A town's recreation ground is set to be overhauled as long-awaited plans are revealed after almost four years of talks.

A skate park, expanded playground facilities, a zipwire and youth hub are included in the Tenterden Recreation Ground scheme, which has been drawn up by the town council.

New tennis and netball courts would replace some of the football pitch near the leisure centre, as the team which practised there has now relocated.

Also being proposed is a multi-use games area (MUGA), with a number of footpaths proposed to connect all of the new elements.

The new play area will be "at the heart of the open space" according to the plan's design and access statement, and will includes climbing logs, a climbing tower, a play mound, a natural play area and trampolines among other equipment.

A skate park will also be constructed as a result of much consultation with Tenterden's teens and specialist skate park designers.

The 600sq m facility is planned to accommodate 20 to 25 users at a time.

Its location, again according to the attached design statement, "allows for natural surveillance from both the youth hub, public realm and wider recreation ground."

It will be painted with artwork inspired by the skateboard brand Volcom, which was selected by the skate park focus group.

A modern youth hub would be built between the play area and skate park, specifically targeted at 11- to 18-year-olds.

If approved, it will feature a large open hall area, toilets, office, and meeting/consultation room.

It's hoped that when not in use, the hall could be used for other events and activities.

An externally accessible toilet would be built as part of the hub for the use of tennis and netball players.

The MUGA will allow for enclosed five-a-side football and basketball games, and adjoining it is an outdoor gym for all ages.

Included in the proposal are benches, bins, signage bollards and also outdoor table tennis tables.

TTC is also using the opportunity to install a range of ornamental flowers as well as planting dozens of trees.

Two things that won't be changing location are the car park and bowls club, the latter of which saw a spate of break-ins and petty vandalism in 2019.

The retention of the bowls club pavilion will ease a lot of minds as, early in the process, there were concerns that it would have to relocate and that it alone would cost £500,000.

However in April 2019, the club's president Jennifer Crickmore-Porter said its members had been "left hung out to dry", saying "it seems everybody else has got something except the bowls club."

The plans, submitted on April 22, come at the end of a lengthy consultation and design process.

A £3.5million windfall in developer contributions sparked a 2017 Lipton Groups survey, which identified residents' top desires for the town's improvement.

In its statement of community involvement, Tenterden Town Council notes its members decided to make the town's rec "the initial priority focus of the town's investment" as a result of the survey.

Members of the town's youth club, residents, sports clubs, bowls club, schools and leisure centre joined discussions on what should be installed in the park.

Landscape architect firm Ground Control Ltd states the council's intention of creating a space "developed by the people of Tenterden for the people of Tenterden".

For more information, or to comment on the application, search 21/00724/AS on the Ashford Borough Council planning portal.

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