Innovative Kirkcaldy playpark that will help to power lights and buildings gets go-ahead

An innovative playpark in Kirkcaldy which could harness the movement of users to power buildings and street lights has been given the green light by Fife Council.
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PeachyKeen will transform a long-neglected patch of land in the shadow of the historic St Bryce Kirk by installing playground equipment that can generate electricity through human movement in Kirk Wynd.

Various pieces of equipment including a hand crank, a pedal pod, a water window, a water vortex and an interestingly-named “reaction wall cow” will generate electricity that can be stored or put into the grid.

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That can be used to power surrounding street lights, and could even be utilised by PeachyKeen itself which has its base just yards away from the development site.

The playpark in the shadow of St Bryce Kirk in KirkcaldyThe playpark in the shadow of St Bryce Kirk in Kirkcaldy
The playpark in the shadow of St Bryce Kirk in Kirkcaldy
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FIfe Council planning case officer Lauren McNeil said: “The proposal would be considered acceptable in terms of road safety and would preserve the setting of the Category B-listed building and the character of the Abbotshall and Central Kirkcaldy Conservation Area.”

Andrew Bowie, PeachyKeen director, revealed last year that the concept for the renewable energy playpark had been in the pipeline for more than a year, but Covid-19 had put the brakes on the plans.

“Our workshop is right beside St Bryce Kirk and it had this area of land so we just decided to ask if it would be open to a partnership. It agreed to it with open arms,” he explained.

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“The idea is to put in a series of activities that will produce electricity that can be stored, and the excess could be used to light the paths around the area - that sort of thing.”

It is hoped it could spawn further similar developments further down the line, although Mr Bowie admits that is dependent on the reception from council planners and locals.

But he added: “The help we’ve received from FIfe Council in developing the application has been great and we’re aiming to make the playpark as inclusive as possible so it can be used by people from the age of five to 105.

“The people involved with St Bryce Kirk have also been absolutely first class.”

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Work should begin on the playpark equipment later this year.

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