south in the 1970s with the Chichester Drive housing development. Much of the Ridgacre estate consists of medium-sized, private semi-detached houses from the 1930s and 1940s. Many of the roads are tree-lined. Construction of the estate was halted during World War II. In the 1950s, council houses typical of the period were built in the remaining spaces. Further council housing was built south of Quinton Road West along Simmons Drive in the 1970s, encroaching into the Woodgate Valley. Most of the housing is two storey terraces but there are some three storey townhouses all of which originally had integral garages. At the head of each of the V-shaped cul-de-sacs that project into Woodgate Valley is a four-storey block of flats. Parks and open spaces The northern part of Woodgate Valley Country Park down to the Bourn Brook lies in Quinton. Woodland and shrubs planted in the late 1980s predominate, but there are also some smaller areas of open meadow. Quinton Meadows Local Nature Reserve comprises of grassland and woodland sandwiched between the M5 motorway and the A456 Quinton Expressway. Access from Woodgate Valley Country Park is via a pelican crossing on the Expressway. of the meadows were lost in the early 2000s following the construction of Quinton Business Park. Quinton Recreation Ground next to the M5 is accessed from Meadow Road and Powell Avenue. Highfield Farm Recreation Ground has a children's play area, multi-sports pitch and exercise equipment. There is car parking off Highfield Lane. Transport infrastructure The long A456 Quinton Expressway links Quinton to the M5 motorway at junction 3 via a short underpass. The A456 continues as Hagley Road West towards Birmingham city centre. The A458 to Halesowen via Mucklow Hill begins at the Quinton traffic island. A short section of the A4123, enters Quinton as Wolverhampton Road South and bears east along Court Oak Road towards Harborne. West Boulevard used to terminate at Quinton Road West but was extended in August 1986 across the Woodgate Valley and reclassified as the B4121. No railway lines or canals pass through Quinton. Demography The 2001 Population Census recorded that 23,084 people were living in Quinton. 14.5% (3,301) of the ward's population consisted of ethnic minorities compared with 29.6% for Birmingham. 71.7% of the population of Quinton stated Christianity as their religion. Politics Quinton ward is currently represented on Birmingham City Council by Labour Co-op Councillors Sam Forsyth & Lauren Rainbow.