Alpraham & Calveley Community Council | Tarporley, Cheshire

Reuniting A Community Through Play: Alpraham & Calveley Community Council, East Cheshire

Serving a population of around 400, Alpraham Community Council wanted to provide outdoor play opportunities for residents in their East Cheshire district. With a brand-new village hall recently completed, the goal was to create a natural, modern playground that complemented the new development and surrounding rural landscape.

• - Complements the new timber-clad village hall in Alpraham
• - Natural, modern aesthetic suited to the rural Tarporley setting
• - Encourages exploration, balance, and shared play experiences
• - Cost-effective installation using metal post shoes and grass mats
• - Includes three-year maintenance plan for ongoing care

Customer Objectives

The Council’s aim was to design a playground that would blend seamlessly with the newly built Village Hall - a modern facility featuring timber panelling that reflects the area’s countryside appeal. A new outdoor play area would have to match this style while providing safe, engaging equipment suitable for a range of ages. Essential to the project was that the equipment have a natural look, while still using durable, low-maintenance materials such as metal post shoes and green Playtec.

Playground Development Challenges & Solutions

An important aspect of the playground development was creating a high-quality, long-lasting play area without spending the budget on wetpour safety surfacing. By installing equipment with metal post shoes directly into grass and adding grass mats only where required, the design team achieved a safe, durable result that reduced both cost and environmental impact.

Playground Equipment Design & Installation

Designed for exploration and community use, the playground includes:

• An Adventure Trail for balance and coordination
• A Play Tower with slide and climbing features for active play
• Multiple Swings, including a Basket Swing for social play
• Totem Poles for inspiring curiosity
• A Tractor Springer and Green Playtec Panels reflecting the rural setting

Access to the site was straightforward, our experienced East Cheshire install team finding space to set up in an overflow car park for a smooth delivery of materials.

The work took place over three and a half weeks from mid-September to mid-October, and was certified safe to BSEN 1176 and 1177 standards by an RPII-qualified inspector a week later.

Results For Alpraham Community Council Playground: A Community Reunited 

The completed playground sits neatly behind the Village Hall, offering a welcoming outdoor space for families and residents to enjoy. The design successfully blends natural timber with modern features, ensuring it complements both the surrounding homes and the rural setting.

‘The new village hall is at the heart of our efforts to reignite a sense of community missing for some time, allowing events to happen near where locals live, so they don’t have to disperse to neighbouring communities’ explains Council Chair Neil Copeland. ‘We have so many bookings for children’s parties now, the new playground is an essential part of the village hall’.

With some of the lengthiest guarantees in the industry and a five-year maintenance plan in place, the playground is set to remain a vibrant community hub for years to come.

Inspired By This Local Authority Playground In Tarporley, Chester?

Explore more local authority playground projects or contact Creative Play for your free on-site consultation: [email protected] | 01244 375 627

With years of experience supporting local community councils across the UK, Creative Play delivers tailored designs, expert installations, and reliable aftercare to ensure every outdoor space continues to inspire play and connection.