Winchester civic chiefs set to grass over playgrounds (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Winchester civic chiefs set to grass over playgrounds

5:09pm Thursday 22nd September 2011 in Bishop's Waltham By Emma Streatfield

PLANS to grass over under-used parish playgrounds to help save £50,000 a year look set to go ahead.

Winchester City Council cabinet has backed a proposal to remove play equipment from three sites and convert them back to green space.

The play areas, at Godfrey Pink Way, in Bishop’s Waltham, Provene Gardens, in Waltham Chase and The Hallway, in Littleton, were among five play areas under consideration.

The council had approached each of the parish councils to see if they wanted to take the playground on and manage them.

Kings Worthy Parish Council has agreed to take on a play area at Fryers Close and Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council one on Blanchard Road, providing the basketball area is removed.

The Provene Gardens site will be grassed over but Shedfield Parish Council will manage it with a possible new play area in mind.

For full story and reaction, see this week’s Hampshire Chronicle.