CHILDREN and families in the Barley Lane area of Exeter have an exciting new play area to help burn off those Easter egg calories.

Youngsters have every reason to smile thanks to new play equipment installed by Exeter City Council at Sylvan Heights Play Area.

The new play area is designed to serve the new housing development at Sylvan Heights as well as children and families already living nearby.

Two separate mini play spaces have been provided and each aims to target children of slightly different ages. A new basket swing, an exciting rope climbing structure and a naturalistic balancing trail through the trees have been provided for children aged six to 12 years, whilst a set of cradle swings, a spinning disc roundabout, a spring see-saw, a mini climbing net and a play train have been provided for the under 5s.

Cllr Keith Owen, Lead councillor for Environment, Health & Wellbeing, said: “I’m delighted with this new addition to the range of play facilities we already have across Exeter.

“It’s particularly pleasing to see how the new equipment fits in with the natural surroundings at this site. The large mature trees that have been retained on the development are very striking and the new timber play equipment complements them very well indeed. It is particularly pleasing to know that our Parks & Open Spaces team worked with the local community in designing the new play spaces.”

This project was funded via a Section 106 planning contribution from the housing development at Sylvan Heights.