has suffered periods of severe flooding, most recently in 2014. The part of Purley closest to the river has changed radically, with most properties having been built since the 1970s and, with a very few exceptions, it was a condition of planning approval that the houses were built at or above the 1947 flood level. A flood alleviation scheme, in the form of a clay bund and a pumping platform was completed by the Environment Agency in late 2014. Demography The population has around 88% White British ethnicity, 4% other white ethnicity; residents identifying with an Asian ethnicity constituted 3%, with a Caribbean or African ethnicity 1% and those with a mixed ethnicity, 2%. The majority of homes in Purley are detached houses, with minorities of small housing and shared ownership properties and several council estates. The area is largely unaffordable for most of the population - as of 2016, the average price of a property in Purley is £413,268 and the median UK wage is £26,500; the average house price is thus nearly 16 times the average salary. Transport The parish is crossed from east to west by both the Great Western Main Line and the A329. The railway is mostly hidden in a deep cutting and the nearest stations are those at and . Purley is served by Reading Buses service 16 and Thames Travel service 143. For those with mobility problems, ReadiBus provides door to door minibus services and the Pangbourne and District Volunteer Centre provides help getting to medical facilities. Mapledurham Lock, on the Thames, is within the parish, despite its name. Education Purley has two primary schools with three other primary schools and Denefield Academy within a short distance of its boundaries. Amenities Purley is bounded to south and west by the North Wessex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty and has a good range of habitats from river and woodland supporting a diverse range of creatures. The Thames Path beside the river and a set of 12 designated footpaths provide many opportunities for ramblers. There are two recreation areas, a bowling green and Pike Shaw woods in the ownership of the parish council. There are three community halls: The Barn, the Memorial Hall and St Mary's Church hall, which host a large number of clubs and societies. Church The parish church of St Mary was described as 'ancient' in a founding charter of Reading