Gilley Law

Gilley Law is one of the smaller suburbs of Sunderland located in between the suburbs of Farringdon and Silksworth and is home to 1500 people. The area is now officially known as Lakeside Village but the old name persists amongst locals. The total area covered by the estate is less than one square mile. It was built as a council estate. Much of the housing in the estate has now been privately purchased and the only social housing areas left are the seven 16 floor tower blocks, which were built in the 1960s. These tower blocks are mostly home to elderly and retired people. The flats are undergoing expansion and modernisation. By the end of 2007, 4 blocks had been completed leaving 3 yet to be done. "Lakeside" is a reference to adjacent artificial lakes built on part of the site of the former Silksworth Colliery.