Braintree District Council has installed a new play area at Mill Park Drive in Braintree.
Using Section 106 funding of just under £146,000 from the Mill Park Drive development, the council has been able to invest in installing a new play area using a specialised play equipment contractor, KOMPAN.
Following a public consultation, the design for the play area was chosen by a public vote conducted in September 2023 with a 71% majority in favour of one of the designs submitted.
The inclusive play area is suitable for users up to 14 years of age and the facilities include a wheelchair accessible roundabout, a variety of swings suitable for different ages, a surface trampoline and sensory enrichment panels.
It is also easily accessed by the lit pedestrian and cycle path that runs through the park.
Section 106 agreements are a type of planning obligation and legal agreement between local planning authorities and developers attached to planning permission to secure financial contributions or works from developers towards new or improved facilities.
Councillor Gabrielle Spray, Cabinet Member for Planning at Braintree District Council, said: “This project has transformed an area of open space in the existing park into a new focal point to embrace and we hope that residents and children make the most of the new facilities as well as benefiting from being out in the fresh air.
“This is another example of how Section 106 funding secured through housing developments can benefit local communities.”