Council encourages contractor to help fund play area surface repairs

The council is working with the contractor who installed the ground surface at a play area which subsequently had to close, to help us fund repairs.

As part of a multi-million-pound investment in local playgrounds, the council spent £120,000 improving facilities at Middle Park in Whitehawk Way, only for concerns to be raised about parts of the newly installed safety surface flooring on the site.

The concerns were about excessive staining, which is not something usually seen in the industry after such a short length of time. As a result, the council closed the site in September 2023 – much to the disappointment of local residents.

The play area, which is hugely popular with families and young people in Whitehawk, has remained closed ever since and the council has been told repairs could cost in the region of £100,000.

The council does not believe this unexpected and additional cost, way above the original budget for the scheme, should be met by the local taxpayer and is asking Eibe Play Ltd, the company which installed the surface flooring to help fund the cost of replacing it.

Eibe and RTC Safety Surfacing, the provider and installer of the surfacing, have offered the council a number of options and discussions are ongoing.

Eibe Play Ltd are a valued contractor and we have worked together on a number of projects in recent years with some great results.

Our parks and play areas are a vital part of our communities and provide residents with somewhere free to spend time enjoying themselves and being active with friends and family. They have never been more vital than in the midst of this cost-of-living crisis.

The design for the refurbished play area at Middle Park was created in partnership with Parklife and the local community. It’s the largest and most-well used playground in the area.

With the summer holidays fast approaching and families desperate for somewhere nearby to spend time having fun outdoors, we’re discussing possible options and solutions with Eibe Play Ltd so the play area can be enjoyed again as soon as possible.