Green Apple Award for Rutland Road Play Area

The project to provide a play area at Rutland Road in Christchurch has been recognised with a prestigious Green Apple Environment Award.

Christchurch Borough Council worked in partnership with Sovereign Twynham Housing Association and Rutland Road Allotment Association on the scheme to transform a run-down area of land into a site with a variety of equipment for children from the area to play in.

The project competed against more than 500 other nominations to win the Award in the national campaign to find Britain’s greenest companies, councils and communities.

The play area came about following representations from residents who wanted something constructive for children to do.

Consultation exercises were conducted by the Council to get the views of local children as to what they would like to see in the play area. Some design options were put forward which took into account the landscape and the neighbouring properties as well as the allotment holders on the land adjacent to the site.

A partnership was formed between the landowners – the Council and Sovereign Twynham Housing Association – along with the police, the residents’ association and the allotment association. A partnership bid was put forward by Christchurch Borough Council through Dorset County Council to the government’s Play Builder project and a grant of £49,999 was awarded.

The go-ahead for the project was given again in January 2011 with Sutcliffe Play South West acting as contractors. The play area was ready and opened in April 2011.

The site is a much more attractive part of the neighbourhood now as it has been naturalised with mounding and plantings. The play equipment is made from sustainable sources of timber.

Cllr Nick Geary opened the play area during his Mayoral year. Now portfolio holder for children and young people, Cllr Geary said: “To win a Green Apple Award for the Rutland Road play area is a great achievement. It recognises the fact that the project took account of the local environment when it was being planned and has now improved the area a great deal.
More …

“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the project who worked so well together to achieve a play area which has proved to be a big hit with local children.”

The awards will be presented at a ceremony in the House of Commons on 14 November.