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Bid to transform trouble hotspot
MAJOR plans to transform an anti-social behaviour blackspot into a family-friendly space are being proposed.
Little Chalfont Parish Council agreed to apply for a bid for £50,000 worth of funding for a new play area for children aged eight to 13-years-old at Westwood Park. Currently a playground for young children is based at the site off Chenies Avenue.
Brian Drew, chairman of the parish council, said the revamp proposal came about after The Market Town Health Check had identified better facilities for young people were needed at the site.
Mr Drew said: "There is really nothing to do for children in the eight to 13 age group. We want to encourage children to use the park. It is under-used and it's a wonderful facility. We are trying to make it more family-suitable so that they can all find something to do.
"We hope to make it a really nice family area with picnic tables so people can come down and spend an afternoon there."
He added the council, which will have to find additional funds, expects to find out by around the end of April if the grant from Chiltern District Council's Playbuilders Fund has been successful.
The park has previously been plagued with problems. In March last year intruders dubbing themselves The Elizabeth Avenue Goonz broke into the pavilion and caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage. Continued graffiti, noise disturbances and intimidation to residents lead to a police crackdown.
In a separate project, work is set to begin shortly to convert one of the existing tennis courts into a 'multi-use games area' for young people. Funding for the £7,000 games area is in place and the parish council expect it to be open by April, in time for the Easter holidays.
Suggestions to provide a public toilet on site were also discussed by the council on Tuesday - but this has since been thrown into uncertainty following the news that Chiltern District Council is asking the parish council to take over responsibility for the public toilets at Snells Wood car park. Parish councillors said they needed more information before making a decision on the issue.
A consultation about plans for the play area is set to take place on Saturday, February 13 at the Village Hall in Cokes Lane between 9am and noon. Mr Drew added he would like young people and their parents to visit to provide suggestions on what they would like to see and to voice any concerns.
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