Play park at Canford Paddock estate in Poole still closed

Hundreds of homes have been constructed off Magna Road in Poole as part of the massive Canford Paddock site, with many families having already settled into the development built between Canford Magna and Bearwood since 2019.

However, some residents have questioned why their children have never been able to play in a park just off Thomas Walk which has allegedly been cordoned off for around two years and left in an overgrown state.

Despite the park appearing complete, it has been fenced off with a notice warning that “children must not play on this site. Keep out”. A gate has also been padlocked.

Closed play park at the Canford Paddock estate development in Poole

One resident, whose daughter lives near the park site, said: “It’s just bonkers. Can anyone explain why the children’s play park is still not open? I think it has been at least 18 months, probably two years, just sat there with fencing around it.

“They advertised the development with an emphasis on family and community yet [haven’t opened] a facility that attracted so many to the site. This will be the second summer living without the park open and the children are expected to walk by each day.

“There are lots of little children on the estate and some have no gardens. This needs addressing as soon as possible.”

Following enquiries by the Echo, a representative of developers Barratt Homes said they had been unable to arrange for the park to be inspected in the some two years since being built.

Closed play park at the Canford Paddock estate development in Poole

Mark Keen, construction director at Barratt/David Wilson Homes, said: “The play park at Thomas Walk on our Canford Paddock development has been closed for some time due to delays in inspections that are necessary to ensure the safety of the park.

“Inspections are carried out by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), but during the pandemic it’s not been possible to arrange for someone to come down the site in as timely a manner as we’d like.

“It is vital we have approval from ROSPA to ensure the park is safe for families to use so Barratt Homes has fenced off the area. As a matter of urgency, we have arranged essential maintenance work to be carried out.

“Without the ROSPA certificate, we are unable to open the park, but we’re hoping this will change very soon.”