Work on accessible Swindon playground to begin in January

Matty Courtliff said delivering the playground had been one of his "top priorities"

Work on a new children's playground for a park will begin in January.

Swindon Borough Council has given £500,000 to play park specialist ESP Play Parks to build the new facility in Coate Water park.

It will be fully accessible for users with disabilities and should be open in the spring if the estimated 12-week construction period is stuck to.

Up to 100 children ranging from toddlers to 14-year-olds will be able to use the park at any one time.

Matty Courtliff, the council's cabinet member for culture, heritage and leisure, said delivering a new play park had been one of his "top priorities" and it was "fantastic" that work would start soon, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

"We have been working closely with ESP who are experts in accessible play parks and I am delighted we have been able to incorporate a wheelchair accessible swing as that was something local group Mums on a Mission were keen to see included in the new park," he added.

Fully accessible

"This will be Swindon's fully-accessible play park and, when it's finished, every child in Swindon will have somewhere to play and express themselves," said Mr Courtliff.

The playground will be located near the park's existing accessible parking spaces and will be fully accessible for users with disabilities, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

To do this it will feature flat access paths and equipment will include an inclusive wheelchair roundabout, an inclusive multi-play seesaw and a larger multi-play unit as well as swings including one which is wheelchair accessible.

In-ground trampolines, slides and a nine-platform multi-play unit will also be added as well as a sandpit, sensory bells and wind chimes, together with a spinning carousel.

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