A community playground project

After seven years of fundraising and consultation exercises, a plan came together to create a new, creative, challenging and educative play space, which included play equipment and an environment in which older children could engage in play just as much as the little ones.

Equally essential was a sociable community gathering place offering seating, shade and picnic tables, to be shared with the village shop and other visitors.

During the construction period, Austin Design Works ran a bug hotel making workshop with the Youth Club and helped with two community planting days sowing wildflowers and constructing the willow tunnel and dome. The playground is also a garden in the making and will continually be added to and enjoyed by the village for years to come.

The waterlogged site was tackled by capturing the spring and seasonal flood water in a dipping pond, creating a habitat for frogs, toads and insects, alongside making a space for muddy play.

The large amount of spoil on site was re-modelled into a hill, contained on one side by a 3m high retaining wall defining the kick-about area and topped with a play tower

Landscape architects: Austin Design Works

Structural engineer: Mike Vaughan

Project manager: Jess Robinson

Contractor: Greenfield Garden Services

Media and fundraising: Jenny Bowers & Ginny Burbidge

Photography: Rachael Austin