A BRAND-new play area has opened in one of Billericay’s most popular park in time for the Easter holidays.

The Lake Meadows play area was officially opened to the public on Saturday, April 1 after almost three months of works.

The new park boasts a variety of colourful equipment for children of all ages an abilities, featuring what the council has labelled over “130 play value opportunities” with capacity for 180 children simultaneously.  

“We are very proud of the new play area and I am hoping that the kids will enjoy it,” Conservative councillor Anthony Hedley said.

“This is the first major proper refurbishment of a Billericay West play area for a very long time and it is one that will prove very popular with residents.

“Lake Meadows is very much the go to park for families, so I am sure the new play area will see plenty of use.”

The Billericay West councillor, responsible for economic growth and business engagement, added: “It’s good that open well in time for the Easter half term.

“We are now anxious to make progress on the Lake Meadows skatepark, which has unfortunately been delayed slightly.”

The council is set to spend £500,000 on a new modern concrete skatepark in the park.

It will replace the old wooden skatepark which had to be dismantled and cleared due to constant vandalism and arson.

The council also recently opened a new play area in Northlands Park, Basildon.

The £225,000 play area offers over over 40 different play elements, including varied equipment that will allow over 200 children to play together.

Alongside the play area now stands an exciting new ball court for football and basketball, an outdoor gym, as well as other ball games.

The play area follows recent improvements including resurfaced footpaths, a newly built bridge around the lake, over a dozen new angling swims, and a restored viewing platform.

Both of the new play areas comes in year two of the council's play review, a ten-year programme of approximately £9 million investment in the borough's play areas.