More than £1 million to be spent on children's play areas to make them more inclusive
Midlothian Council is to spend more than £1 million of Scottish Government funding and developer contributions on children’s outdoor play areas making them more inclusive, including Vogrie Country Park’s adventure playground and the playground at Newtongrange Primary School.
Spending approved
At the full Council meeting on Tuesday, councillors approved £495,000 of Scottish Government funding for Vogrie adventure playground.
Making play more inclusive
Existing equipment will be replaced or new equipment and surfacing installed to make 28 other play areas more inclusive for children of all ages and abilities, paid for with a further £545,000 of Scottish Government funding and developer contributions.
Newtongrange Primary
At Newtongrange Primary School a total of £35,334,15 will be spent extending the playground and adding new play equipment that will be available to the public outwith school hours.
Petition
In March, Midlothian Council’s petitions committee considered a petition signed by more than 460 people for an upgrade to the playground facilities at the school. Elected members agreed to pass the petition on to relevant officer to consider further actions.
Scheduled in this financial year
All work is due to get underway by March 2026.
Stimulating environment
Midlothian Council’s Cabinet Member for Green Spaces, Councillor Dianne Alexander said: “We’re delighted this external funding will be spent on ensuring that all children, regardless of ability or background, can participate and thrive in a stimulating environment, promoting interaction, independence, and positive self-esteem.”
New plans for Vogrie
Improving the adventure playground at Vogrie is part of an ongoing project to attract more visitors to the country park and increase the council’s income. The Bubbling Toad, an external events company, is launching ‘magical parties, individual experiences, group bookings and workshops’ in the country park from June.
From the summer, the country park will also be taking overnight bookings for motorhomes.