Play England is now the supporting body for the government’s £235m play investment programme to improve outdoor public play facilities for children. The aim of the programme is to install 3,500 play areas and 30 new adventure playgrounds across the country in the next three years.

The government strategy, called Fair Play, focuses on encouraging local authorities to prioritise the development of outdoor play facilities and safe play spaces. It is part of the DCMS and the DCSF’s Children’s Plan, which aims to improve the lives of children.

Play England, a BIG lottery funded programme established by the Children’s Play Council, part of The National Children’s Bureau, will offer advice to local authorities on designs for outdoor play areas and on producing their area-wide play strategies.

Minister for Children, Kevin Brennan, said: “Children need more and better places to meet their friends and have fun so I am delighted to announce that Play England will be helping use in delivering more playgrounds and more exciting play for children.”

As part of the programme all top-tier local authorities will receive £1m to improve and develop free play areas for children aged between eight and 13-years-old. In addition, Play Pathfinders, authorities chosen by the government upon launch of the strategy, will receive an extra £1m to develop supervised adventure play areas.

There are currently 20 Pathfinder authorities, due to rise to 30 by late autumn, and 43 Play Builder authorities, all of which will receive immediate attention from Play England.

Adrian Voce, Play England’s director, said: “This funding and the wider national play strategy should see children’s play become central to both children’s services and local planning frameworks for years to come.”