Highland play parks need £1.6m of repairs – but there is only £58 for maintenance on each of them

Council officials have revealed that play parks could close because they can't be made safe.

By Will Angus, Local Democracy Reporter

November 21 2024, 5:00 pm

A play park in Inverness now under the cover of snow. Image: Will Angus/DCT Media.

Play parks across Highland are set to close as they are left with just £58 each in reserves to support them.

A council report has admitted the budget is “extremely challenging” and “not sufficient” and its play parks may be forced to close if they become unsafe.

It has cast doubt on a number of ageing parks in need of repair over the coming years, with the maintenance costs now at over £1.5 million.

Financial support from the Scottish Government has since dried up as all of the money is now spent on current and future play park projects.

Play parks may snowed under with the funding concerns that lie ahead. Image: Will Angus/DCT Media.

What are the funding problems?

This year, the Scottish Government has allocated £15 million in play park renewal funding to be shared between councils, with Highland Council receiving over £700,000.

This amount will increase next year to over £1.2 million, but the money has already been allocated to play park projects across the region.

This has left council officials with an overall revenue budget of just £18,300 for materials this year in order to maintain play parks.

It means play parks will get a paltry £58 per park, per year to complete essential maintenance.

Council areas have used other sources of community funding before to support play parks but may have to become more reliant on them in the future.

A review of all play parks in Highland will be completed by next year. Image: Will Angus/DCT Media.

How many parks are there?

There are 312 play parks and over 2,000 pieces of equipment across the region which Highland Council is responsible for.

308 sites are in need of repairs in the near future, with 15% of all play park equipment needing replaced in the next five years.

For reference, a search shows a new play park generally costs between £5,000 and £10,000.

Current plans, such as the approved development in Nairn to install a slide and replace the existing play area can see costs stretch as high as £40,000.

Without this funding in place to support the ballooning £1.5 million maintenance requirements, several sites are earmarked to close by the end of the decade.

Councillors have control over where their play park allocation is spent in their local areas. Image: SANDY McCOOK.

What will happen when the money runs out?

The council says 94 play parks across the region will be closing in the next five years.

A council report states: “The current revenue budget is not sufficient to maintain all pieces of play equipment.”

A quarter of these are in the Thurso, Wick and Caithness areas which are set to lose 26 play parks.

Three play parks will close in Inverness over the next five years. Supplied by Google Maps.

What is the council planning to do?

The report sets out key plans for play parks should funding arrive, but admits the issue is “extremely challenging”.

This includes making play parks environmentally and financially sustainable while also being inclusive in their design.

The council has also pointed towards several community group projects which have raised over £500,000 in local funding to see play park projects followed through.