‘Play Area’ On Harborough Estate Branded ‘A Joke’

A children’s play area on a Market Harborough housing estate has been described as a ‘joke’ as it consists only of a pile of nine logs.

Residents of Ashton Rise off Lubenham Hill say they never see any youngsters in the fenced-off area and were expecting much more play equipment to be installed.

Pic: John Lewis

Residents pay a fee for the upkeep of the open spaces on the estate, as they are not maintained by the council.

A sign at the entrance to the area states it is for children aged 5 – 12, but developers say this is an error.

John Lewis lives close-by and shared a video of it on social media platform Tik Tok, which has been viewed over 200,000 times and led to hundreds of comments, with some calling it ‘Britain’s worst play area’.

John spoke to HFM:

Pic: John Lewis

Linden Homes say the ‘toddler log stack and open space’ is to compliment a main play area elsewhere on the estate, which has a wide range of equipment.

They add there is an error in the sign at the entrance which states the area is for age range 5-12, when it is aimed at much younger children.

A spokesperson said: “There is a main play area at the development with a wide range of equipment.

“The toddler log stack and open space is in a different part of the development to complement the main area and is designed for younger children.”

Leader of Harborough District Council, Cllr Phil Knowles, is asking council officers to look into the matter, as developers have to provide details of open spaces to be included in new housing developments.

Pic: John Lewis