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New Southgate Recreation Ground – play equipment consultation

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This consultation has now closed.

Overview

The council is looking at improving the play facilities at New Southgate Recreation Ground upper playground, as the existing equipment is coming to the end of its life. The proposal is to make the playground more inclusive with equipment that can be used by a wide range of children.


What are we seeking your views on?

We would like to know what you think about the proposed play equipment at the upper playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground. The proposed layout and equipment is set out here and the 3D view here.


How can you give us your

Overview

The council is looking at improving the play facilities at New Southgate Recreation Ground upper playground, as the existing equipment is coming to the end of its life. The proposal is to make the playground more inclusive with equipment that can be used by a wide range of children.


What are we seeking your views on?

We would like to know what you think about the proposed play equipment at the upper playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground. The proposed layout and equipment is set out here and the 3D view here.


How can you give us your views?

Please complete the online questionnaire for New Southgate Recreation Ground.

To request a questionnaire in an alternative format, please email parks@barnet.gov.uk or telephone 020 8359 7404.

Alternatively, you can write to us at: parks@barnet.gov.uk or Greenspaces, London Borough of Barnet, 2 Bristol Avenue, Colindale, NW9 4EW


What happens next?

The council will review the outcomes of the play consultation to see if there is any interest in changing the play facilities and if so what to. The outcomes will be reported to a meeting of the Council’s East Area Committee, when the proposal for funding the scheme is discussed. If funding is obtained, then the outcomes of the public consultation will be discussed with the play contractor, to see what changes it is possible to do within the budget that is available. The council will then agree the final plans with the play contractor, and the play contractor will be commissioned to carry out the work. The work is likely to take place in spring/summer 2025.

The council will publish the consultation findings on this page, and we will also let you know how we are acting on the results of the consultation under ‘We asked, You said, We did'.

This consultation has now closed.

  • We asked, you said, we did

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    We asked

    We asked for your views on the proposed refurbishment of the upper playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground.

    You said

    We received 57 responses to the online questionnaire. The key themes from the public consultation were:

    • Request for more baby swings.
    • Request for small climbing frame/slide for younger children.
    • Comments that the current red gates into the playground do not move well.
    • Requests for water play.
    • Request for a sand pit.
    • Request for inground trampoline.
    • Request for more seating and picnic tables.
    • Pleased that the design allows all children to be included in the play area.

    We did

    The order has been placed for the new equipment, and this will be installed in early summer. This work is being funded by East Area Committee and by Greenspaces capital funding.

    The basket swing has been removed, and in its place will be a baby seat, and a you and me seat, which allows a baby/small child and an adult to swing together.

    There are two slides for young children, which can be accessed by the main slope and by a climbing slope.

    The red gates into the playground will be replaced as part of this project.

    We will not be providing water play as water features require regular water testing and maintenance on top of the general operating and utility costs, and the council does not have the funding for this.

    We will not be providing a sand pit, as the council has no funding to maintain a sand pit. Sand pits require regular raking and topping up of sand. There is a sand pit at Market Place playground which was installed as a pilot project in September 2024. This is being maintained, and we are monitoring the time and cost of this work, before making any decisions on new sand features.

    We will not be providing an inground trampoline. The ground underneath Barnet is London Clay, which means that the ground does not drain very well. Our experience is that the pit under a trampoline fills up with water and does not drain, even with a drainage system in place, which makes the trampoline unusable. The council is therefore not planning to install more trampolines.

    The existing benches and picnic tables will remain. There is insufficient budget to provide more benches and tables as part of this project, but this will be considered as part of a wider park project.