RESIDENTS and councillors have been celebrating the success of a campaign to improve play facilities on a popular borough recreation area.

Funds have now been committed to build a new playground on Orsett Heath, a move welcomed by local Labour ward councillor Cllr Sara Muldowney who told Nub News: "Having decent playgrounds for our children to play in has always been a high priority when talking to residents online and on the doorstep, with many feeling that Chadwell St Mary had been overlooked for funding in the past."

"When I first became a councillor, I promised to take up the fight for new play equipment, and am delighted to be a big step nearer to delivering on that promise."

"Playgrounds are essential in providing opportunities for children to practice a range of social, emotional, physical and mental skills. We know what a tough time our children have had during the various COVID lockdowns, being isolated from their friends and stuck at home."

"Although it was agreed back in 2019 that there was a need for an older children's playground on the Heath, despite their promises, Chadwell was once again overlooked by the Conservative-run council for direct council funding that year."

"Undeterred, I then fought for the S106 monies associated with the Greyhound Pub development to enable the Chadwell Forum to make this funding bid."

"Chadwell's Labour councillors together with the Active Parks team ran a public consultation over the summer, which found unanimous support for the project and took views on where residents thought the playground should be sited."

"We put together a winning application team and were awarded the full grant of £69,000from the Community Environmental Development Fund by council officers and a cross party group of councillors who decide on the different applications."

"I would like to give particular thanks to Peter Saunders, chair of the committee for his support in bringing this bid forward and to Sylvia Hepton, for her expertise and unwavering support throughout the application process, and of course, my fellow Labour councillor, Cllr Daniel Chukwu and the Active Parks team for their help with the first consultation."

"Being awarded this money means that the Forum will now be able to complete phase one of the project to replace the few bits of toddler equipment on the Heath with a brand new modern playground."

"We are already preparing a second application to fund Phase 2 of the project to deliver even better value for local residents."

"Our plan is to hold a further consultation with the children and families who will use the playground to decide the design and what equipment to include, to make this a true community project."

"We will be in contact with local residents about this soon."