NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL REPORT To: COATBRIDGE LOCAL AREA Subject: PLAY AREAS IN COATBRIDGE PARTNERSHIP From: HEAD OF COMMUNITY INFORMATION & LEARNING Date: 7 September 2008 Ref: LMCMISM 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide the Coatbridge Local Area Partnership with a report on firstly Council owned play areas, and secondly play areas located in private housing developments in the Coatbridge area. This report has been prepared as a result of a request made for this information at a meeting of the Coatbridge Local Area Partnership Committee held on 12thAugust 2008. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 The Coatbridge Area Committee is asked to note the content of this report and that further details on play area located in private housing developments will be reported to the partnership when available. Members seeking further information on the content of this report are asked to contact: Jillian Ferrie, Creative Services Manager on 0141 304 1957 Lizanne McMurrich, Head of Community Information & Learning on 0141 304 1820 C:\Docurnents and Settings\DysartL\LocalSettings\Temporary lnternet Files\OLKJO\CouncilPlay Area report.doc PLAY AREAS IN COATBRIDGE NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL: LEARNING & LEISURE SERVICES Report by Head of Community Information & Learning INTRODUCTION The purpose of this report is to provide the Coatbridge Local Area Partnership with a report on firstly Council owned play areas, and secondly play areas located in private housing developments in the Coatbridge area. This report has been prepared as a result of a request made for this information at a meeting of the Coatbridge Local Area Partnership Committee held on 12‘h August 2008. BACKGROUND A report to the Scrutiny Panel - Service Delivery and Performance on 25 August 2005 outlined firstly the progress on play area development at that time and secondly the Council’s strategy for the upgrading and maintenance of play areas. It concluded that there remained a requirement for considerable and long term capital investment in play area provision and the need for a rolling programme to replace play areas due to the 10 to 15 year lifespan of play equipment. The report highlighted that the Council’s capital budget allocation is augmented by contributions from housing developers in lieu of play provision within their development and also community play area developments, which attract external funding. The partnership is advised that an independent play area inspection is carried out annually as part of the play area inspection regime recommended in BSEN 1176, the Safety Standard for play areas. The most recent report to council on the independent annual play area inspections was to the Learning and Leisure Services Committee on 6 May 2008. The committee approved the continued removal of poor quality play areas, which do not meet the current European Safety Standards, for health and safety reasons and to release revenue to maintain new and upgraded play areas. The report highlighted 31 play areas for removal with 3 of these play areas being replaced. Four of the play areas for removal were in the Coatbridge area and one of these is being replaced. The Marnoch Drive play area in Glenboig is being replaced through a partnership with Glenboig Village Park Community Play Area Group to develop a major play facility at the site of the old play area. The Council’s Learning & Leisure Services is using the contributions given by housing developers in lieu of play provision within their developments, which are close to the Village Park, as the Council’s contribution to the replacement of the play area. The council currently invests f160,OOO per year in a major play area development at an existing leisure development. The upgrading of the Interplay play area at Drumpellier Country Park is being investigated as the next major development following the construction of a new play area at Palacerigg Country Park this year. The funding from housing developer’s contributions and the Local Development Fund (previously Community Regeneration Fund), as well as funding from external grant making bodies to community group, greatly outweighs the investment by the Council through the capital allocation directly to play area developments. C:\Documents and Settings\DysartL\LocalSettings\Temporary lnternet Files\OLK30\Council Play Area report.doc 3. C0 N S ID ERAT1 0 N S 3.1 Plav Areas in The Coatbridae Area 3.1.I A full list of all Council maintained play areas is contained in appendix 1 of this report. This list includes the community play areas at Kirkshaws and Interplay in Drumpellier Country Park, which are maintained by the council. Appendix 1 also contains information on the play areas that have been scheduled for removal (Category C), which will be taken out in the near future. It also shows the play areas and multi use games areas (MUGAs) that have been installed in recent years. The play areas that are now in a poor condition and in need of upgrading or replacement are shown as category B. 3.1.2 The adding of data on play areas on to the new Localview lntranet GIS mapping system has just started and the location of council play areas will be available shortly as a new data layer on this system. Currently there is no definitive list of play areas in private housing developments. The council’s play services team are working with planners in development control to identify all of the play area that have been installed in private housing developments in recent years. Work has started on the Coatbridge area as a priority. This information will also be added into the GIS mapping system with the longer-term aim of having this data available the public to allow them to find their local play areas. Details of the ownership of the play areas will also be available on this system. 3.1.3 A list of all of the play areas in private housing developments will be reported to the partnership as soon as it is available. 3.2 The Role of the Council’s Plav Services Team in Private Housing Development Plav Provision 3.2.1 The council’s play services team located in Learning & Leisure services, advise development control on the play provision for new housing developments, in line with the council’s open space guidelines for housing developers. The developer submits a play area proposal to development control in planning and development services and play services comment on the suitability of this, including the play area location, size, age range, equipment and design. The final decision lies with the planning and transportation committee. 3.2.2 In recent years there has been a move to accept a contribution to the upgrading of off site, council owned play provision in lieu of play provision within the development. This contribution is set at f500 per house and E250 per flat through custom and practice. It has not increased since it was set about five years ago. This option is only possible where there is local council play provision and a safe route to it from the new development. 4 RECOMMENDATIONS 4.1 The Coatbridge Local Area partnership is asked to note the content of this report and that further details on play area in private developments will be reported to the partnership when available. C:\Documents and Settings\DysartL\Local Settings\Temporary lnternet Files\OLK30\Council Play Area report.doc Appendix 1 COUNCIL MAINTAINED PLAY AREAS IN COATBRIDGE LOCAL AREA PARTNERSHIP AREA PLAY AREA CATEGORTY PLAY AREA LOCAL AREA (A) WARD CODE LOCAL NAME STREET AREA PARTNERSHIP Notes A 6 PA87 Alston Avenue Alston Avenue Greenhill Coatbridge A 6 PA98 Dunbeth Park Dunbeth Park Dunbeth Coatbridge A 6 PA97 Dunbeth Court Dunbeth Court Cliftonville Coatbridge A 9 PA124 Queens Crescent 2 Queens Crescent Bargeddie Coatbridge A 10 PA290 Kirkshaws Safe Play Scarhill Street Kirkshaws Coatbridge Built 1998 A 10 PA323 Shawhead Sidlaw Court Shawhead Coatbridge Built April 2008 A 10 PA120 Whifflet 3 Whifflet Park Whifflet Coatbridge MUGA 10 PA297 Community Centre Sikeside Paddock Street Sikeside Coatbridge MUGA ONLY MUGA 9 PA322 Souterhouse Park Culzean Avenue Cuperhead Coatbridge MUGA 2007 B 6 PA121 Annathill Annathill Annathill Coatbridge ~-~B 6 PAI26 Glenboig Road Glenboig Road Glenboig Coatbridge B 6 PA127 Marnoch Drive Marnoch Drive Glenboig Coatbridge Replacement Planned for 2008/09 C 6 PA111 Melrose Place Melrose Place Blairpark Coatbridge For removal Autunm 2008 C 10 PAI 13 North Bute Street Bute Street Whifflet Coatbridge For removal Autumn 2008 C 10 PA90 Bute Street Bute Street Whifflet Coatbridge For removal Autumn 2008 Notes: Category A play area has safer surfacing and dog proofing MUGA - Multi Use Games Area Caterory B play area - in need of upgrading Autumn removals already approved at full Council Category C play area - needs to be removed .