£192,000 for ‘zip-glide’ play area in Huncoat (From Lancashire Telegraph)

£192,000 for ‘zip-glide’ play area in Huncoat

9:00pm Saturday 16th January 2010 in

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CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating landing almost £200,000 funding for a play area to replace rusting old swings.

The brand new ‘adventure play’ facility will replace two dilapidated play areas near Bolton Avenue in Huncoat, complete with earth mounds and landscaped areas, trees and wild flowers.

Although the exact play equipment has not yet been chosen, planners have already pencilled in the inclusion of an Krypton Factor-style aerial cable ride so children can glide down a cable to the ground.

The new park at Bolton Avenue will replace the current Bolton and Oakdene Avenue play areas and will be suitable for children aged from four to fourteen.

Ward councillors Paul Gott and Dave Parkins said they had been working closely with Hyndburn parks officers to apply for funding.

Grants from Hyndburn Lancashire Local, the Lancashire Environment Fund, Changing Spaces and cash secured from major planning developments in the area has been pieced together to create the total of £192,976 that was needed.

Coun Gott said: “We had a number of consultation exercises and parents were very clear on what they needed and the ultimate plans will reflect that.

“The old play areas are totally inadequate and in the wrong locations.

“There are some swings and bouncing equipment which are in a terrible state, some of it unusable and the rest very tatty.”

Coun Parkins said: “It is needed because there are a lot of young children in the area and they need something fun and challenging to do outdoors, it’s as simple as that.

“With all the developments that have been taking place in Huncoat it was only right that cash from planning applications found its way back into the community.”

Funding towards the scheme includes £50,000 secured from the developers of the Bluebell Estate in Huncoat and a £47,000 award from Lancashire Local.

Chairman of Lancashire Local and leader of Hyndburn Borough Council Peter Britcliffe said: “It will be really exciting to see these plans take shape.”