RESIDENTS and councillors are frustrated after vandalism and other issues delayed work to improve a playground.

In February, it was revealed that the play area on Lawn Road and St Catharine Road in Boyatt Wood would be improved as part of a £1.1m council scheme to deliver new play areas and improve existing ones across the borough.

Work began that month and was due to finish by March 12, but now multiple vandalisms and issues involving the supply of parts has meant that over six months after it was due to be finished, the work is still not complete.

Completion is said to be reliant on new custom built play equipment arriving from the Uk supplier and now, Eastleigh North councillor, Tanya Park has taken to social media to update residents.

“I know many local residents are just as frustrated as I am, and this frustration is shared by EBC as well, at the length of time this is taking to complete.

“Unfortunately, over the past year as has been reported in the media a combination of factors has led to delays for many projects of all sizes: Covid lockdowns, the ‘pingdemic’, labour shortages including HGV drivers due in part to Brexit, and even the blockage in the Suez Canal.

“We’ve also seen at Lawn Road a number of incidents of vandalism which has increased delays and costs to this project. Most recently this has involved the destruction of the temporary fencing around the current project.”

Now though, action has been announced to try and avoid this happening again.

At an Eastleigh Local Area Committee meeting last week, councillors voted to spend an additional £10,000 on new basketball hoop and goal unit, with the current one being temporarily removed.

This is aimed at helping to prevent any further incidents and is expected to be delivered as a standalone project.

Residents are also being asked to attend an exhibition at St Peter’s Church, Shakespeare Road from 3pm - 7pm on November 7.

The exhibition is expected to give an idea of what changes will be made and give people the opportunity to have their say.