£228,000 boost for South Norfolk play areas

The funding includes £134,365 from the Council’s 2025/26 Play Area Programme of Works, alongside a £94,860 grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This investment forms part of the Council’s wider commitment to improving residents’ health, wellbeing and quality of life.

South Norfolk Council’s Cabinet Member for Health & Leisure, Cllr Kim Carsok, said:

This programme is a fantastic opportunity to support the health and happiness of families across South Norfolk. By upgrading our play areas, we’re not only encouraging children to be active and imaginative, but also creating welcoming spaces where communities can come together. These improvements will make a real difference to local families and reflect our ongoing commitment to investing in places that matter to our residents.

The benefits of high-quality play spaces are well documented. A 2022 report by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport found a 72% increase in local engagement following facility upgrades. Meanwhile, Fields in Trust (2023) estimates that every £1 invested in parks and play areas delivers £4.50 in social and economic value.

South Norfolk Council manages 59 play areas, all of which are regularly inspected in line with Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) standards.

This latest programme will focus on ten priority sites identified as most in need of refurbishment:

• Knyvett Green, Ashwelthorpe • Ensign Way, Diss (Mission Road) • Filbert Road, Loddon • Gunton Road, Loddon • Whispering Oaks/Greenland Avenue, Wymondham • Chestnut Road, Tasburgh • Ullswater Drive, Hethersett • Admirals Way, Hethersett • Appletree Lane, Roydon • Hudson Avenue, Trowse Each site will receive tailored improvements based on current provision and community needs. Planned upgrades include the replacement of outdated equipment, installation of inclusive and accessible play features, and enhancements to surfacing, pathways, and seating.

This programme builds on the success of previous Pride in Place projects, such as Runhall Recreation Ground, where a £25,000 grant helped deliver a new multi-play climber, accessible roundabout, and safety matting; and Deopham Play Area, which received over £13,000 in funding to add new swings, a climbing frame, and improved surfacing.

The Council recently invested £21,000 to enhance the play equipment at Muir Drive in Hingham and £25,626 to revitalise the play area at Williams Close in Wymondham - transforming these tired spaces into vibrant, welcoming environments where children can play, explore, and enjoy themselves.

Recently the Council also announced a £200,000 investment, alongside the Greater Norwich Growth Board, to redevelop Rothbury Park in Wymondham and supported enhancements to two play areas in Hingham through its Community Action Fund.

Cllr Carsok added: “This investment marks another step in our mission to create vibrant, healthy, and connected communities. By revitalising these play areas, we are ensuring that children across the district have access to safe, fun and active outdoor spaces for years to come.”