Residents will be consulted on plans to revamp a public open space labelled as the "saddest and dreariest" play area in the "whole" of Alsager.

Section 106 funding totalling £75,000 has come forward for development work on the Hassall Road Play Area. Around £12,000 of the funds has already been received with the remainder of the allocation to be released in phases.

ANSA have obtained quotes and draft designs for play equipment and these have previously been circulated to Alsager Town councillors.

Alsager Town Council suggested spending up to £35,000 from their capital reserves to fund additional work on site to provide all-age seating and communal areas.

Cllr Phil Williams, who is leading the project, has shown the plans to several residents and received a "positive response".

He suggested the plans could be reproduced on flyers and online as part of a public consultation response, with requests for feedback on the designs and any other options Alsager Town Council puts forward.

The proposed equipment could be installed within the existing section 106 budget of £75,000 and could form phase one of the development of the play area.

Any additional equipment or features could be paid for from ear-marked Alsager Town Council reserves or await a phase two stage using further section 106 or CIL funding.

The current budget of £75,000 would provide play equipment for predominantly younger children but would include the refurbishment of the existing basketball pitch. This would include new floor markings and back board.

Some play area items such as the fitness-trail, which includes stepping pods, climbing frames and monkey bars would be suitable for older age groups. The budget would not cover additional items such as seating, planting, a footpath around the site or fencing.

ANSA have recommended several options for robust benching, including the Clarendon range which are generally between £750 to £800 to supply, deliver, assemble and install onsite. There are also more bespoke options in the Gladson range which cost around £700 to £800 for supply only.

Speaking at last Tuesday's Alsager Town Council meeting of Planning, Environment and Community Committee, Cllr Phil Williams felt that having a fenced area fitted around the play equipment should be made a priority.

Cllr Sue Helliwell stated that through three planning applications within close proximity, Hassall Road Play Area should be receiving £121,354.33 in section 106 contributions from developers according to her calculations.

Cllr Helliwell said: "What I have an issue with is if we are going out for consultation to residents I do not think we should be discussing a fence or spending any money on any particular project until the residents tell us what they want."

Cllr Pauline Hubbard proposed that councillors agreed to allocate £35,000 towards the project subject to consultation with residents.

The site is currently barred to dog-walkers, and it is understood that this is the only public open space within Cheshire East with a dog-ban,

Cllr Williams stated in a report that "ANSA are keen to lift this ban but to ensure that the children's play area is fenced off to prevent dogs running onto it. Dog bins would be provided."

There is currently a lamp-post adjacent to the entrance, but additional low impacting lighting may be considered on the entrance gate itself and the currently closed secondary entrance further along Hassall Road.

There is an 'unofficial' gate onto the play area from Seddon's estate on the northern side and a path from the David Wilson Homes estate to the south ends at the fence.

Cllr Williams' report added: "These could be provided with official entrances and footpaths into the site for the benefit of residents.

"So far, David Wilson Homes have declined to put funds into the project on the grounds that they have already invested some £5.2 million into the Alsager Sports Hub and Everybody Leisure gym."

There is an ear-marked donation of £220 from the former Alsager Residents Action Group body (ARAG) for planting or other purposes in the west of the town. It was suggested that this goes towards planting or seating onsite.

Cllr Helliwell highlighted that the park falls within the Central Ward of Alsager.

Cllr Williams has had informal discussions with a number of residents and town councillors and received representation from a dog-walker, who is keen to ensure that dogs are allowed onto the site in a controlled and managed way with dogs kept away from the play equipment.

The key issues identified by Cllr Williams so far are:

- Very positive reactions to the section 106 funding coming forward as some residents felt this would not happen due to the time delay.

- A need to preserve the particular character of the site. It should retain a semi-rural atmosphere and not to feel 'corporate'.

- A need to ensure that there can be no changes to the curtilage of the site, so that it remains a public open space and not one which could be subject to infill by developers.

- Entrances should allow access to people with disabilities but not motorbikes. There have been issues with motorcyclists scrambling across the area in the past.

- It should have an inclusive and all-age feel. There are some concerns about youths congregating on the site, but an acceptance that this will happen and needs to be 'managed' and facilitated positively.

- Suggestions that Alsager High School and local guides and scout groups could be engaging in running and developing 'nature areas' (rather like the one at Dunnocksfold and Cranberry Academy).

- Seating areas to be arranged to connect with the play area and the basketball pitch.

- Possibly five-aside football pitch or a single goal, as previously provided on site.

- Any planting to be arranged to create a rustic feel, rather than small, formal beds. Could planting demarcate natural barriers and zones within the site or along the perimeter?

- A need for ongoing maintenance, not just grass-cutting with the possible establishment of a residents' or community management team with support from Alsager Town Council, Alsager Partnership, and other bodies. Could Alsager Town Council act as a facilitator for volunteers so that residents could form a group that takes 'ownership' of the site in a collaborative way.

Cllr Julian Goodrich stated that he had no problem supporting phase one if it was funded through external funding and a proper consultation which the public supported was carried out.

However, the Conservative councillor did not have an issue with the overall scheme, but he did feel it was the wrong time for the town council to be ear-marking any money for schemes.

Cllr Goodrich also felt there was a "major problem" consulting with residents who are not on social media due to Covid-19, and not being able to inform residents of the plans through the use of the library or the civic centre.

He added: "I think we have to put this on pause until the public can meet physically to see the plans, so that everyone of all age groups are included in the consultation."

Cllr Julia Hawkins highlighted that before she was elected as a councillor last year, Cllr Helliwell asked for £10,000 in match-funding for Wayside Linley Play Area, which she described was basically "laughed out the house".

Cllr Williams had "sympathy" that due to Covid-19, consultation would be tougher, but he felt providing leaflets with illustrations of the plans and questions for residents to answer would be the "next best thing".

Responding to Cllr Hawkins, on Wayside Linley, Cllr Williams said: "Yes, it would be nice to do something similar on Wayside Linley and around all the parks as well."

Cllr Williams accepted it was "a lot of money" but he felt the town council was "breaking new ground" and trying to put their reserves into projects to benefit the community.

Cllr Jo Dale told the committee that a consultation needed to be carried out first before the town council committed to spending money on play equipment

Cllr June Buckley, who has lived near Hassall Road Play Area for a "very long time" labelled the open space as the "saddest and dreariest play area in the whole town".

The fellow ward councillor for Alsager felt that fencing around the play area should be included in the revamp plans as it would present an additional safety buffer for the play equipment and children.

On spending up to £35,000 from the town council's reserves, Cllr Buckley added: "I know we are in very strange times now, but it was like 12 months ago that we were being told by the auditors that we had too much money in reserves and our reserves are still quite healthy.

"And if Covid-19 keeps rolling on for another year or so, one thing people are going to want is decent public spaces for themselves and their children to go."

Cllr Derek Hough felt that asking residents whether dogs should be banned from the play area should form part of the consultation.

Cllr Hough added: "I think people may want to keep dogs off, this is a children's play area."

Alsager Town Council approved:

- That the ANSA quote and designs to be accepted, and that work commences for phase one.

- That a list of additional items/features be agreed, using the capital funds to a maximum of £35,000 to be included in phase two following consultation with local residents.

- That the Play Areas and Open Spaces Working Group is given a budget of £300 from general reserves to devise a public-engagement plan involving leafleting of 600+ houses in the west of the town with additional leaflets available in public areas post-lockdown and associated online communications.

- That the ARAG money (£220) is identified for use at the site.