PlaySmart is the go-to surfacing supplier for local authority playground projects and private developers across the country. We provide a wide variety of flooring options with professional specifications and tailored designs. These therefore provide a solid foundation from which you can develop your perfect outdoor space.
Key Challenges to Local Authority Playground Development
Because of our 20 years of experience, we understand the obstacles that local authorities face when developing an outdoor area. Therefore, it is our job to provide you with expert advice and affordable, innovative, and traditional products for your site.
The 3 main areas where concerns lie for many local authorities in England are:
- Budgets and Funding
- Risk Management
- Maintenance and Upkeep
1. Budgets and Funding
As I’m sure most of us are aware, budgets for local authority areas can be limited. However, providing your local community with an attractive and safe outdoor space doesn’t need to break the bank.
A new outdoor development requires a long-term budgeting solution with the most return on investment over the surface’s lifetime. This necessitates surfaces that remain functional for longer. We therefore use materials that do not fade, chip away, or require extensive maintenance further into their lifespans.
PlaySmart provides a range of surfacing solutions for different budgets. We can therefore help you understand which surfaces will best suit your site in the long term. Our team takes into account the geography, soil quality, and even exposure to the elements. Design depends on the size of your site and how many different user groups it needs to cater to. Therefore, we recommend a combination of flooring types or one single material across the site for different projects.
A multi-purpose surface material like Corkeen cork flooring, reduces the need to modify the surface later as new requirements arise. Additionally, this sustainable flooring option provides a flat, accessible, water-permeable, and shock-absorbent surface. This option is therefore suitable for all activities and is a great long-term choice for local authorities on a budget.
2. Risk Management
Local authority playgrounds should prioritise safety, even if your local park or EYFS outdoor area is on a budget. We certify our safety surfacing to provide appropriate critical fall height protection. Therefore, our team undertakes a ground survey prior to installation. To increase the safety of your surfaces, you can install an additional shock pad underlay with our patented SmartPlay system.
What is a Consolidated Surface for Council playground risk assessments? The general stability and durability of a surface and presents it as a reflection of its suitability for use. This therefore considers drainage and solidity in specified sub-base materials and aggregates. Keeping your surfaces level and safe is key to a consolidated site suitable for public areas.
When deciding on which surface solution is right for you, it is important to adhere to safety standards. Notably, you should consider the playground inspection legal requirements and planning permissions needed for your development.
Therefore, PlaySmart’s local authority guidance for children’s play areas says that properly treated, non-toxic flooring is a must. For example, we use a virgin rubber shred of EPDM-bonded rubber for this purpose. This is because it avoids the potential harm from carbon residue from some recycled rubber mulch.
3. Maintenance and Upkeep
With appropriate maintenance, our surfaces have a 5-year installation and 10-year product guarantee on quality. Therefore, if looked after adequately, your surfaces will have a long-lifespan. Subsequently reducing the high cost and disruption that comes from resurfacing. Additionally, our innovations in secure cork or rubber mulch surfaces avoid the shorter lifespan of loose-fill flooring.
The majority of our surfaces only require minimal upkeep. A sweep or low-pressure hose clean after heavy play is all that our rubber flooring needs to stay looking great! Additionally, when using water-permeable surfaces, you won’t need to worry about puddling, spills, or minor flooding in your outdoor space. The surface water is able to easily drain into the ground without requiring time-consuming standing-water removal efforts.
If your surfaces require a touch-up, there are many different options for repairs and refurbishments that we can provide you. These surface repair options can help restore your outdoor area to the safe and attractive centrepiece of your local community.
Get in Touch Today!
Are you looking for more advice to develop your outdoor area or local authority playground? Then you can explore our blog section or simply fill in our handy contact form to request a call-back.
You can also claim your Free Quote with PlaySmart to get started on your professional surfacing today!