CASE STUDY Theme parks & Brixworth Country Park, visitor centres Northampton

‘Countryside for All’ Park picks KOMPAN playground

Brixworth Country Park is an award winning national demonstration ‘Countryside for All’ centre run by Northamptonshire County Council. As such, the facilities and services at the park have been developed with access for the disabled particularly in mind. So when funding became available to improve play provision at the park, the Council and local agencies were keen to ensure that the planned new adventure playground met their high standards for accessibility as well as offering more activities for children. Following rigorous consultation, the park now boasts an exciting inclusive playground, designed and installed by KOMPAN.

Brixworth, Northamptonshire’s newest country park, Parks Officer, explains, "Because of the very accessible comprises some 36 acres of small pockets of woodland facilities here, we get a lot of groups visiting from day and gently rolling meadows overlooking Pitsford Water, care centres and special schools in addition to families a Site of Special Scientific Interest and haven for a wide and individuals coming for a day out." variety of bird life. Over 420,000 visitors visit the park each year, of which the Council estimates that between Since it opened in the mid 1990’s, the park has been 5 and 10% are disabled – a high percentage for a managed to cater for the disabled. It has been countryside amenity. As Richard Clough, the County’s developed steadily to improve the facilities for all ages and ensure that the site remains as accessible as possible. The overall park layout, buildings, paths, seating, signage and facilities all comply with BT Countryside For All access guidelines. In addition to the new children’s adventure playground, another recent development is a sensory garden, where plants have been chosen for their smell and feel as well as visual appeal.

For the new playground project, the Council made a successful application for Lottery funding through the Millennium Commission. Overall, there was a £110,000 budget for the playground, including £49,000 from the Lottery. The Countryside Access Officer, Freddie d’Souza, and Richard Clough met with As representatives from various special schools, teachers well as the and parents of children with special needs to get their public consultation, Northamptonshire County Council input before starting the tender and selection process. considered the shortlisted design proposals against their "Making contact with these groups, particularly talking to brief. "The KOMPAN scheme came out on top on our the children and parents, ensured that we knew from the assessments," says Richard. "It met our brief in terms of outset what people wanted to see in a play area," says the play content, accessibility requirements and a design Richard Clough. that was in sympathy with the surroundings. We felt KOMPAN’s design made best use of the site and gave A very comprehensive brief was developed by the us a top class playground for our budget. But, above Northamptonshire’s Countryside Service Team, setting all, it gave people what they really wanted in the park." out accessibility requirements and the type of equipment envisaged for the site. Because Brixworth is a The playground is situated in an attractive site Countryside for All demonstration site, the Team were overlooking Pitsford Water. It is designed to cater for clear that they needed a playground that all children pre-school, primary school and young teenage children could use and enjoy, whatever their level of who make up the bulk of child visitors. Built on two ability. Equally, as it is an activity-based levels, it uses a wide variety of KOMPAN equipment park with cycling and trails, they from the GALAXY, ELEMENTS and MOMENTS ranges. A wanted a design that would allow MOMENTS slide and embankment climber have been children to be energetic. installed on the natural slope that links the areas for younger and older children, while a semicircular path Richard Clough initially provides easy wheelchair access between the two halves contacted KOMPAN about of the playground. One of the highlights of the junior the playground project after area is a large cableway, deliberately set on the lowest attending one of the part of the site so as not to intrude on the surroundings. company’s seminars on The pre-school part of the playground is designed accessible play. KOMPAN, around a circular mound that was already on the site. along with a number of other As well as forming an unusual feature, it offers a natural manufacturers and suppliers, informal seating area around the edge of the play area. were invited to submit design proposals for the site. From "The playground is a great addition to the amenities at these, several schemes were Brixworth," says Richard. "All the feedback is that shortlisted and displayed at the children really enjoy it. I’m confident that the Brixworth Park Visitors’ Centre to give the playground will be something that children want to public an opportunity to express their views. In return to again and again, either with their families or as addition, the plans were taken out to interested people organised groups. We have achieved our aim of who could not visit the park, keeping them fully involved improving the park in a way that is both fun and in the project. "KOMPAN’s scheme was a clear winner accessible." with our visitors," says Richard. "It offered something different with a refreshing and innovative feel. There is far more to the scheme than the traditional swing, slide and climbing frame approach."

KOMPAN Limited 20 Denbigh Hall, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK3 7QT Tel 01908 642466 Fax 01908 270137 [email protected] www.KOMPAN.com Bri 1