Plans submitted for new playpark at Fife's Lochore Meadows Country Park

Lochore Meadows Country Park could replace the current play park equipment and remodel the landscaping if the plans are approved.

The planning application from Fife Council’s Property Services has proposed big plans and changes for the popular playground. The plans have been put forward based on consultation feedback from more than 1000 people.

According to a planning statement, Lochore Meadows is Fife’s “busiest free tourist attraction” boasting approximately 900,000 annual visitors.

“The park has always had a first-class children’s play area and the current facility is used by several hundred every day from March to November when numbers taper off for the winter,” a planning statement said.

“This footfall takes a heavy toll on play equipment and the time has now come to refresh the area for the benefit of the next generation of children with a greater emphasis on inclusive play allowing all children to play as one.”

If approved, the plans would see a new playpark located on land between the current playpark and the current designated events space, avoiding any impact on the events area.

The new playground will feature accessible paths that take children through distinct zones – toddler, junior, dynamic, and sensory. There will be hammocks, rope play, and trampolines dispersed throughout.

The plans include dynamic swings, spinners and an inclusive wheelchair roundabout and swing as well as a racing double cableway.

There will also be ramps, tube slides, inclined nets with rollers, and “many opportunities for exciting play, both at low level and at height.”

“We have chosen items to engage the users for hours on end and entice them to come back and discover more,” the plans state.

“This is a play area for all age groups, offering a richness of experience for a wide range of skill levels and mobility, creating not just a destination play area but also a social and inclusive space for all in the community. Ample seating and social spaces will encourage parents, families, friends and of course children to spend time together within the park.”

The council has worked closely with the NHS and play park designers to make the new playground as inclusive and as accessible as possible to support children of all abilities.

If approved, the park will feature a DRIVEDECK mobility system that will run through the play park to make it more accessible for everyone.

The new playground has been designed to “to enhance the offer as a state-of-the-art destination facility alongside a new nature play area.”

A planning statement continued: “These plans will complement the visitor centre which already has an extensive café offering, meeting rooms and high-quality toilet facilities.”

The designs have been shared online and via on-site consultation. The general consensus from the public feedback has been positive with constructive feedback, according to a planning statement.

The council will consider the application and make a decision in due course.