We spoke to residents of Shearling Way Estate at a celebratory event for the recent transformative improvements to a local disused basketball court. The council used funding required from developers building in the borough to transform the space into a community hub people of all ages can enjoy and relax in. Improvements included: 

• Raised and accessible planters to grow fruit, vegetables, or flowers 
• Play features such as a climbing structure and inclusive carousel
• Improved communal area including table tennis table, picnic bench, and seating
• Colourful perennial and sensory planting and wildlife habitat features
• Water point for watering plants and supporting gardening activities
• New column and floor lighting  

Jeanette

“I have lived here for 46 years. I think this is beautiful, all the colours. I’ve seen young people playing table tennis.   

I taught my grandson how to plant spring onions. He took them to his cubs group and told them “I planted these with my grandma!” 

It’s so nice there is a cool spot there, a space to sit in the shade. It’s lovely for the children. Before this, there was nothing in this area. The council did a good job.”

Lynne 

“I moved here in November 2021 with my husband Roger. We moved back to London having retired to Cornwall. We had a good time there, but we had to come back, it doesn’t work to live there if you can’t drive.   

When we first moved in here this was a derelict site, people leaving paint cans and rubbish. It’s a delight to walk past now, it makes a really nice entrance into the estate.   

This is a huge improvement on something that was becoming a real eyesore. We are only too pleased to see it be developed. It’s tidied up the whole area, and the planting is wonderful!   

We have planted two courgette plants in the planters. And I’ll be sitting down here in this lovely shady spot regularly. It’s so lovely to see the playground full of children.” 

Lawrence 

“This was wasteland before. We had that storm and the wall fell down, and it was just nothing for a while. We watched it getting built back up and being turned into this beautiful playground where people are already having fun in the sun!”

Jules  

“It’s been really great to see that the space has been made accessible, before I couldn’t get into this area at all even if I had wanted to, it was just used for basketball. Now there is a place where I can be spun around, and when my sister comes with her kids I can bring them here. I love gardening, and it’s nice that the planters are wheelchair height as well.”