More than £400,000 raised from new housing developments to be spent on play area improvements

A football pitch, car park, toilets and changing rooms are all set to be improved at Jubilee Playing Field in Great Haywood, while new play facilities will be installed at the park in the St Mary’s area of Little Haywood.

Senior councillors at Stafford Borough Council gave the green light for the spending of just over £419,000 at their meeting on Thursday.

The funds were raised as part of planning approval conditions for developments across Great Haywood and Little Haywood in Stafford over the past decade.

Councillor Gillian Pardesi, cabinet member for leisure, said that officers had already been meeting with local councillors and members of Colwich Parish Council.

She added: “I’m pleased that we will be able to provide significant funds to enhance two parks, in Little and Great Haywood, which will benefit youngsters and families for years to come.

“The council has a good track record of delivering excellent play facilities in the borough and I expect this will be no exception.

"Having great parks not only improves the aesthetics of an area – it also helps improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.”

A report to Thursday’s council meeting said the projects were identified as priorities for the area in the Colwich Neighbourhood Plan and a residents’ survey conducted in 2021.

It added: “The St Mary’s Open Space project relates to the play area at St Mary’s which was last refurbished in 2002.

"The area is worn and in need of a complete refurbishment as items of equipment have been removed over the last few years and not replaced.

“Jubilee Playing Field Football Pitch and Track project will provide one or more football pitches for use by multiple age groups on the field and extend the existing access track to nearer the field to aid unhindered vehicular access for ambulances.

"The toilets and changing room project objective is to develop the existing changing facilities to support the usage of the football pitch, to provide suitable and secure toilet facilities and to provide other supporting facilities for community events at the site.

“The objective of the car park and drainage project is to provide a suitable drainage system and surface to meet current needs and the increased usage from the upgraded football pitch.

"The project will also look at providing an electrical power distribution cabinet and floodlighting to support community events and electric vehicle charging point(s).”