Work on the two new play areas should be completed by February 2019

St Marks and Glen Farm play areas to benefit from £130,000 of exciting new play equipment

Two play areas in Honiton are getting a new lease of life in January 2019, thanks to East Devon District Council, which is investing £130,000 of modern and exciting equipment in the sites.

The installations will be carried out by the council's contractor Kompan and work is due to begin at St Marks play area from 7 January 2019 and at Glen Farm play area from 21 January.

It will take around five weeks to complete the installation of equipment and safety surfacing and, weather permitting, it is anticipated that the play areas should be ready for use in February.

Prior to Kompan being appointed, East Devon undertook extensive consultation with children and young people to help understand what activities they would like to see at St Marks and Glen Farm play areas.

The consultation information was issued to a number of play equipment suppliers, who competed to provide the best designs across the two sites as part of the council's tender process. A good selection of great quality designs was received and, after evaluation against the consultation information, Kompan were appointed to manufacture and construct the new play areas.

The two newly designed play areas will provide a range of exciting activities requested by children and young people, with new rope climbing structures, trampolines, group swings and track riders.

Cllr Tom Wright, East Devon's portfolio holder for the Environment, said:

Thank you to all the local children and young people who took part in the consultation. This process is essential in helping us ensure we provide what the children want. The designs look very exciting, well thought out and there are lots of different activities which is great to see. The children will play on the equipment when it's installed and will be able to say that they helped design the play areas they're having fun on.