£270,000 awarded to Blackburn with Darwen Council for three playgrounds

Blackburn with Darwen Council, as reported by The Shuttle, has been awarded £270,000 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to improve three playgrounds following a successful funding application.

The three sites named are Mill Hill Gardens, Altom Street Play Area and St Barnabas Play Area. According to the report, the playgrounds were selected following a consultation with residents, parents and children, with over 650 responses received.

Safety was a top priority in the consultation responses, alongside play equipment accessible to all children. There was also strong demand for traditional play equipment including swings, slides and climbing frames.

Each of the three playgrounds will receive £90,000 worth of investment. The report says it will not be possible to completely refurbish each play area, but the funding could include replacement of some of the older equipment, refurbishment of existing equipment and/or resurfacing.

Jim Casey, Executive Member for Environment and Communities, said: “This is welcome news for Blackburn with Darwen and for the communities local to the playgrounds.”

The article says the council has recently invested in play areas including Whitehall Park, Bold Venture and Blacksnape in Darwen, as well as Witton Park, Corporation Park, Roe Lee and Mitton Street in Blackburn. It also refers to the government Playground Fund as an £18 million scheme.

Works are due to start on site this year for two of the playgrounds, with work on the third scheduled for the 2027/28 financial year.

Source: Blackburn with Darwen Council / The Shuttle. Original announcement.