Maidenhead & Windsor

Three Maidenhead parks are in line for new investment to provide up-to-date equipment and facilities for the borough's young people – and local residents are being asked for their views about what they would like to see included in the plans.

Distribution of consultation letters to homes around Desborough Park, Laggan Field and Braywick will be carried out over a two-week period, which started on Saturday September 29. The consultations are also available on the Windsor and Maidenhead council's website www.rbwm.gov.uk Residents will have until Friday October 26 to express their views about the proposed improvements.

Thanks to Section 106 developer contributions and therefore at no cost to council taxpayers, Desborough – one of the borough's most popular parks – is in line for a new children's play area as well as the possible refurbishment of its two tennis courts. Letters are being delivered to more than 780 local homes to ask for views about the plans and giving residents the opportunity to help choose the kind of equipment they would like for the play area. A CCTV camera will also be installed to help increase safety for all park users.

Laggan Field, in the town's Riverside area, is well used by residents and around 700 consultation letters will be delivered, asking if they would like to have a new children's play area for three to eight-year-olds as well as a multi-use play area (MUPA) where older children and young people can enjoy sports like cricket, basketball and football. The scheme will be undertaken in phases and the play area could be completed by Easter 2008.

At Braywick Park, work continues on the existing 10-year Master Plan which will soon see work under way to pull down the old sports pavilion. The council wants to ask residents and park users what items of equipment they would like to see in the planned adventure playground for nine to 14-year-olds. More than 1,000 consultation letters will be delivered, outlining the proposal and giving local people the chance to influence the kind of facility they want to see in their local park. Given the agreement of residents, the new play area could be open next year.

Cllr Jesse Grey, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead leisure and culture, said: "The borough's parks and green spaces are outdoor community centres for many local areas and the council has an ongoing improvement programme that has already seen considerable upgrades and new facilities across the borough – many funded by developers' contributions and so at no cost to our council taxpayers.

"We are very keen to consult with residents and park users so that improvements meet their needs and provide new opportunities for enjoyable outdoor recreation. These three parks are the latest to benefit from the programme and I am looking forward to a good response from all three local communities so that when the new facilities are open for business they will be popular with the children who use them and approved of by older generations."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead