NEW play equipment was put in at a Worcester park - but was taken away again after residents complained that it was invading their privacy.

Sheldon Park, in Northwick, has been given £10,000 worth of play equipment by Worcester City Council in a plan to promote children in the area to exercise in the outdoors.

Some of the new equipment recently appeared at the park, in Sheldon Park Road, but the installation was postponed after complaints.

It became an issue after the contractor placed the play equipment too close - within a foot - of one of the garden walls at a home bordering the park.

Councillor Andy Stafford said: “It seemed unnecessarily close given the overall space available and would have enabled anyone standing on the equipment a view into their house, so the installation was postponed.

"It really was ridiculously close to the resident’s wall.

“The location must meet the safety needs and have a certain amount of fall space around each item of play equipment as well as distance from the trees.

“The council are going to work out a better location for the new equipment before the contractors return to install them.”

The apparatus has now been removed from the park after it was originally placed there last month.

It has not yet been confirmed when the new equipment will be installed or if the postponement has any cost implications.

A set of swings is already in place so the city council is now looking to replace some of the swing seats.

The new play equipment will include a spinner, which is a type of roundabout, and some play equipment suitable for toddlers.

Cllr Stafford claims Gheluvelt Park is the closest play area for the residents to visit, adding: “Sheldon Park is an out of the way little play area.

"There is not much else in the area.”

He added: “Residents seem excited for the new development and people are looking forward to seeing it. It will boost the park and make it more appealing.

“The area is changing demographically, and more younger families are moving in.”

Sheldon Park is situated on an empty patch of grass in a housing estate between Sheldon Park Road and Bevere Drive, in Worcester.

A City Council spokeswoman said: “We want to ensure that children across Worcester can exercise and enjoy outdoor play areas in their neighbourhood.

“We plan to refurbish the playground at Sheldon Park Road, installing exciting new play equipment there.

“However, a small number of residents have raised concerns about their privacy.

"We will be installing the equipment in due course but are currently looking at ways in which their concerns could be alleviated.”

READ MORE:

Worcester family raising funds so Elaina, 4, can communicate after brain damageChildren left 'heartbroken' after thieves take their Lyppard Grange Primary School chicks