Consultation launches for £300,000 play area improvement project
Cash is to be invested in five play areas - Clevedon, Nailsea and Weston-Super-Mare
Last updated 1st Sep 2022
Families in Bristol and Somerset are being asked to have your say - to help improve play areas across the region.
Now, £300,000 of capital funding has been allocated by North Somerset Council for the plans, set to be delivered by early next year.
The consultation opened on Tuesday (August 30) following the council’s announcement last month that the capital funding had been ring-fenced for the improvements for the following play areas:
Clevedon – Cherry Avenue and Esmond Grove – £115,000
Nailsea – Scotch Horn/Millennium Park and Pound Lane – £115,000
Weston-super-Mare – Plumley Park South – £70,000.
This investment is in addition to the £250,000 Improving Play Spaces Fund, which launched in April, providing capital matched funding for projects across the area.
The capital investment will be used to make improvements at the five parks including:
- Repairing fencing
- Repainting existing equipment
- Repairing (or replacing) safety surfacing
- Repairing (or replacing) equipment which has been broken
The consultation asks for families to comment on a range of play equipment which will appeal to all age ranges and abilities, including those children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Councillor Mike Solomon, North Somerset Council's executive member for neighbourhoods and community services, said: “This is the first of a five-year capital investment programme created to deliver a much-needed improvement in play areas. Ongoing budget cuts over the last few years has meant that we’ve seen little significant investment in our play areas, so we’re playing catch-up. We’ve assessed all our play areas and investment is being targeted where it’s needed most.
“I urge families that use the five parks we’re focussing to improve this year to take part in the consultation. We’re ready to listen and open to thoughts on our proposals – we want to make sure that our money is invested in the way that brings most benefit to local children and young people.”
To find out more and take part in the consultation by noon on Tuesday 11 October visit www.n-somerset.gov.uk/play22.
All projects will be delivered by the end of March 2023.