Chelmsley Wood, sometimes called just Chelmsley, is a town, ward, At the 2021 census, the town's population was 13,278.
History
thumb|right|450px|[[OS map of Chelmsley Wood in 1887, before the area was built on. It was then woodland in Northwestern Warwickshire, around east of the border with Worcestershire. A shopping centre (which opened on 7 April 1970), a library (completed in 1970 at £240,000), hall and belatedly a few public houses. With the adjoining neighbourhoods of Fordbridge and Smith's Wood it became part of Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in 1974.
By the end of the Second World War 12,391 homes had been destroyed by aerial bombing in Birmingham and there was to be no house building in the city for six years
The "Wood" was to be 80% public housing and 18% privately developed homes, houses were reserved for 100 policemen and rows of terraced homes were let out or sold at a reduced rate to key workers: nurses, social workers and teachers working on the estate. The "Wood" had considerable thought put into its planning and won architectural awards for its landscaping. It was provided with schools, a library and shopping areas, but in the early days there was no local pub, the nearest one being reached by a five-mile bus journey.The "unity and harmony" <!--sourced from Around Chelmsley in times past--> The word "Ceolmund" itself comes from the Old English Ceol "Keel" (of a ship) and Mund "Protection".
Concept and Design
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thumb|right|Typical housing; blocks of [[flat (housing)|flats are abundant in the estate]]
There were the 15,590 dwellings (including 39 multi-storey blocks of flats). There were 70 shop units and 6 major stores, as well as a 4-storey office block and 2 pubs. The 221 dwellings in the town centre included 14 maisonettes over shops.
Sports teams
Chelmsley Wood is represented in association football by Chelmsley Town, who currently compete in the and play at Pack Meadow in nearby Coleshill.
Recent development
The town had for decades had a negative reputation due to being associated with anti-social behaviour and crime, although the town has been relatively successful compared to other similar estates across England.
, the town is undergoing the biggest redevelopment project in its history.
Demographics
Politically, Chelmsley Wood is represented by three councillors on Solihull Council. Voters had historically been known for their strong support of Labour candidates at both local and national elections. However, in the 2006 election, the Chelmsley Wood ward elected a candidate from the British National Party, the first in Solihull's history. The elected candidate won by a margin of 19 votes. In the 2010 election the seat went back to Labour after George Morgan stood down with the BNP vote falling dramatically and the Green Party finishing second to Labour by 22 votes.
Since 2011, Chelmsley Wood residents have elected Green Party councillors to serve them at every election, voting in Karl Macnaughton (2011), Chris Williams (2012) and James Burn (2014). Karl Macnaughton was re-elected in the 2015 elections with over 68% of the vote, and Chris Williams in 2016 with 75%.
Chelmsley Wood had a population of 13,278 at the 2021 census.