Exciting plans revealed for Tamworth Castle Grounds this summer

Photograph of the Castle Grounds play area

Exciting plans to install a brand-new accessible and innovative play ground area this summer, suitable for children of all ages and abilities, has now gone out to tender.

The Castle Grounds play area will have a complete renovation, thanks to Tamworth Borough Council capital funding of £375,000 granted in 2020. Designs for the play area will incorporate three key areas aimed at three age groups – toddlers, children aged 3-6 years and an older age group of 7-14 years.

The plans will include an innovated play design, suitable for the surrounding area and accessible for all ages and abilities. The area will also include play equipment following equalities guidelines.

In addition to this, the Castle Grounds will feature some new picnic benches, relocated outdoor gym equipment including new additional activities and two table tennis tables, all due to be installed this spring and a resurfaced tennis court later this year.

Section 106 money of £120,000 and £5,000 council revenue fund, will be used to develop an all-weather type tennis court surface to provide multi-sport access and be available for hire all year round for sports including tennis, Five-a-side football and basketball. The plans will also include improvements to the access gates and external fencing and lighting.

Cllr John Chesworth, Cabinet member for Environment and Culture, said: “We are excited to see the plans for the brand-new Castle Grounds play area and look forward to getting a tender in place for work to begin within the next few months.

“The current play area is extremely popular with visitors and residents and has definitely seen better days. The time is right to renovate this space to make it modern and fit for purpose, while being accessible to children of all ages and abilities.

“The existing tennis court surface is in a poor condition and only suitable for tennis and has a limited life for use. The COVID19 pandemic has resulted in people requiring more high quality outdoor facilities for exercise and recreation.

“Therefore, this has highlighted the need to improve this outdoor sports space and open it to more sport activities and making it available to a wider sporting audience.”

“This funding will help ensure the Castle Grounds meets the expectations of modern audiences and make a safe and fun outdoor space attraction even more desirable.”