New play area for primary school near Kenilworth

A play area, at a primary school near Kenilworth, that had been closed off for the last few years because it was unsafe to use has been completely revamped in time for pupils to enjoy for the new term and beyond.

The work at Balsall Common Primary school was carried out over two weeks by 16 volunteers from HS2’s main works contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), their supply chain and HS2 Ltd.

The project involved removing old play equipment, shredded ground rubber mulch, rotten railway sleepers and tree stumps.

The overgrown vegetation was also cut back, including lifting the tree canopies and trimming hedge rows.

They then set to work placing around 40 new sleepers for garden boarders, erecting new fence and trellis posts, laying down new bark chippings, painting fencing, creating planting areas, laying new stone to footpaths and to the chill-out area plus re-building a new entrance gate.

Specialist environment company Acorn trimmed the trees and bushes in the adventure play area and donated the play area bark and Flannery Plant Hire provided a grab lorry to carry out the works.

Birgitta Varga, of Balsall Common Primary School, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Balfour Beatty VINCI team, working with HS2, for providing their construction knowledge and brilliant support to create this new play area.

"The adventure playground and veggie garden had fallen into disrepair in recent years and was closed off with no access to our pupils for a very long time.

"Thanks to Balfour Beatty VINCI and HS2 we have now been able to welcome our pupils to a new accessible open space that they are already enjoying in their Autumn school term.”