CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

PlayNation looks at some of the recent play projects to have been completed across the UK

Bumbles Green Play Area in Nazeing opens in time for Halloween

The Epping Forest District Council’s park team hosted a free Halloween play session to celebrate the grand opening of the Bumbles Green Play Area in Nazeing. Hosted alongside Nazeing Parish Council, the newly refurbished Bumbles Green Play Area was officially opened on Friday 31 October with a special Halloween Play in the Park session. The Halloween session saw children dress up and enjoy the new equipment. The parish council also handed out goody bags on behalf of HAGS Global, the construction company that built the new playground. The refurbishment also includes an outdoor gym, helping residents stay fit while enjoying the park.

Chair, Louise Mead, was in attendance, getting into the Halloween spirit in dress-up, and welcoming children and parents.

Year-round splash play area for Burntisland Links

Ustigate Waterplay is working with Fife Council to establish an inclusive splash pad and a bicycle and scooter course that will provide all year round play at The Links in Burntisland, Scotland. The project, which is partly funded by Fife Council, the Fife Environment Trust, the Scottish Government and a community fundraiser, comes after a successful petition by the local community.

Ustigate Waterplay was chosen to bring the project to life for all the teams involved, for a full 2026 water play season. The aquatic play design includes Ustigate’s Bamboo Stem that will provide sprays from above, a pretty Vine armed with two Seeflow tipping buckets and a low level Waterbug with Podspray for water amplification. Also included are Helio and Luna from Explora, a collection that engages children to move, push, pull, spin and splash, a misting Spray Loop and ground sprays galore! There is also an accessible activation bollard, enabling everyone to start the flow.

Councillor Linda Erskine, Fife Council spokesperson for Communities, said: “The new design reflects the community’s wish for a fun, inclusive space with maximum play value.”

Westminster ball courts brought back to life

Two ageing ball courts in Westminster – at Churchill Gardens Estate and Church Street – are getting a new lease of life this autumn, thanks to an ambitious refurbishment project led by Play Innovation.

Work began in mid-August and the sites will soon showcase Play Innovation’s signature family-inclusive games, including Street Snooker X, Corner Skills, and the vibrant Funky Hype Multi Goals. The games have been designed to get children, young people, and families moving together in fun, creative ways.

The upgrades also include the installation of a new playing surface, Matchplay 2 – a durable, synthetic sports surface by Playrite – new fencing, floodlighting and roof netting to ensure safe, year-round play.

Marco Boi, founder of Play Innovation, said: “We have been working very closely with the team at Westminster and ensured taking a holistic approach to the entire project before even putting a spade in the ground.

Andover’s Vigo Wild Park becomes community hub

Play specialist, Kompan, has helped transform a once-underused space into a vibrant, wildlife inspired adventure playground that has become a community destination for families across Andover. The new play environment is more than just a collection of play equipment – it’s an immersive experience designed to engage children’s imagination, promote physical activity, and strengthen connections to the natural world.

The original play area was outdated, uninviting and had suffered from persistent antisocial behaviour. Feedback from the local community highlighted strong interest in a wildlife-themed play area, with vibrant colours, natural materials, and features catering to a wide age range. Importantly, children were also invited to draw their visions for a ‘dream park’, many of which inspired key design elements. From this process, Kompan were selected from six competing suppliers to bring the vision to life.

The new Wild Park play area features an animal-themed design, complete with thrilling slides, swings, wheelchair-accessible trampolines, role play zones, and a spectacular rope climbing dome. It’s been created with accessibility at its heart, ensuring children of all abilities can enjoy the space together.

The project was led by Test Valley Borough Council. Leader of the Council, Councillor Phil North, said: “The new park looks amazing, and I’m really pleased that the designs were been shaped by our residents and user groups. We’re very sorry to residents about the delayed opening, unfortunately it was out of our control, but we’ve been working hard to get it open as soon as possible.

“Vigo Park is well loved and well used, but our residents told us they wanted an inviting play area for their children to enjoy – and I’m delighted that we have been able to deliver on that.”

Sutcliffe upgrades park fit for little kings

Stirling’s Kings Park is a popular outdoor destination park which offers fantastic leisure and play opportunities for families with younger children. By early 2025, however, an upgrade to its play space was required and Sutcliffe Play collaborated with Stirling Council to make it happen.

The project differed from Sutcliffe’s usual installations, incorporating only a single massive tower system across the entire space. The company also considered the project’s environmental impact and retained the three existing slides, while also ensuring the new unit was to be constructed from FSC-certified natural timber logs.

The towering multi-play system incorporates many differing features, levels and access points, bringing fun for children of all ages and abilities. Inside, visitors will find a scramble rope bridge, a timber bridge and a cluster bridge, as well as a centrepiece roofed tower. The unit’s layout also offers an incremental increase in difficulty from east to west.

James Aikman, Projects Officer for Stirling Council, said: “Sutcliffe Play worked collaboratively with the council to design and install a fantastic bespoke tower system. They were attentive to our needs at every stage, and we’re delighted that they’ve given Kings Park the fun and fresh new fort that it deserves.”

Accessible play park opens in Coffee Hall

Milton Keynes City Council has upgraded the play park at Coffee Hall, creating a fresh and inclusive space for children and families to enjoy. In partnership with Woughton Community Council, Milton Keynes City Council has installed an accessible roundabout, trampoline, see-saw, sensory huts, wide slides and sculptures all designed to be fully accessible.

The park, designed in consultation with parents and carers of children with disabilities, officially opened on 1 November and is fully fenced making it a safe space for children with extra needs to explore safety.

It’s one of many improvements the City Council is making to selected play areas. Last year, it set aside £250,000 to upgrade play parks that need extra attention, upgrading facilities to keep them safe and exciting spaces for children to enjoy. Over the past year, the City Council has opened and refreshed several play areas, including the Whirly Pits in Olney and a King’s Coronation themed park in Crownhill.

With 466 play areas across the city – equating to one for every 255 children – Milton Keynes has one of the highest levels of play provision in the country.