THE public session at the start of the August meeting of Stokesley Parish Council was extended to allow a considerable number of residents from the Wimpey Homes' development off North Road to express their concerns about the proposed play area at the top of Fairfield Road.

Those living next to the play area were worried about the planned inclusion by Wimpey of non-ground level equipment and hedge planting.

There were several reasons given for concern that an area set aside for toddlers and very young children might attract older youths, bringing the sort of problems which had affected some other play areas in the parish.

A hedge was felt to be unnecessary and could become a shield for misbehaviour; it was felt the attractive metal fencing already around the play area should remain. There had been little or no consultation by Wimpey before a plan had been drawn up.

As a deterrent to older youngsters, any play furniture provided there should be for the very young and be at or just above ground level, and this would exclude seats.

There was urgency to let the district council and the parish council know the wishes of those living around the play area because it was thought that Wimpey had already ordered some play equipment.

The chairman, Coun Gerry Kay, explained that originally, Hambleton Council had wanted something bigger than was now envisaged, but Wimpey had offered money which could be used instead on the far larger play area and playing field at North Road. He said that the parish council fully supported the requests of the residents for retaining the fence, not having a hedge, and rejecting any seating, and its wishes would be conveyed to the district council as soon as possible.

County Coun Caroline Seymour pointed out that there were few objections to a play area for the youngsters, but that the objections which she supported were about the items planned for the site. Anything which might attract undue noise, especially late at night, and the use of alcohol or drugs, must be resisted.

Coun Kay said parish councillors had been adamant that the play area should be equipped only to cater for the very young when the matter had come up before his council last March. He hoped that Wimpey had not ordered equipment before getting the approval of the council, and he wanted the developers to be contacted the day after the parish council meeting.

The newly-appointed police inspector for Stokesley, Insp John Richardson, agreed that a hedge would be wrong, and said that the police had an officer, PC Colin Musgrove, whose special concern was with play areas and equipment.

The consensus of most at the meeting appeared to be for a play area limited to toddlers and without a hedge, seats, or higher standing items.