Thousands of pounds of improvements are set to be made to play areas across Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge as part of a modernisation programme, it has been announced.
Sedgemoor District Council is to use cash from housing developers’ community contributions to proceed with the much-needed improvements to play areas in the two towns.
The play areas earmarked for the upgrades are at Coleridge Gardens in Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s Southwell Gardens, Talbot Close and Stiling Close.
Cllr Ken Smout, who chairs the Town Council’s Town Improvements Committee, which has been pushing for the work, told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week: “We have had lengthy discussions with Sedgemoor about the priority of this work and are delighted to see this going ahead for the benefit of young people.”
The existing Southwell Gardens play area is reaching the end of its life expectancy and Sedgemoor District Council is currently in discussions with the landowner, Highbridge War Memorial Trust, about bigger play facilities.
At Stiling Close, the council installed some new equipment in 2005 at a cost of over £9,000 and the remaining old equipment will be replaced as part of the changes.
The park in Coleridge Gardens, pictured, has also been identified for enhancement and the work is due to go ahead either this year or in 2013.
The district council also plans to consult with local residents about the play area in Talbot Close, which is sited near Apex Park.
The work, which was first considered in 2010, is due to be carried out over the next 12-24 months using cash from Sedgemoor’s RLT2 fund, which Sedgemoor collects from property developers for community use. The fund stands at around £92,000.
Pictured: Cllr Ken Smout at Burnham’s Coleridge Gardens play area this week; and, above, the play area in Highbridge’s Stiling Close
