Council to discuss play area makeover

Councillors will consider commissioning a £110,000 makeover of Gawsworth Play area next week.

The Park and Woodland working group, which comprises Cllrs Andrea Kinsey, Emma Clarke and Adam Hardy, have been working since the start of 2024 to develop a project to overhaul the play area and will be presenting recommendations to the council meeting on 12th November.

The current play area was installed in 2005 and is now tired with many items out of economical repair. Play equipment typically lasts around 20 years and the council plans to deliver an upgrade in early 2025.

The Parish Council has successfully secured secured £73,978 of external funding which will complement £17,000 from the Council’s parks reserve and £20,000 of Community Infrastructure Levy to give a total budget of just over £110k. The Parish Council secured grants from the John Upton Charity, Tarmac, National Lottery Awards for All and Cheshire Community Action. 12 local residents also supported the project with donations totalling £800 and further donations can still be made at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/gawsworth-play-area-upgrade

Proposals of different options were shown to the community at September’s produce show, on the Gawsworth Life website in October and through consultation events with Gawsworth Scouts. The webpage and survey was sent to all parents at Gawsworth School.

The upgrade will see a new toddler multi-play unit, a new zip-line, junior play unit, roundabout, see-saw and potentially a ground-level trampoline. Swing seats would also be upgraded and the wet pour surface renewed. The council also hopes to include some additional play features and is currently awaiting the final designs.

Subject to the council’s decision on Tuesday, work would take place in February 2025!