A PLAY area with a ‘green theme’ could be on the cards for one West Devon village.

Using recycled plastic, Crapstone may soon benefit from a £50,000 naturally themed play area.

Proposed by Buckland Monachorum Parish Council, the project is earmarked for land owned by the parish council currently used as a recreational field and home to 20-year-old park equipment and two picnic benches.

The council bought the field a few years ago, originally MOD land, when a 75-property estate was built in the village. The council continued to use the area as a recreational field and installed a wetland meadow but with tight budgets plans a brand-new family park had to wait.

But now councillors and villagers feel it is ‘time for a change’.

Cllr Susan Woollacott, who is spearheading the project, said: ‘The council agreed it would be a good idea to have a play park in recycled plastic, with a base that is safe and dry.

‘We want a family park so that we can encourage parents to take young ones out.

‘It’s lovely to see families using the current park but it would be nice to see a few more and to give them a meeting place.

‘The new play park will encourage children to play and socialise and I would also like to put a couple of adult exercise equipment, like those in the Meadows [Tavistock].

‘The equipment will be made of recycled plastic so that we don’t have metals that can hurt children and we are hoping to keep it as green as possible.

‘I am a resident and I have been a resident of Crapstone all my life, I am interested in improving our area, not just for parents but for grandparents as well.’

Equipment planned for the park is for families with children up to the age of nine and could include swings for toddlers and older children, a roundabout and balance and activity equipment.

Cllr Woollacott added: ‘All we need is £50,000.

‘To start the ball rolling we applied to the Co-op for the local community funding and we are so excited to be awarded the fund. What a wonderful start.

‘Lots of residents have signed up to help us and I know the total is increasing by the day.

‘It’s great that our local Co-op is helping so many small projects.’

The Co-op award sees members from the local area choose which projects to support by casting a vote. Voting for the park will close at the end of January.

The Co-op Local Community Fund helps pay for local projects that members care about.

Every time Co-op members shop at any of its stores, one per cent of what they spend on selected own-branded products and services goes to help fund community projects where they live.