Context

Over 95% of respondents to Arun District Council's public consultation wanted a new play facility to be built in Bognor Regis that could cater for a range of abilities and ages.

The Council selected Kompan Ltd, an award-winning playground solutions provider to design and build a new play area.

The playground was designed to encourage children to ‘play, learn and imagine’ and features a sea creatures theme; the choice made by local residents during the consultation. Playground equipment includes playhouses such as the Wizards Hideaway, sand cranes, a wet pour octopus mound, a double tower bridge, swings, a roundabout and mini zip wire. It also includes seating and equipment designed for those with disabilities.

Naturally, the play area needed boundary fencing to ensure children were kept safe and secure while having fun, and parents could keep an eye on their children without interfering.

Solution

Jacksons supplied 108m of Playtime® Timber fencing to create a boundary around the perimeter of the playground, creating a defined area for the children to play in.

Playtime® fencing and gates are perfectly suited for use at playgrounds, nurseries (pre-schools) and primary schools as it creates safe precincts without making people feel isolated.

Kompan Ltd also installed two matching single-leaf, self-closing gates with soft-closing hinges. The gates are designed to close automatically, quietly and in a controlled way to reduce the risk of injury, dogs getting into the play area and of course, children wandering out of the safety of the enclosure to the nearby main road and the sea.

Playtime® Timber fencing is a RoSPA-approved, anti-trap design and its sturdy construction means that it’s not only vandal-proof, but child-friendly too.

All timber used in the construction of Playtime® fencing and gates undergoes Jacksons' Jakcure treatment process which protects the wood against rot and insect attack, while the smooth finish means there is minimal risk of splinters.

Playtime® is covered by Jacksons' 25-year guarantee which means that many of the children using the playground today will be bringing their own children there to play in the future.

Outcome

Children in Bognor Regis have been enjoying a new, free-to-use seafront play area that opened in Spring 2017.

Councillor Phil Hitchins, Chairman of the Bognor Regis regeneration sub-committee, said: “I believe that the designs truly reflect what families want to see on the seafront, which is a modern, exciting play area that young people will really enjoy and want to visit over and over again.”