To: The Editor

Ref: Play Areas at Chilton Avenue and Eleanor Drive.

We refer to your recent reports relating to Play Areas at both Chilton Avenue and Eleanor Drive. We are particularly interested, due to the proposal by Swale Borough Council to install a similar equipped play area in the centre of our development, currently a public open space and used as a play area.

A high number of residents belong to our Association and it is felt this area already serves the community as a place where children can play, with no wish to stop that activity. Recently, all residents were provided with a balanced listing of the positive and negative aspects of any proposed equipped play area and a questionnaire to provide their views for or against the proposal. The high response provided a considerable majority to oppose equipping the area. Primarily, on the grounds it would attract unwelcome elements to the area, promoting the prospect for vandalism and litter, as well as being an eyesore. Apart from confirming our fears on these issues, your reports cause us further concern.

As a relatively new development, this proposal is adequately funded by a levy on the builder by Swale Borough Council in the cost of the house purchase price paid by the resident. Your reports suggest Swale Borough Council seem to struggle to maintain existing play areas under their control. How will they cope with the burden of additional facilities? How long before we suffer the same fate as the residents of Chilton Avenue when the existing funds run dry? By their own admission the Council suffer administrative problems, in addition to a lack of funding.

This situation is even more absurd given the fact that this area is adequately served by 2 existing facilities of the type being imposed upon us. Namely, Grove Park on the A2, which is less than 5 minutes walk away and has a well equipped play area. There is also an equipped play area in the park at Borden, approximately 10 minutes away.

Prior to our questionnaire, we engaged in some preliminary discussions with Alan Ashton (Park and Children’s Play Officer) of Swale Borough Council. He is extremely dismissive of the results of our poll and the views of the people in this community. We quote from his written response. "I need to provide a design brief for the play companies to work to. Residents currently have the opportunity to have an input in this. Residents have a say in the types of equipment but the location, classification of the play area and the non installation of the play area is non negotiable."

We had hoped that we would be able to have a broad discussion, taking into consideration the views of the residents and the alternatives to an equipped play area. We believe the position of Swale Borough Council treating any play area, as a "non-negotiable" issue is not a positive starting point for any future discussions, nor is it a democratic process.

We are not suggesting the money levied from the builder should not be spent. However, it would be far more beneficial to spend this money on something the residents want by supporting the activities already prevalent at this location. Perhaps, consideration could be given for a donation towards Chilton Avenue, as well as looking to improve and sustain the 2 existing play areas that already serve the residents and the wider community. Surely, these are better options to building an unwanted, excessive triplication of a facility to maintain (possibly badly) at the future expense of and burden to the Council Tax Payer. We hope Swale Borough Council is listening.

Mark Ransom – Secretary
Borden Meadowlands Residents Association