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Tadley children wait 3 years for playground




Lock-out with summer holidays in sight

Tadley children have been left looking wistfully through the fence of a large children’s play area in the town, which remains closed three years after a major housing development opened.

At a meeting on Monday evening, Tadley councillors highlighted concerns that the large play area, situated within the town's Titherley Park development, off the A340 at the gateway to the town, remained closed as the long summer holidays approached and three years after the housing development was opened.

“Children are standing outside looking in,” said town councillor, Caroline Whittle (Ind, Tadley East), who said she lived at the development and received, “questions on a daily basis” about the closed playground.

Borough councillor, Michael Bound (Lib Dem Baughurst and Tadley North), said he was aware that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council was “waiting for one or two concerns to be answered by the developers”. Concerns include that fingers could be trapped in some of the equipment, and that fencing around the playground was not substantial enough in certain places.

Describing it as a ‘scandalous situation that such a large housing development should remain without a play area’, town council leader, David Leeks said, “We are now in July – shortly before the school holidays – and it looks like the children of that area will not have a play area again.”

Bellway Homes spokeswoman, Maria Seed, said the play area was completed several months ago. “Unfortunately the railings surrounding the play area were not completed to the satisfaction of BDBC.

“Bellway’s fencing contractors are due to visit the development next week in order to rectify the issue.”

Following a further borough council inspection, Bellway has confirmed it hopes to open the play area by July 31.

The Bellway Homes-owned site, which opened in March 2012, with the first homes occupied in March 2013, including a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments and three- and four-bedroom houses, proved controversial in the making.

Previously known as Boundary Hall, health and safety concerns over plans for the total 114 new homes, were rejected by the Government, following a 2011 public inquiry. The site lies 500 metres from AWE Aldermaston, which manufactures and maintains the country’s nuclear deterrent, Trident.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's Head of Community Services, councillor Tim Boschi said: “The council was approached last month to take over responsibility for the play area, but unfortunately the developer has not met the required standards to allow the council to do so. We understand that remedial works are planned by the developer and until these are undertaken, the responsibility for the play area will remain with them.”



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