Beresford Drive Play Park

The play park at Beresford Drive in Melton was divested to the Parish Council in April 2021 from East Suffolk District Council. This is one of three play parks in the village that the Parish Council owns. The main play park is at the Recreation Ground on Melton Road.

In 2022 the swings had to be removed after the annual inspection as the structure was deemed unsafe. The Parish Council identified the park as an area that needed investment and was made a priority project for the 2023/24 financial year. A public consultation was carried out in Spring 2023 in the form of a survey and open afternoon.

The consultation demonstrated that there is a need for this playpark and that it requires a full refurbishment. The overall response was a desire to revamp the play area to make it a space that people are proud of, want to visit and provides imaginative play and equipment for all ages. There were some concerns about older children hanging out and intimidating younger children and the area being used for illegal activities. It is important that the layout and equipment should be mindful of these concerns. https://melton-suffolk-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/MPC_23_84.02Beresford_Drive.pdf

The Brief

Design and install a new play park at Beresford Drive that caters for a wide range of ages and is inclusive and accessible. It is expected that all existing equipment will be unsuitable for re-use and will need to be removed and disposed of.

Ideally the fencing should not be moved although if extending the play area slightly would result in a better configuration this could be considered. The gates will probably need to be replaced. Some equipment could be placed outside of the fenced area if deemed appropriate.

Play equipment should cater for a wide range of ages eg 0-3 (toddler), 3-12 (children), 10-20 (youth) and multigenerational (0-99).

The most requested equipment identified in the consultation: Slide, Swings, Roundabout, Climbing Frame, benches/picnic benches and basketball hoop.

Consideration must be given to safety and anti-social behaviour concerns.

The equipment should be easy to maintain, incur low maintenance costs and be robust.

Budget

The Council has some reserves set aside and will be seeking match funding grants to cover the full costs. We welcome a variety of designs/options with a budget ranging from £20k to £80k.

Timelines

Designs and quotes should be sent by email to the Parish Council by the 10th October 2023. Site visits can be arranged.