FAMILIES said they do not feel safe using a play area in Basingstoke which is set to be refurbished.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has consulted with residents on its plans to refurbish the play area at the Lime Pits.

The results of the consultation have now been published online and show that 34.9 per cent of respondents said they do not use the park because they do not feel safe there.

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A total of 44.2 per cent of those who took part in the consultation said the current play area is boring and 51.2 per cent said they do not use it because it is not attractive.

Other reasons given for not visiting the Lime Pits included that the area has a reputation for anti-social behaviour and is dirty and dangerous.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is planning to create a new, modern and inclusive play space at the Lime Pits to “meet the needs of a wide range of visitors”.

However, it said that because of the nature of the site, sand and water play will not be possible, while toilets and catering facilities are not included as part of the project.

It said the response from the community will be used to “inform designs for the new play spaces”.

However, the last time the borough council consulted the public on plans to refurbish a major Basingstoke park, respondents complained that their views were not listened to.

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The £495,000 revamp of the War Memorial play area was met with criticism from families who were unimpressed and disappointed when it opened in August 2021, describing it as ‘boring’.

There were divided views when it came to responses to the Lime Pits consultation, with 41.9 per cent saying they would like the new play area to be subtle and natural coloured, and 49 per cent wanting a mixture of bright and more subtle equipment.

A total of 69.7 per cent of respondents said they would like a fenced toddler and junior area with an open area for teenagers, while 29.2 per cent said they would like the entire area to be unfenced.

More than 80 per cent of respondents said they would prefer a rubber safety surface to have a naturalistic and muted appearance compared to 19 per cent who preferred a brightly coloured appearance.

Respondents were divided almost 50/50 over whether they wanted the play area to have a theme.

The most popular choice for a theme was Lime Pits and Basing Fen Wildlife and Nature.

Other suggestions included having a train theme.

Those who took part in the consultation were keen to see play features such as boulders and logs, with 93.1 per cent saying ‘yes’ to including these.

The three most popular equipment for a toddler and junior play area were climbing, swings and slides.

While the top three equipment for a teenage area were climbing, swinging and hanging.

However, the questionnaire did not offer respondents the option of selecting specific, more imaginative equipment such as a train, which was one of the criticisms of the council for in its design of the Memorial Park play area.

Of those who took part in the consultation, the majority - 77 per cent - were female with 48 per cent aged 35 to 44.

A total of 90.5 per cent of respondents considered themselves as belonging to the white ethnic group.

The borough council will now use the consultation responses to inform the design for the new play space.