PLAY areas in War Memorial Park are set to undergo a major transformation this week.

Work is underway to improve the play, skate, cycling and parkour facilities in the town centre park by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

The children’s play area will be replaced, in the same location as present, but with separate spaces for toddlers and juniors to enjoy new equipment, such as climbing equipment, swings and roundabouts.

A new, concrete skate park will be built for skateboarders to replace the well-used one.

A spokesman for the authority said: "In addition our Green Flag awarded park will have outdoor gym equipment and a brand new parkour park.

"The existing BMX track will be replaced with a pump track for use by bike and scooter riders and skateboarders. New seating and bins will also be provided at the enhanced facilities.

The work is set to start first on the skate park, followed by the pump track and parkour park. The play area will be replaced at the same time and all work is set to be finished later in the spring.

It comes after the authority commissioned a survey into which improvements the public wanted at War Memorial Park.

Overwhelmingly, respondents said they wished to visit the skate park as somewhere to go with friends.

Among the concerns raised, residents flagged the need for toilets, lighting and modernisation.

Some raised fears about the loss of green space the extended play areas would create though it was noted it would encourage more people to come and make use of the skate park.

War Memorial Park was originally designed as a park within private grounds around 1788. It was auctioned off by its previous owners the Goldings family in 1916 and purchased by Thomas Burberry for £10,500. In 1921, it was bought by the Corporation of Basingstoke.

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