RUDHEATH residents have given their overwhelming support to plans to …
April 18, 2015 by admin
Filed under Choosing Lingerie
RUDHEATH residents have given their overwhelming support to plans to revamp a play area.
The play equipment at St John’s playing fields is due to be replaced by Rudheath Parish Council, which sought the views of local people on the scheme.
Almost everyone who was asked agreed that the park needed updating, with three out of four people choosing swings and slides as their preferred equipment.
The public consultation was undertaken by members of the parish council, and 64 per cent of those who took part felt that the two to eight age group was appropriate for the play area.
Parish councillors discussed three schemes submitted by companies at their meeting on Monday, and chose a proposal by Park Leisure to take forward.
The parish council will now seek section 106 funding for the play area revamp. Section 106 money comes from developers, and is earmarked for infrastructure improvements.
Cllr Alison Gerrard was one of the councillors who took part in the consultation.
“We have been round all the houses in the area and asked people whether they used the play area and did they think the park needed updating,” said Cllr Gerrard.
Almost half the residents said they used the park for children’s play, and one in five said they used it to walk their dog.
“The equipment is at least 15 years old, and looks tired and dated, and almost everyone agreed that the park should be updated,” added Cllr Gerrard.
“I want to see the scheme move forward and happening, and I hope it is going to be finished by the end of the summer.”
One in five people who took part in the consultation supported an age range for the play area of up to 10.
“We have explained to people that we are starting initially on this area, and we will look at other funding sources to do other things,” said Cllr Gerrard.
“We can go out for funding for another bit eventually to do something for an older age group.
“We have to start somewhere, and we don’t want to run before we can walk.”
Eighty per cent of the people who took part in the consultation said there should be more equipment for disabled children, and 84 per cent agreed that the football pitch was an asset to the village.
Residents raised a number of concerns including dog fouling, anti-social behaviour, vandalism and flooding, and suggested planting and providing more benches.
The illustrative scheme submitted by Park Leisure includes a mini challenger, two-way combination swing, flower talk tube and a picnic table and bench.
