Is this the world’s worst playground? New-build housing development where homes sell for £600,000 comes under fire over children’s play area – made from a pile of logs
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A highly-anticipated play area on a new-build estate where houses sell for £600,000, has come under fire by furious residents who mocked the structure that has been made out of a pile of logs.
There are no slides, swings or seesaws in the playpark, instead children will have to climb on the pile of nine logs, stacked on top of each other, or sit on a singular bench.
The fenced off area at the Ashton Rise estate near Market Harborough, Leicestershire, has shocked locals, with one joking the installation looks more like ‘modern art’ than a play area.
Self-employed IT systems engineer John Lewis, 51, slammed the park on social media, telling developers they ‘should be ashamed’.
Sharing a video of the near-empty park on social media, he said: ‘What the hell is that supposed to be? That is it, that’s the play area, everybody. Fantastic.’
Have you seen a dodgy playground? Email [email protected]
Residents have hit out at a supposed playpark on a new-build housing estate in Leicestershire
The playpark on the Ashton Rise estate near Market Harborough consists of nine logs piled on top of each other
The equipment on the play area is ‘intended for use by children aged five to 12’ a sign reads
A sign in front of the play area reads: ‘This equipment is intended for use by children aged five to 12. Young children must be accompanied by a suitable adult at all times.’
Walking around the penned off area that bans dogs, bikes and smoking, Mr Lewis added: ‘Now this apparently is a play area for young children. Of course, no dogs, no smoking, no cycling.
‘So obviously, we’re expecting something pretty amazing here. The equipment is operated and maintained by FirstPort property service, ‘please report any damage to customer services,’ it says.
‘I don’t think I’d let my bloody dog play on this, would you? What the hell is that supposed to be?! That is it, that’s the play area, everybody. Fantastic.’
Mr Lewis then pans across the area, which is operated by FirstPort who claim to be the ‘UK’s leading residential property management specialists’, showing the nine logs piled in the shape to a tee-pee.
Many took to social media to berate the so-called playground. One joked: ‘Looks like bonfire night sorted.’
Another added: ‘Ahh nice, I used to love Thorpe Bark as a kid.’
A third said: ‘Putting a play area in will have been part of the agreement to build houses on the land. They literally put in the bare minimum to tick the box.’
There are no slides, swings or seesaws in the playpark, instead children will have to climb on the pile of nine logs
The 119-house estate was completed in late 2020 with some of the houses selling for £600,000
At the time of development, Linden Homes contributed more than £2,000,000 to local infrastructure
Mr Lewis went on to added: ‘My first thoughts were, ‘is this modern art?’ And then ‘Oh My God, what a joke.’
‘I was also expecting there to be a ‘keep-out’ [sign], in case the equipment had been stolen.’
He said it’s a point of contention for locals as the community has ‘nothing for kids and the cost of the houses are half-a-million plus.’
At the time of development, Linden Homes contributed more than £2,000,000 to local infrastructure – as per their agreement with Harborough District Council.
The 119-house estate was completed in late 2020, and according to local reports in 2018, the maximum home purchase was £600,000 – with others starting from £384,995.
They said at the time: ‘This includes £873,155 towards primary, secondary and post-16 education, £237,825 towards outdoor sports provision, £126,577 for children and young people’s amenities, £121,974 for town centre improvements, and a £35,406 contribution to local policing.’
A spokesperson for Linden said: ‘There is a main play area at the development with a wide range of equipment.
‘The toddler log stack and open space featured in the video is in a different part of the development to complement the main area as per the original planning permission, and is designed for younger children and their guardians to provide them with a safe and secure environment.
‘The facilities are now overseen by a management company who can add additional equipment if residents decide this is a priority.’
FirstPort said they did not create the park, only maintained it.
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