Locally designed £42,000 improvement scheme set to begin at Elizabeth Road playground next week

Work is due to start on the much-anticipated revamp of the Elizabeth Road play park in Seaton next week.

The improvements, set to begin on Monday, have been designed and voted for by local residents.

Seaton town and East Devon district councils have worked closely with local people on the £42,000 scheme.

Officials wrote a design brief for the play area following visits to Seaton Primary School and Seaton Community Festival, as well as consulting other local organisations, to find out what type of equipment children wanted most.

They found that climbing, swinging and spinning were the most popular activities, and these findings were given to three play companies who sent back their suggested designs for people to vote on.

Nearly 600 children and adults took part in the polling. The wining option, with 52 per cent, includes an Olympic basket swing, climbing walls and frames, spinning swings, a rota roka, and many more exciting features.

The funding for the revamp has come from developers who have built new homes in Seaton - Section 106 funding.

A spokesman for the district council said: “The work is expected to be completed within a month It is likely that the whole play area will need to be closed off whilst it takes place for safety reasons. However, the footpath around the edge of the play area would remain open, providing access from Elizabeth Road through to the football field.

Cllr Steph Jones, Seaton champion on the district council said: “This will be a fantastic improvement on the current facility, and has been designed and chosen by the local children that are actually going to use it. A big thank you to all the people of Seaton that have been involved in designing and choosing the new equipment for the play area.

“This has been a great project that EDDC and Seaton Town Council have had the opportunity to work on together. Play is an essential part of every child’s life and this will mean the children of Seaton have a better place to play.”

Seaton town councillors Gaynor Sedgwick and Dawn Squire members of the youth and recreations committee, said: “We are delighted that so many young people have voted choosing what they want for Seaton. When the children at Seaton Primary School were shown the winning design, the response was one of overwhelming enthusiasm. We look forward to working with young people on many future projects.”