Context

Following a site survey, Sutcliffe Play developed a design for a compact and vibrant new play area at Meriden Park in Etchinghill, Kent, in line with Lyminge Parish Council’s brief.

Challenge

Meriden Park neighbourhood play space has always possessed great potential due to its prime location. Not only is it nestled at the very heart of the local community, it is also situated within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – but in recent times, it had fallen into disrepair. In late 2024, Sutcliffe Play took on the challenge of unlocking the space’s huge potential, and delivering a refreshed playground that the community could be proud of.

Solution

The company began by conducting a thorough site survey, before developing a design which corresponded to every aspect of Lyminge Parish Council’s brief. Having previously discussed the park’s refurbishment with the community, the Council had found that inclusive, accessible equipment for visitors of every ability level was highly desired, and the new space also needed to offer a renewed focus on imaginative and educational play.

Additional requirements included an engaging naturalistic aesthetic, to reflect the space’s surroundings, as well as a number of specific items including swings, a climbing frame with a slide, and a ground level trampoline and roundabout which would both be suitable for wheelchair users. Presented with these essential elements, Sutcliffe Play's team worked hard to incorporate all of them into its design.

The site demanded a great deal of preparation before equipment could be installed. Prior to the company's involvement, it had been closed to the public, as the existing items had become unusable. After swiftly removing these, a new combi-gate was installed, which could be opened far wider than the previous one, and would offer much more accessibility for those in wheelchairs or with buggies – quite literally broadening the new space’s appeal.

Meanwhile, colourful wet pour shapes, including leaves, a duck, a butterfly, bee and flower, as well as a 3D ladybird, were introduced, adorning the site’s new Playtop with Nike Grind wet pour surfacing. As well as meeting the specification of an aesthetically cohesive space, this surfacing also embeds an element of sustainability, as the Nike Grind is manufactured from recycled trainers.

Fun for all abilities

The most vital element of any play project is the equipment, and Sutcliffe Play worked hard to introduce an exciting mix of thrilling, inclusive items which would enthrall young visitors of all abilities from across Etchinghill and beyond.

One of the centrepiece items, the Baby Mammoth unit, is a naturalistic wooden climbing frame with a metal slide (meeting one of the Council’s key specifications). Its 6 play features promise fun for up to 10 users between 2 and 6 years old, and include low-level activity panels ideal for younger children (providing some of the desired imaginative and educational play elements), as well as steps and a rope bridge – both of which are sure to challenge more confident toddlers.

A ground level roundabout was another key requirement, and this is delivered with the Inclusive Seat and Skate Roundabout. With its inground, open design and non-slip features, it is able to accommodate a centrally positioned wheelchair, allowing children and carers to enjoy the spinning motion together. Its contrasting lime green colour edge also acts as a visual indicator for partially sighted users.

The focus on inclusivity continues with the Flower Springie, whose colourful HPL design corresponds with the space’s bright and vibrant aesthetic, while its floral theme matches the naturalistic surroundings. As well as bringing comfortable bouncing fun (with foot and heel rails to guide the feet into the best position), its open-fronted design enables easy access for children with many different levels of mobility. In addition, its rubber moulded seat includes an integral pommel and non-slip backrest, solidifying the unit’s safety and security.

Exceeding expectations

Other classic play experiences, including balancing, bouncing and crawling, are also well represented in the finished space. The standalone Orchard Play Tunnel comes in the form of an intimate crawl-through metal tunnel supported by wooden posts, and provides some exciting undercover exploration for toddlers, whilst a Four-Way-Seesaw is specifically constructed to accommodate parents and carers as well as children of many ability levels, with its generous handles enabling a secure grip. Close by, an in-ground, fully wheelchair-accessible trampoline meets another of the client’s key requirement, and enables children with more limited mobility to enjoy the same bouncing fun as their peers.

Elsewhere, two colourful, engaging play panels offer more opportunities for imaginative and educational play (as desired in the brief), and provide some added inclusivity. A spinning HPL Shape Shifter Flower panel displays six shapes which complement the wet pour floor graphics, creating the potential for a host of different games to stimulate children’s social, visual and cognitive development.

Meriden Park is one of the very first sites to feature the company's Communications Panel, designed for children who may find difficulty in verbal expression. Using an NHS-approved system of non-verbal communication, the panel features a grid of play-related symbols and phrases, which children can use to convey messages to their peers or parents / carers.

Finally, the Orchard Swing Frame, constructed from wooden beams, hosts two seats that are sure to inspire varied and memorable experiences. The colourful, comfortable rubber Pod Seat safely hugs the child as they use their body weight to pull the seat through the air, whilst the classic, ergonomic Bumper Seat enables a more traditional swinging experience.

Comments

Martin Wallace, Area Sales Manager for Sutcliffe Play, said: "I’m delighted to see this project come to fruition after many weeks of hard work, delivering a vibrant new play space full of fun for children of all abilities to enjoy. I look forward to seeing local families discover all of the new surprises we’ve brought to Meriden Park, and I know that they’ll make many lasting memories here.

"At the outset of this project, Meriden Park was closed to the public, overgrown, and its equipment was unusable by the community; following our work, it is now unrecognisable from its former self. We’re proud to have delivered a fun, thrilling, colourful and cohesive space full of play value, which not only meets all of our client’s requirements, but is also sure to delight the community with many treasured memories in the years to come."