Facelift for park after seven-year campaign

FAMILIES have welcomed a proposed £150,000 overhaul of a community park – despite it being seven years late.

Richmond Street Park in Penkhull will be decked out with a new play area for younger children along with a multi-goal sports system.

As well as a new slide and swings, the park's downtrodden football pitch is also to be spruced up with the goal posts earmarked for refurbishment.

Minor alterations to the current path network and additional planting is also included in the plans.

The proposal represents the climax of a long-running fight by families in the area who recently presented an 830-signature petition to Stoke-on-Trent City Council demanding the improvements.

Councillors were quizzed earlier this month on why residents had been forced to wait so long.

Mum-of-two Louise Weldon, from Princes Road, kick-started the petition after the authority dragged its feet on the project.

She said: "At the moment people are going out in their cars to take their children somewhere, which is such a shame as we have this park literally on our doorstep.

"It's fantastic news that it now looks like finally happening."

A similar planning application was rubber stamped back in 2008 but no work ever began.

Louise's daughter Evelyn, aged 13, a pupil at St Peter's High School in Penkhull, said: "They were going to do it up before and I was disappointed when nothing happened.

"This time I hope the council does what they say they will."

Samantha Boulton, aged 41, from Princes Road, has two children. She said: "It's fantastic news and I think Louise has done a cracking job getting this going. The improvements are perfect for what we need."

Currently the park has a zip wire, two lots of goalposts and a small hard-surfaced area for football or basketball.

Chairman of Penkhull Residents' Association, Richard Talbot said: "It has been an extremely long process to get to this point and people nearly gave up hope."

The council managed to secure a chunk of the funding for the project from the Play England scheme.

Councillor John Daniels, cabinet member for housing, environment and neighbourhood services, said: "The improvements to the park have been planned for some time, but since we have had access to external funding we have been able to improve the proposals."

Councillors will meet on Wednesday, where they are expected to approve the plans.