Stately home in Staffordshire installs new attraction after 'clear demand'

Work is set to begin on a new children's play area at Himley Hall and Park. The space will feature a large play tower in the woodland of the 180 acre park.

It will include a spiral slide, rotating carousels, a zip line, seesaws, rocking horses and several swings for children and toddlers to use. It will transform an area near the former tennis court and pavilion into a safe, outdoor space for children to keep active and have fun.

In keeping with the leafy surroundings, the play area will be constructed using timber with a mix of grassland, a loose mulch surface and natural wood chip paths separating the various pieces of play equipment.

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Helen Martin, director of regeneration and enterprise at Dudley Council, said: "Our consultation showed there was a clear demand among residents for a play area at Himley Hall and Park. We’ve listened carefully to their responses and taken action to create a space where children can enjoy themselves to the full without disrupting the tranquillity of the rest of the park.

"The play area will attract more families to the park, boosting trade for the food and drinks vendors that we have on-site. This will help to maintain Himley as one of the most popular places in the borough for visitors to explore the great outdoors.

"We’ve taken a lot of care to make sure the design of the play area is sensitive to where it’s going to be located and the concept images look fantastic."

Work will start on the installation of the play area on Monday, April 29, with it expected to be open for use in mid-July ready for the school holidays.

Himley Hall and Park will remain open as normal during the construction of the play area. Visitors are welcome between 7.30am and dusk. The site’s coffee lounge is open daily between 9.30am and 4pm.