Work is under way on a £265,000 project to upgrade three popular play areas in Felixstowe to modernise and improve the experience for youngsters.

Ipswich Star: Designs for the Allenby Park project Picture: WAVENEY NORSE/HAGSDesigns for the Allenby Park project Picture: WAVENEY NORSE/HAGS (Image: Archant)

Felixstowe Town Council, East Suffolk Council and Suffolk Coastal Norse are working together to address the resort's play needs and have identified the three playparks as a high priority for investment.

The project started yesterday and is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Gosford Way and Allenby Park will be fully refurbished with a range of items suitable for toddlers, juniors and teenagers. Cavendish Park will gain a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) aimed at teenagers.

Gosford Way will have all the play equipment replaced with 14 new pieces. In Allenby Park, the surface area of the 5-a-side will be replaced and widened, the play area will get five new pieces of equipment as well as multi-unit offering eight different activities.

The MUGA being installed in Cavendish Park offers a range of leisure activities such as five-a-side football and basketball.

Kerry Blair, head of operations at East Suffolk Council, said: "We are really pleased that work has started to improve these play areas in Felixstowe.

"Not only will these improvements make the play areas more attractive to visitors, they will also become a valuable and exciting asset for the local community just in time for summer."

Funding for the project has included £80,000 from Suffolk Coastal, £27,000 from Felixstowe Town Council, £2,000 from Felixstowe Youth Forum, £137,000 from CIL and other developer funds allocated for play/sport, plus money from councillors' enabling and locality budgets.

Mayor of Felixstowe, Graham Newman said: "Securing upgrades to our play areas was identified as a priority for the Town Council so I'm delighted that this project has been so well supported.

"Once these three areas have been improved we will continue to work in partnership with the Council to plan for further upgrades to other play areas in the town."

Community leaders say the revamp of the play areas will be the first in a series of projects and have stressed that other areas of the resort have not been forgotten and say they are committed to raising the bar in terms of quality and the standard of play.