Closure threat for Reading's Palmer Park play area

Councillor Josh Williams started the petition calling for the "well-loved" area to remain

A petition calling for a closure-threatened play area for people with accessibility needs to stay open has been signed more than 1,000 times.

Plans to shut the play area on the London Road side of Palmer Park, Reading, are part of a wider redevelopment plan.

Green councillor Josh Williams started the petition calling for the "well-loved" area to remain.

The council said the closure was due to a "significant" reduction in funding.

The council is looking to close down the East Reading Adventure Playground Association (ERAPA) area while investing more on the other playing facility on Wokingham Road, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Williams's petition has now been signed more than 1,000 times.

One signatory, Alice Carter, said: "There are only three pieces of wheelchair accessible playground equipment in Reading parks and two of them are in ERAPA.

"It is shocking that this isn't even mentioned in the consultation on Palmer Park."

Simone Illger added: "As a wheelchair user, I enjoyed this playground when my daughter was a toddler! She loved that I could access the equipment with her."

A council spokesman said: "A single larger play facility better serves people's needs than two small playgrounds with less equipment and a degree of duplication.

"The council has significantly invested in the play area it owns next to Wokingham Road and the Palmer café.

"This play area is extremely popular and well used by people from across Reading."