Outdoor Adventure Play & Sports For Residents And Visitors | Llanbadrig Community Council, Cemaes
Cemaes Playing Field, Cemaes Bay, Anglesey, LL67 0HL
Llanbadrig Community Council’s vision was to replace an ageing play area with a more versatile, multi-zoned space that could serve both residents and visitors to this popular coastal destination. With a project budget just over £200,000, Creative Play delivered a scheme that brings together adventure play, inclusive equipment and a dedicated sports area, all carefully arranged to suit the character and scale of the site.
Explore how this remote community now benefits from a thoughtfully designed play space that balances activity, accessibility and landscape sensitivity:
Multi-zoned design combining adventure trail, inclusive play and sports provision
Bespoke trim trail created across open grassed landscape
Inclusive equipment and calmer play areas for a wider age range
Upgraded MUGA space with retained fencing and expanded functionality
Project budget: £214,000 (exc. VAT)
CEMAES, LLANBADRIG COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Located at the northernmost tip of Wales, the small coastal community is a peaceful tourist destination renowned for its dramatic cliff-top scenery and rich history. Home to just over 1,000 residents, Llanbadrig is also known for its distinctive Victorian beehive kilns and tower dedicated to King Edward VII.
As a popular destination for both tourists and residents, and with limited leisure provision available in such a remote location, the community wanted to create a more versatile play space that would better reflect the character of its surroundings.
The brief called to “replace the existing play area with new kit, split into 3 spaces”, consisting of a multi-functional space featuring traditional playground equipment, a calmer zone for quieter play, an exciting adventure-focused element suited to a busy visitor destination, and a sports section capable of supporting a wide range of recreational activities.
Consultation
To explore how the space could best support the community’s ambitions, Creative Play arranged a site consultation with Outdoor Play Expert Tim. During the visit, the location was assessed in relation to accessibility, available space and how different zones could support both residents and visitors.
“Discussions with the councillors focused on developing a balanced layout that combined active play, quieter areas and sports provision” says the company’s Outdoor Play Expert, “while remaining sympathetic to the surrounding landscape and wider character of the area”.
“With the area’s name translating to ‘Church of St Patrick’, green was selected as a fitting accent colour across the scheme, used on play equipment panels and in the wet pour surfacing directly beneath key play elements”.
CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS: DESIGNING FOR ACCESSIBILITY, FLOW AND MULTI-USE PLAY
State Of Area Before Installation:
Worn-out wet pour and artificial grass
Old metal play equipment
Slight sloped surfacing
Drains and manholes
Shabby MUGA area
Using Moasure equipment during the site assessment, Tim was able to provide Creative Play’s design team with accurate measurements and level data, supporting the development of suitable layout options and ensuring surfacing requirements could be planned in accordance with BS EN 1176 and 1177 safety standards.
The entrance to the play area required an immediate sense of excitement while making full use of the wide-open grassed space available. “While Creative Play offers a range of pre-designed Adventure Trails suited to this style of active play, discussions around the scale and layout of the site instead led to a bespoke trim trail arrangement being developed” explains one of the project’s designers.
“Using individual trail components allowed the design to weave naturally through the field, creating a more expansive and engaging play experience”, while enabling children of different ages and abilities to “gravitate towards suitable levels of challenge”.
Designed as a showcase of varied physical play opportunities, the agreed trail layout incorporated:
“Timber equipment was identified as the most suitable choice for maintaining the area’s natural character, blending more sympathetically with the surrounding landscape than alternative materials, such as metal” points out Creative Play’s Design Manager. To preserve the appearance of the open green setting, grass mat surfacing “was positioned beneath key play elements, maintaining safety standards without significantly altering the aesthetic of the grassed space”.
Playground Area 2: Fun For All Ages
Multiple gates within the fenced play zone were agreed to create a welcoming layout for families while reducing congestion at entry points. Wet pour surfacing was selected to improve accessibility across the site, supporting a more inclusive environment for all users.
Predominantly black surfacing was chosen throughout, with green fleck detailing beneath equipment reinforcing the scheme’s colour theme “while also providing clearer visual cues to support navigation for mobility aid users” highlights the designer. “The use of fleck rather than a solid colour achieves the same visual effect but at a reduced cost”.
Seating was positioned within the fenced zone to ensure younger children could remain within close sight of parents and carers, creating a more relaxed and reassuring environment for families. Reflecting a wider commitment to “play for all”, the agreed equipment selection also incorporated a basket swing suitable for multiple users at once alongside a wheelchair-inclusive roundabout.
“To better support different play styles and manage movement across the site, a quieter and more contained area was also incorporated away from the more energetic equipment” explains Tim. This features a double cradle seat swing and smaller Jigsaw Tower, “encouraging use by younger children and those seeking a calmer play experience”.
Smart use of the project budget also led to varying depths of safety surfacing being agreed across the site while still maintaining compliance with BS EN safety standards. “A 60mm specification was selected beneath the main tower to accommodate its greater potential fall height, while 40mm surfacing was deemed suitable around lower-level play features”.
Playground Area 3: Access To Sports
“Having previously seen strong use of a MUGA on site, discussions with the council focused on ensuring its replacement would offer the same level of versatility” recalls the Design Manager. Following a review of the existing space, it was identified that the original area had been slightly over-scaled, and a reduced footprint of 20 x 13.5 metres was therefore agreed.
“This approach also allowed the existing fencing to be retained and repurposed as an outer layer, creating additional, separate activity zones incorporating sport-themed play panels. These provide a valuable space for younger children to use when the main court is occupied by older users”.
To support both safety and performance, “40mm green fleck EPDM wet pour surfacing was specified, offering suitable impact absorption while maintaining enough responsiveness for sports activities”. White line markings were included for football, with yellow markings for basketball, and 3-metre mesh goal ends were designed to incorporate basketball hoops.
IMPLEMENTATION: EFFICIENT DEMOLITION, GROUNDWORKS AND INSTALLATION DELIVERY
Design
The overall design approach focused on creating a clearly structured, multi-zoned play space that could accommodate a wide range of ages, abilities and user types within a single coherent layout. “Rather than treating the site as one continuous play area, it was divided into distinct but connected zones, each offering a different level of challenge and activity, from high-energy adventure play through to calmer and more inclusive spaces” says the Design Manager.
“Careful consideration was given to movement through the site, allowing clear flow between areas to avoid congestion and supporting natural supervision. The design also remained sensitive to the surrounding landscape, using materials, colours and equipment styles that sit comfortably within the setting, but can still deliver strong, long-term play value for both residents and visitors”.
Installation
Site access was straightforward, with a large entrance gate leading directly into the areas designated for the new multi-zoned playground. The open layout also provided ample space for lorries, equipment and materials to be accommodated comfortably throughout the installation works.
The removal of the existing equipment and surfacing was completed without difficulty, while site drainage and changes in levels proved manageable and did not present any significant challenges during the groundworks phase.
Despite being a large-scale surfacing installation that took three weeks, the entire project was completed and signed off by an RPII-certified inspector approximately 10 weeks from commencement.
RESULTS: WELL-USED, MULTI-ZONED COMMUNITY & VISITOR PLAY DESTINATION
Since completion, the new play area has become a well-used destination for both residents and visitors, with activity spread naturally across all zones throughout the day. “The adventure trail has proven particularly popular, with children of a wide range of ages moving fluidly between elements and using the open grass setting for imaginative and physical play” highlights Tim.
Main play zones continue to attract consistent family use, with inclusive equipment such as the basket swing and wheelchair-accessible roundabout seeing regular engagement. Quieter areas have also established a clear purpose, offering a calmer space frequently used by younger children and those seeking a less intense play experience.
“The sports area has become a focal point for older children and teenagers, with regular informal matches taking place alongside more casual use of the surrounding play panels” observes the Outdoor Play Expert. “Multiple groups use the space simultaneously without conflict, supporting a strong sense of shared ownership across ages”.
Happy with the results, he says “feedback from the community has been positive, with particular emphasis on the variety of play opportunities, improved accessibility, and the way the site now better reflects the needs of both a busy visitor destination and a small local population”.
Feedback from Councillors has been equally positive:
“The excitement and gratitude is beyond. Every time I go to the park it’s so busy, full of children laughing and playing. One child even asked if they get to keep it forever, and the only thing that would make it better is if we cut the grass, which we have since arranged!”
“We are absolutely delighted with the finished play area, a huge thank you once again to the whole Creative Play team for the excellent work delivered at Cemaes. Mal has been an exceptional Project Manager throughout, always responsive, proactive, and his communication has been second to none. His support made the entire process smooth and very reassuring for us – very glad we placed our trust in Creative Play for this project!”
Maintenance & Future Opportunities
The specification of robust, weather-resistant materials across the site has been carefully selected to ensure the playground and sports facilities remain low maintenance for the council. To support ongoing management, Creative Play supplied a detailed operations and maintenance manual, providing clear guidance for day-to-day upkeep and longer-term care.
Looking ahead, the design allows for future expansion without major disruption. The use of modular systems such as Creative Play’s Jigsaw Towers means additional elements can be introduced over time as needs evolve, offering a flexible and cost-effective way to enhance the play space while retaining the integrity of the existing installation.
INSPIRED BY THIS LOCAL COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND SUCCESS STORY?
Create a play space tailored to the needs of your community. Explore more case studies to see the impact you can make – or contact Creative Play today for a free consultation! Visit the Contact Page or get in touch with us by email or telephone via [email protected] | 01244 375 627
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