A NEW play area in one of the borough's most popular parks has finally opened.

The £495,000 revamp of the facilities in War Memorial Park, which was due to be completed in April, has finally been complete.

The full scheme included a new pump track, skate park and parkour area, with the £155,000 upgrade to the play area completing the scheme. 

The new, larger park now provides separate toddler and junior play spaces, connected by an all weather surfaced path.

Basingstoke council had been criticised by parents after the park was not open in time for the school summer holidays, with Labour leader Cllr Andy McCormick adding that it was "very disappointing".

He told The Gazette last week: “I can only think that there may have been some knock-on effects either with the pandemic itself, or lack of lorry drivers for materials, exacerbated by Brexit. But it would have been good to have had some explanation.

“One of the things we need to keep on about is project management at the council. If we can’t even get the half-a-million-pound projects right and on time, what hope is there for the five, six million pound projects, or Manydown.”

Cllr McCormick added that he has been trying for years to get new play areas in his ward of Brighton Hill and described the process as “like banging your head on a brick wall”.

“This council really doesn’t have a good track record on play areas,” he said.

“There were opportunities that came out of the pandemic, with people spending more time outdoors, and I would like to see better play areas and more of them in Brighton Hill.”

Speaking to The Gazette about why the park works ran over by so long, BDBC's cabinet member for the natural environment, Cllr Mark Ruffell, previously said: “Improvement works at the War Memorial Park play area began in March 2021, following a public consultation to identify ideas for a new and larger play area. The works were originally due to be completed at the end of April 2021, but due to installation team delays, a revised completion date of July 2021 was agreed.

“This week, the final snagging issues are being resolved, and inspections are taking place. The area will then open as soon as they have been completed satisfactorily.”

Cllr Ruffell added: “The safety of the children in our borough is our highest priority and therefore it is important that residents do not use the equipment until the fencing is removed and the play area is ready to be used.”