Prospect Park transformation exhibition

We have launched a pre-planning exhibition for our ambitious plans to boost the play facilities offered at Prospect Park.

We plan to invest over £500k to build a new multi-use community hub and activity centre in part of the pavilion building at Prospect Park, which will become a new destination for activities, entertainment and learning for families and children from across Reading and beyond.

The pre-planning exhibition will provide more detailed information and designs for the external aspects of the project, ahead of the submission of the planning application in late April.

People will be encouraged to feedback on the proposals when the planning application is submitted in late April as part of the planning process. The application would then go before Planning Committee for approval in the summer and the aim is for the construction to start on site in late summer/early autumn 2021.

As part of our ambition to improve health and drive up participation in outdoor and active play, the fantastic new facilities would offer:

• accessible outdoor family adventure 9-hole mini-golf
• an indoor ‘skytrail’ low ropes course for younger children age 7 and under
• a café facility with indoor and outdoor seating
• new toilet facilities (including an accessible changing places facility)
• multi-function room for parties, meetings and teaching, including those with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) or excluded from mainstream education
• an outdoor education area that will also support Reading Play’s educational outreach work which includes using play as a tool to improve particularly vulnerable young people’s social skills and wellbeing

The pavilion is the home of the council’s highly regarded and popular play service, and the new centre would also provide an outdoor enclosed education zone to support the team’s educational outreach programmes, including a portable climbing wall and team building activities, such as den and fire building, archery, adventurous play, assault course, an outdoor classroom and much more.

Find out more about the play project and to view the pre-planning exhibition visit.

The development is just one aspect of the enhancement and investment we are making within Prospect Park. We have prioritised the playground as urgently needing improvements, particularly free accessible equipment for children of all abilities. You can view details of the proposals for relocating and enhancing the children’s playground.