East Devon Chairman Cllr Andrew Moulding officially opened the refurbished St Marks play area

East Devon has invested £130,000 of capital on two play area sites in Honiton

The newly refurbished play area at St Marks Road Honiton has now been officially opened by Cllr Andrew Moulding, the Chairman of East Devon District Council.

St Marks, together with the Glen Farm play area, has been revamped as part of a works programme being carried out by the council across the district to replace and enhance five play area sites within this financial year.

Local children from Littletown Primary Academy in Honiton, Honiton Primary School, Little Ones Nursery, Honiton Youth Club and Honiton Baby and Toddler Group helped with the design of the site as part of a consultation exercise led by East Devon.

The design, manufacture and installation of the play park was completed by Kompan an established play equipment manufacturer, who were awarded the work at the two sites in Honiton after a competitive tendering process, where suppliers were asked to provide the best design and quality based on the children's consultation responses.

East Devon has invested £130,000 of the council's capital in the two sites in Honiton and have plans for a further investment of over £1million in replacing and enhancing play facilities across the district starting in the new financial year, with consultation starting with local children for those sites in March.

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

This demonstrates East Devon's commitment to providing good quality facilities to allow our young people to develop their play and social well-being in the outdoors.

Cllr Jenny Brown, ward member for Honiton St.Michaels said:

Following the consultation with local children, a lacklustre play area has been transformed into a modern and innovative play space for the children of Honiton to enjoy for many years to come. Well done East Devon.

Cllr Phil Twiss, ward member for Honiton St.Michaels, said:

I am sure that the bright, fun, modern, well equipped and safe to use play area will prove a real hit with parents, grandparents and children in Honiton who use it - if the use I have seen it getting before its formal opening is anything to go by and a valuable addition to this type of facility provided across the area by East Devon.