowers and shrubs; such asLavender,Heather,Lupin andForsythia, with the exception of the three most recent areas known asPen-Gurnos,Pen-y-Dre andPen-y-Fan View. The area built since the 1970s is still often referred to locally asThe New Estate. The community population at the2011 census was 5,280.[2]
The area was formerly open land, including the long-established Gurnos Farm. It also encompassed the notoriously dangerous Goitre Pond.
The design and planning of the Gurnos estate borrows ideas from theRadburn system. The estate has become notorious throughout Wales, with the reputation of being an area of deprivation and crime.[3][4]
The Gurnos Tavern, one of the two community centres and many of the maisonette flats were demolished to make greener areas during the late 1990s.
The Gurnos estate includes a main small shopping centre at Chestnut Way, known locally asThe Gurnos Shops, a social club (The Gurnos Club), and a community centre, all located within a few yards of each other. Other shops were also part of the estate's design at Pen-Gurnos and Clover Road. There have also been twopubs, theGurnos Tavern and laterThe Matchstick Man, named after late boxerJohnny Owen, however both have since closed.
The Clover Road Stores are a small shopping section on Clover Road. They have aConvenience Store, and also aFish and chip shop.
In 1999 the 3Gs Development Trust was established to work with the communities of the Gurnos and Galon Uchaf, offering support, information and developmental activities.[5] The trust's offices are based atThe Gurnos Shops, together with other centres including a youth centre at Forsythia Close. The name3Gs illustrates the local perception that there are two estates, separated byPrince Charles Hospital; theOld Gurnos and theNew Estate; being two of the Gs, together with Galon Uchaf being the third. Penydarren was later added to the 3Gs remit and by 2013 the organisation's remit was expanded to include other wards as the Communities First North Cluster.[6]
The onlysecondary school in the area isPen-Y-Dre High School, there are also twoprimary schools; Goetre Primary School and St Aloysius Roman Catholic Primary School.
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